Anxiety

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety involves persistent worry, nervousness, or stress — triggered by upcoming events, past experiences, or everyday situations — that can feel disproportionate to the actual circumstances. For students, anxiety can show up as avoidance, difficulty taking academic risks, physical symptoms, or a strong fear of making mistakes, all of which can get in the way of learning.

How Porter Academy Addresses Anxiety

• A predictable, structured environment — consistent routines, clear expectations, and daily planners — helps reduce the uncertainty that often fuels anxiety
• Small class and group sizes create a lower-pressure setting where students are less likely to feel exposed or overwhelmed
• A deliberate focus on rebuilding self-esteem and confidence, including giving students real opportunities — across academics, art, music, PE, and OT — to discover what they’re good at (see Our Approach for more on this)
• Zones of Regulation gives students a safe, shame-free way to recognize and communicate when they’re feeling anxious, and specific tools to help them regulate
• A positive-reinforcement culture throughout the day, rather than one built around fear of getting things wrong
• Character education and Social Thinking build students’ confidence in social situations, reducing a common source of anxiety at school

Learn More

For general background on anxiety in children, we recommend the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA).