Ep. 235: Why Stress Sabotages Learning and How Parents and Educators Can Help with Jerome Schultz, PhD

May 6, 2025

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We are happy to welcome Dr. Jerome "Jerry" Schultz to Diverse Thinking Different Learning this week. Dr. Schultz is a clinical neuropsychologist and lecturer at Harvard Medical School with nearly four decades of experience working with children and young adults with learning and behavioral challenges. A former special education teacher and author of Nowhere to Hide, he has held academic positions at several universities, directed multiple clinics, and maintained a private practice in Wellesley, MA for over three decades. He holds degrees from Ohio State and Boston College and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology at Tufts Medical Center.

Dr. Schultz joins us today to talk about stress - not your everyday kind of frustrations, but the kind that keeps kids awake at night and makes school feel unbearable. Dr. Schultz discusses the significant impact of stress on children's learning and behavior, revealing the difference between tolerable stress, which is manageable, and toxic stress, which can disrupt a child's ability to think and learn effectively. We explore how toxic stress can alter brain function, leaving children in a constant state of alert and fear, making everyday tasks like schoolwork feel overwhelming.

As we dig into the science behind stress, Dr. Schultz offers some great insights into how to help kids build confidence and resilience, highlighting the importance of framing challenges in a way that helps kids see their own strengths and capabilities. He also discusses how well-meaning encouragement (such as "I know you can do this!") can backfire by actually adding pressure, and with real-life examples, including strategies for parents and educators, we reveal how small changes in approach (such as helping kids break tasks into manageable pieces or allowing time for a quick break) can lead to a more productive and less stressful learning environment.

This episode of the show offers strategies that can help children overcome stress and set them up for long-term success, both in and out of the classroom.

Show Notes: [2:37] - Dr. Schultz explains that stress is a natural response that helps protect us from perceived danger, though it's evolved. [4:36] - Stress varies between individuals, with toxic stress being long-term and damaging to mental health. [7:07] - Learn how stress impacts learning and how well-meaning encouragement can backfire by increasing pressure on struggling kids. [10:58] - Parents and teachers need practical strategies to support kids experiencing stress. [11:28] - Dr. Schultz discusses how kids' reactions to tasks depend on their belief in success. [14:59] - Rating task difficulty and ability helps kids assess challenges and match them with their capabilities. [16:41] - To recap, Dr. Schultz explains that matching task difficulty and confidence helps kids manage stress and build self-esteem via success. [19:23] - When students feel overwhelmed, breaking tasks into smaller parts can help reset their confidence and mindset. [21:54] - Success enhances brain chemistry, while failure creates a negative mindset that can heighten stress. [23:53] - Dr. Schultz gives an example of coaches using video feedback to correct errors. [25:47] - Dr. Schultz argues that a student's readiness and willingness to complete a task depend on timing and emotional state. [28:31] - Increased pressure on teachers and difficult curricula contribute to stress in both students and educators. [31:06] - Meditation in schools improves behavior and academics, offering students an important time to relax. [33:07] - Dr. Schultz points out that engaging kids in creating their own relaxation strategies helps them more effectively manage stress.

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