Bicol University

Senior High School Program

Legazpi City

A Report on :

Handling School Stress of BUCEILS-SHS STEM students

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement

For English for Academic and

Professional Purposes

Submitted by:

Kristine Cris Venus

12- STEM

S.Y. 2019 – 2020

 Abstract

Students in senior high school face a wide range of ongoing stressors related toacademic

demands. Previous Research indicates that academic relatedstress can reduce achievements

and decrease motivation toparticipate in school activities. In this report, student's coping with

stress at senior high school level particularly those who take Science Engineering Technology

Mathematics (STEM) stand was examined and determined present causes of

stress, its effects, and coping mechanisms used. According to related

studies, Many students encounter school-related stress especially in

their senior high school because of the new curriculum and its

increasing workloads.These workloads are said to be the top cause of stress and it is

natural for a student to make a response–positively or negatively from these stressors. So it is

important to know the roots of that stress and how to handle it. Auerbach and Grambling

(1998) stated that if these stresses handles properly it can help a person improve especially a

student's mental, physical, emotional, social aspect, performance and gives motivation to fuel

their creativity and productiveness.

Introduction

Stress is inevitable and it is associated with both harmful

and beneficial qualities (Karyn Gunnet-Shoval). It occurs from

their work, to school, and even in their personal lives. People

experience lot of stress such as having a child, unemployment, relationship problems, peer

problems or academic problems, these kind of phenomenons are what we called stressors.
 Stressors are agents or conditions that produce stress or

initiate a stress response. It can be a person, object, place or

an event. In other words, these are outside forces that cause

unusual demands on a person.

As for teens, they tend to perceive stress as a distress or

the harmful stress caused by factors such as romantic

relationships, social acceptance, preparing for college and

earning good grades.

However, what concerns teens the most is school stress.

School stress is a type of stress that occurs inside the

classroom and has different concerns associated with it. It can

be concerns regarding grades, teachers, homework and isolation,

but more specifically, it may include worries due to unclear

lessons, impatient teachers, fear of loss of friends, work

overload, and peer pressure (McNamara, 2000).

K-12 curriculum was implemented in the Philippines in order to

provides better mastery of concepts and skills, gears up students

for their future professions and develops lifelong learners.

However, with the introduction of new grading system and failure

to disseminate information in regards with the curriculum, lack

of teachers, classroom and other needed tools and equipment,

parents especially students find it difficult to catch up with

all the changes.

 The Bicol University (BU) is a state university in the

Philippines, which aims its students to embody the four pillars

of the institution: leadership, scholarship, character, and

service. It is one of the 22 leading state universities and

colleges in the country. It is also identified as Commission on

Higher Education (CHED) and is the first state university in the

Philippines to be recognized as ISO (International Organization

for Standardization) certified as an institution.

With the implementation of K-12, Bicol University would upgrade and

enhance its curriculum for undergraduate and graduate education

in accordance to national and international standards and will

require its professors to focus and adapt to new ways of learning

strategies. The students will similarly adapt and cope with the

changes. It pressures the students to act to sudden change that

they are not quite accustomed to and will force them to adjust

within the short period of time. Due to these, the student will

inevitably be stressed.

All of these thoughts and pressure within a student's mind

will surely lead to stress which is either positive or negative.

Positive being a stress that acts as a persuasion mechanism to

the students to help them get a slight push towards a goal.

Meanwhile negative being the stress pushes them to the edge

resulting in an uncomfortable position and situation.

 Thus, this paper will study the STEM students of Bicol University Senior

high School Program so that it can provide advice to both teachers and

students about how they can manage these stress.

Discussion

Stress is stated as a factor which will prove how well a

child performs academically. Stress can enhance a student’s

learning ability. However, too much of it can cause physical and

mental health problems. A person can easily adapt to stress. Even

so, if the demands become too overwhelming the adaptive ability

of that person are greatly affected.

Blona (2005) claims that students experience stress since

some are trying to cope with the demands of adapting to a new

living environment, new peers, academic pressure, and sexual

concerns. If not handled well, situations like this can leave

them with trembling hands, tense muscles, migraine, headache, and

multiple other symptoms of stress performance or reduce the

student to ineffectiveness.

Students cited that factors contributing to stress are

numerous workload and requirements from different subjects,

examination periods, and lack of physical exercises and

activities (Harikiran et al., 2012; Hashmat et al., 2008;

Sangsgiry and Sail, 2006; Shah et al., 2010)

 According to Madnani, K. (2015), Students, specifically the

senior secondary class have to go through the experiences of

stress due to the pressure of studies, expectations of parents,

teachers, and self or peer pressure, career demands that results

with more pressure on already delicate minds. Therefore, it is

necessary to understand the causes of academic stress among

students; to point out their resources to counter it and thereby

enhance their well-being, countless variables have been

distinguished to be positively or negatively connected with

academic stress of students by empirical researchers.

On a blog authored by Lis Fortun (September 20, 2018) about

How to deal with stress in Senior High School. She gave ways on

how to deal with the stress in Senior High School, here are some

examples:

First example is having enough sleep. In senior high school

it is difficult to attain, that’s why, if you were given the

chance to rest, don’t waste it.

Second example is to find support. Support can be shown in

some ways like a little tap on the back or a hug can greatly help

to uplift your mood. Talking to your family, friends, and even

teachers can boost your energy. Their presence and support can

help a person specially students in terms of being able to

motivate them and just simply making them smile.

 Third example is about finding time for your passion. Doing

your hobbies and skills can also help in reducing the stress they

are feeling. It could be in the form of dancing, singing,

sketching, painting, etc.

Lastly, is to breathe. Breathing helps you find your own

space. Go outside for a walk, find a nice spot and breathe for

four seconds, hold it in for seven seconds then exhale. A little

oxygen in your body can boost your mind and can even improve your

blood circulation.

en improve your blood circulation.

Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman scientifically defined

coping as a combined behavioral and cognitive effort, which are

constantly changing. Its aim is to handle internal or external

demands, particularly demands that the body views as challenging

to overcome. Coping strategy refers to ways to handle stressful

and troublesome circumstances.

Being able to cope up with stress is important because it

affects the way people act in their surroundings, how he

socializes to others and how they ask for medical and social

support (Passer & Smith 2007).

According to Lazarus & Folkman (1984) coping is a

psychological process wherein an individual tries to fight and

manage his/her stress. Stress can be controlled and be managed. A

person can manage their own stress reactions, even if it’s

excessive stress. A person can learn specific skills that will

help them identify potential stressors and change harmful stress

reactions without the use of pills, alcohol, drugs, etc. that can

further harm their body. Once a person learns that skill, not

only they can manage stress but also can prevent excessive stress

from happening.

Stress management begins with a positive attitude. Create

and nurture a positive approach. With it, stress can be managed

and health and well- being of a person can be achieved.

Conclusion

With all the studies reviewed, it concluded that stress

affects any person at any time. A human body is already equipped
with tools to overcome stress. However, when stress is too much
too handle, our body tend to experience effects that can be
harmful to a person. Students are one of the individuals who
experience stress first hand and its effects to them can result
either positive or negative.

Knowing how to handle stress can help not just a student

but everyone in their daily work. It can give motivation, improve
memorization skills, and avoid distress but as time progresses
new stressors arise and the need in finding new ways in handling
it is a must to able for an individual to cope up with stress.

With this study, the researchers aim to determine new

handling techniques that can be used by future stem students and
senior high school students. In addition, this study will also
supplement information about the good effects brought by stress
and how it can help students if they know how to handle it.