3R Class Assembly |
In Literacy, the children of Year 3 enjoy studying a book called 'The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark', by Jill Tomlinson. It was this story that inspired Class 3R to face up to their own fears and to ask us the question... |
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What is fear? What causes us to be afraid? Why do some people seem fearless, seeking out horror movies, thrill rides and dangerous sports while others avoid anything that makes them feel afraid? Fear is a normal human reaction. Fear happens whenever we sense danger and so it can protect us because then we can prepare to deal with the danger. |
| We have all experienced that sudden rush of fear that comes at the top of the rollercoaster. For some of us it is the thrill of a lifetime, exciting and fun. At the scariest moments of the rollercoaster ride you may be telling yourself “This is awesome – as soon as it is over, I’m getting back on!” But for others it is our worst fear, terrifying and scary. As the rollercoaster swoops around the loop you are thinking “I’ll never get on this thing again – that is if I get off alive!” | ||
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Going up. Hold tight... |
Going dooooooowwwwnnnnn!! |
HELP!! I want to get off! |
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Fear can make your heart beat faster. You may get a shiver down your spine. Your palms might begin to sweat or you may feel faint. Butterflies may flutter in your stomach. You might jump or be frozen to the spot. Fear can be brief – like when you are startled by the pop of a balloon. It is over in seconds as soon as your brain realizes there is no danger. Other kinds of fears can last a long time like being afraid of the dark or the school bully. |
It is natural to be afraid of things we don’t understand or have never experienced before and different people are afraid of different things. Spiders, snakes, the dark, heights, dogs, aeroplanes, monsters under the bed, creepy crawlies and being stuck in a small space are common fears. When we talked about it we found that in 3R we are all afraid of different things. |
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Here are our top ten tips! |
Number 10 |
When you are scared your body can take over, making your heart beat faster, giving you a sick feeling in your stomach or making you feel feint. Breathing deeply and slowly can help you to feel much better. |
Number 9 |
It is much more difficult to act sensibly if you are in a panic. Keeping calm helps you to think clearly and deal with any real danger there might be. |
Number 8 |
Lots of the things we are afraid of are not dangerous at all. If you are not in immediate danger then getting into a panic is pointless and it can take away your confidence. |
Number 7 |
Even though lots of the things we are scared of can’t really hurt us there are times when we are frightened for a good reason. Like when we hear the fire alarm at school. It’s at times like these that getting away is the best thing to do. |
Number 6 |
It is natural to be afraid of strange or new things. So you can sometimes stop yourself from being afraid if you do some finding out about it. The more you know the less scary things seem. |
Number 5 |
This might seem a bit silly but when you know that what you are afraid of can’t really hurt you, it does help! Try it next time you find a HUGE hairy spider in the bath! |
Number 4 |
Don’t dwell on your fears or they can loom larger and larger in your mind. Take your mind of it by doing something else instead. |
Number 3 |
Doing the thing we are most afraid of is very scary. But it can help us to see that we don’t need to be afraid. Sometimes it can take away our fear completely! |
Number 2 |
It’s no good suffering in silence. Be brave and tell someone that you trust what it is that’s frightening you. |
Number 1 Remember you’re not alone |
We are all scared of something. It is natural to be afraid but you don’t have to deal with it on your own. |
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