Fear is a force that is so debilitating for kids and adults alike. Fear obstructs clear thinking and fuels anxiety in a way that makes it hard to work and be successful on anything. Often, uncertainty is behind our fears. When we don’t know what to do, we become afraid of what the future has in store for us. Yet sometimes knowing what to do actually inspires our fear. Successful management of our fears is a life-long challenge.
In leading America through the Great Depression and implementation of the New Deal, FDR had to convince Americans to see the world through a new hopeful perspective in the midst of anxiety and fear. Staging the Theodore Roethke conversation just …
Teaching about a youth leader like Malala Yousafzai provides a great opportunity to really delve into the theme of fear, because even though many in Malala’s country do not believe girls should be educated, Malala stayed calm in the face …
The short story “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs is a suspense story that pairs perfectly with the Franklin Delano Roosevelt conversation about fear. The theme of fear of the unknown shows that people in scary situations may act rashly, …
The young adult dystopian classic The Giver by Lois Lowry offers readers a taste of what the world would be like if we were all anesthetized to emotion. The narrator, Jonas, is tasked with the responsibility of receiving the collective …
Fear is an emotion we can all identify with. Fear causes stress and discomfort, and makes us do things we would not otherwise do. People react to fear in different ways. Some remain calm; others lose control of their mind which causes even more distress. Dealing with fear in productive ways is an important life skill that helps us manage stress.