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  • Welcome!

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    You’ve probably seen it before—students who visit the nurse often, suddenly don’t want to come to school, shut down during class, or avoid certain situations altogether. Anxiety can look different in every child. And for students with communication differences, it can be even trickier to spot. Instead of saying, “I’m nervous,” they might act out, withdraw, or try to escape what feels uncomfortable.

    As someone who works with students, you might find yourself wondering:

    • How can I tell when anxiety is driving what I see?
    • What’s a normal, healthy level of anxiety—and when does it become something more?
    • And how can I support students who can’t always put their feelings into words, like those on the autism spectrum?

    If those questions sound familiar, you’re in exactly the right place.

    This is Part 1 of the Facing Your Fears in Schools training series—an evidence-based program designed to help educators and school-based providers better understand and address anxiety in students.

    Let’s get started!

    • MTSS in RI logo Title Facing Your Fears in School Intervention Program Facing Your Fears Logo

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      Course Completion Audio Described
      Important Notes
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      The Basics

      This course may use discussion forums to engage participants in meaningful dialogue around shared experiences. Every forum will contain clear instructions and requirements for completion. Please carefully read and follow the instructions. The course facilitator will periodically check on responses to ensure quality and appropriateness.

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  • Getting Started

    Before beginning, please take a moment to read and agree to the Terms of Use below.

    • As a professional educator, I understand that I must complete all the activities in this course as outlined by the activity expectations and instructions. I understand this course is monitored regularly and that all of my coursework should be completed with academic integrity as outlined in BRIDGE-RI's Terms of Use. Failure to meet these requirements may result in account suspension and/or termination.

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      Mark as done

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    • Meet the Course Developers

      This course was created in partnership with two esteemed researchers who co-developed the intervention. Click the button below to find out more about the course developers.

      Course Developers

    • Image of a post it note Label A note about languageThis training draws on an intervention originally developed in medical and clinical settings, where the term "autistic" is commonly used in reference to people on the autism spectrum. In schools, we often use people-first language (e.g., “students on the autism spectrum”). It is important to recognize that individuals and families hold different preferences about identity-first vs. people-first language. Throughout this training, we primarily use the original clinical/medical terminology to remain true to the research base, while encouraging educators to follow the preference of each student and family when speaking about autism.

    • Read the Course Information Here Page
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    • Before you begin...

      We've provided an optional Note-Taking Template as a Google Document that you can make a copy of and save to your Drive.  You can print or use it electronically to bullet main ideas, add screenshots, and take notes for future reference.

  • Pre-Assessment

    This pre-assessment should take 5 to 7 minutes to complete.

  • Section 1: What is Facing Your Fears in Schools & Why Implement?

    In this section, you'll be oriented to where we are in a Multi-Tiered System of Supports framework. Then, you will get a high-level description of the intervention, Facing Your Fears - School edition. This section should take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

  • Section 2: Anxiety & Autism

    In this section, you'll learn about anxiety in general and specifically with neurodiverse students. Then, you'll apply the framework for identifying anxiety to some case study examples to help you begin to identify students who could benefit from FYF-S. This section will take 30 to 35 minutes to complete.

  • Section 3: Evidence-Based Practices

    Now that we have an understanding of anxiety and, at a high level, how to identify students who may benefit from Facing Your Fears – School Edition, we will turn to the evidence-based practices of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for anxiety and how they are applied in this intervention. This section should take 20 to 25 minutes to complete.

  • Wrap Up

    • Anxiety Intervention Post-Assessment Quiz
      Students must
      Receive a grade


    • The work of BRIDGE-RI and MTSS Rhode Island is made possible by funding and additional supports from the Rhode Island Department of Education and West Bay Collaborative.

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