Many people in this world identify as a highly sensitive person (H.S.P) including a number of students. Highly sensitive people are all around us, not as a separate grouping of people, but living as a spectrum in everyone.
Many students within our school may identify as this type of individual and struggle with it daily. This may cause a rift in how they go through school compared to others. These types of students may read too much into others’ tone or emotions and not so much the schooling; if a teacher tells them to do something using an aggressive tone they may only focus on that and not the work assigned.
Highly sensitive people tend to struggle with adapting to various circumstances at one time and can often get overwhelmed. This stressor may also produce inappropriate emotions for a classroom setting which could further a negative experience.
Though those who are highly sensitive people don’t tend to flourish in the average school setting, many could do with a more hands on approach. HSPs tend to have a higher level of creativity which could lead to great things academically, especially later in life.
This can be a great trait for someone in a school system that would allow them to flourish with creativity instead of the ability to test. Not every HSP has the ability to sit through an hour-long class or stay focused for 8 hours of a school day, but their connection to other people and their ability to be captivated by strong emotions can be their reason to shine outside of the classroom.
Many HSPs have very strong connecting relationships and tend to have a deep understanding of others. These traits are admirable in a person and showcase just how successful HSPs can be in the world.
HSPs are all around us on a daily basis, yet no one may notice. They may just seem different from other people. Embrace this difference. They could end up being your best friend.