|
|
 |
| |
| |
| Updated on: May 22, 2008 |
| |
| Dealing With End of the Year Stress |
| |
From Melissa Kelly,
Your Guide to Secondary Education.
Causes of Stress
The end of the year is approaching for many of us. A lucky few might even be out already. But in order to reach the big payoff - summer vacation - we have to deal with the stresses that the last few weeks bring: end of the year exams, summer schools lists, parents who do not understand why their children are failing, rooms to be cleaned and items to be stored, accounts to be reconciled, and many more items that I'm sure I missed. And of course your personal life continues to move forward through all of this. Heaven forbid you get sick at this time of year!
So how can educators handle all of this stress? Unfortunately there is not one answer. However, we can find a lot of relief by practicing a positive attitude towards all of the problems facing us. This makes all of the difference.
Causes of Stress
Teachers today are expected to fulfill so many roles, not the least of which is to actually teach.
In many places throughout the country they are to perform their 'duties' with very little pay. In what other job with a Master's Degree are you earning barely $6000 more after 10 years of experience than when you first started?
As the school year nears its end, many teachers find other roles being thrust upon them. Their duties increase while they still have to deal with grading assignments, writing tests, and of course teaching class. Let's look at a few of the reasons why the end of the year might cause stress:
- Too much work - Not only are teachers figuring out final grades, but they are also cleaning their rooms, gathering lesson plans, and performing numerous other required tasks.
- Time pressures and deadlines - Just remembering the deadlines for everything from failure notices to final grades everything can be a real chore.
- Apparent lack of support - Sometimes the administrative staff is less than supportive of the myriad problems faced by the classroom teacher at the end of the year. They too have items they have to complete before the year ends and teachers' concerns sometimes take a back seat.
- Unclear expectations - This can occur with new teachers or teachers at a new school who are not sure what the end of the year procedures are.
- Responsibility for students' grades - Even though as teachers we know that students EARN their grades, it often feels that parents and students place failing grades on the shoulders of the teachers. This is especially compounded in Senior Year where the grade means the difference between a diploma and no diploma
- Disruptions - You've just sat down at the end of the day to work on those research papers and realize that a meeting has been called. Unfortunately, many responsibilities exist outside of the classroom that require attention.
|
|
| Strategies for Educators |
| Don't Let it Get to You |
You know that you are not crazy, that there are too many demands of you as a teacher. You might even wonder why the heck you got into this profession. In fact, studies show that as many as 50 percent of teachers leave the profession by the 5th year of teaching. Surely job stress must play a part in this. For those of us who stick it out (even if only to the end of this year) there are things we can do to make our lives a little easier.
- Have a positive attitude. Remember that even though you might be dealing with an unmovable bureaucracy, an unsupportive parent, or a belligerent student, they cannot affect your feelings or make you angry unless you allow them to. You are in control of your own emotions. Here are some suggestions for turning negative thoughts into positive ones.
- Do not try to accomplish too many tasks in one day. Part of the problem of job stress is that it is often a cycle. You have so many things to accomplish in one day that the quality of your work declines which means that not only do you have a lot to do but you are bothered at your results. So instead, prioritize and fill up only half the day with things you want to get done. The fact is, you will probably work all day to complete that which you think you can do in half of a day.
- Relax through stretching and exercise. Exercise releases endorphins that help give you a feeling of peacefulness. Further, it gives you time to clear your mind of all worries. You will be doing something for yourself, and no one else.
- Get plenty of sleep. Take a test to see if you getting enough. Being well-rested helps problems seem less important. If you having trouble sleeping, you can find some resources here.
- Leave your teaching at school as often as possible. Obviously, this seems impossible to do but find ways to gain valuable personal time. Try to get your schoolwork done at school. Remember that nothing is more important than your mental well-being.
- Get yourself a hobby. If there is something that you love to do, spend some time on it each day to take your mind away from teaching.
- Find things to laugh at. Watch a funny movie. Tell yourself a joke you never heard before. Laughter helps get through so much.
- Give yourself positive messages. I always repeat the same phrase when times get tough: 'This, too, shall pass.' Try it, it works! If you are a religious person, pray! Give all your worries to someone greater than yourself.
- Finally, remember that teachers are important and valuable to our society. Find comfort in the awesome role you are playing in many people's lives. Remember those you have touched over the years. One way to celebrate the high points is to create an ' I Make a Difference Scrapbook '.
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
