mrsjacvol-pe-blog

[mrsjacvol-pe-blog]

Teacher Wellness Concerns

If you are a teacher, you know that there are MANY stresses that come along with our profession! Things like: daily expectations of planning and grading, student concerns, dealing with parents, lack of administrator support, etc. can really “bog down” those of us who are in charge of a classroom! However, I am here to provide some helpful suggestions on how some of these stressful aspects of our job can be, at the very least, managed! To begin, it is very clear to me after eight years of teaching that we must first focus on adequately meeting our most basic needs. These three needs include: positive exercise, good nutrition, and proper sleep. The important thing to remember about these three things is that, while there are some general guidelines that may be the same, these basic needs could look very different from person to person. For example, some teachers may need just 15-20 minutes a day of exercise of their choice in order to feel sufficient in that area, while others may need a full hour. The key is to find “your normal.” See what works best in your life and on your schedule. Also, the type of exercise makes a difference. Some teachers may enjoy walking at a brisk pace with friends, while others may want to do an individual, fast-paced workout in their own home. Again, try different things until you find what works best for you. In the area of nutrition, it is generally accepted that the “ChooseMyPlate” website’s (http://www.center4research.org/myplate-new-alternative-food-pyramid/) guidelines are a wonderful option to replace the out-dated “food pyramid” from days of old. ChooseMyPlate stresses a balanced meal that includes a majority of vegetables, an approximately equal amount of a protein and some grains,  a small amount of fruit, and an even smaller amount of dairy. This balanced meal will help to properly and healthfully fuel your body throughout the day. Choose healthy snacks for school - things like almonds, fruit, peanut/nut butters, fresh vegetables...these are are positive ways to keep yourself fueled throughout the school day. As for proper sleep, try to ensure that you are getting somewhere from 6-8 hours per night. Again, this can vary greatly from person-to-person, so find what works best for you to feel rested and not “over tired.” Another important thing to remember in the field of education is goal setting. It is necessary for teachers to set themselves small, personal goals, because we can often feel totally overwhelmed by the expectations that are laid on us. Setting smaller, individual goals would allow a teacher to feel more “in control” of their classroom, and hopefully, allow them to focus on something more meaningful to them within their own classroom. For example, instead of focusing on the generic “improvement of standardized test scores,” a teacher may want to focus on “how to get my students to write better paragraphs.” Small, achievable goals can greatly increase a teacher’s feeling of control in his/her own classroom. Another very important way to feel more positive about school is to create positive connections with your colleagues. This can be done in a variety of ways, My favorite option is to set up tie to hang out with colleagues outside of school. It is a way to remove everyone from the school setting, which helps everyone to feel more relaxed. It also allows the group to create memories together outside of the school, which carries over into positive reminiscing with one another inside the building. Positive relationships with colleagues can result in excellent collaboration efforts between those newly formed colleague relationships at school. Collaborating with peers is truly one of the best ways to be more successful in a school setting. The final, and honestly, to me, most important thing you have to do to manage stress while teaching is to LEARN TO SAY ‘NO!” This one is super tough for me, and many others, I know, as teachers are, by nature, “helpers.” We love to try and find ways to assist others in whatever we do. It is hard for us to turn someone down when they ask us for help. However, it is important to set boundaries for yourself so that you do not “overbook” or become overwhelmed, If you stick to few things that you truly care about and are invested in, you can do those things better than if you try and do too many things and you can never fully devote your talents to the things that you truly care about. I hope that these tips will help you to feel less stress and more empowered to do what we all love to do best: help kids to become the best versions of themselves!