Stress-free environment

Maria Elena G. dela Cruz

LET’S face it… stress at work is unavoidable. As teachers, we oftentimes feel that the daily tasks of our jobs are ever growing. But we can still thrive under it, because believe it or not, an ideal life isn't stress-free.

Educators have a lot of responsibility on their hands, reason why we try very hard to boost resilience to avoid burnout. We should be in an environment which is positive and risk-free. Being optimistic in our work creates good results.

We should not let anything affect the quality of education we give the children. They deserve a lot better than that.

However, the teaching profession does have its fair share of pressure. There are certain problems which arise within the classroom, including dealing with the effects of society's various problems on the students - poverty, violence and other social ills.

Teachers are affected by these challenges. Remember, we are our students’ second parents. We face these challenges head on, for the sake of our students. But sometimes, it is more than a teacher can handle.

Adding to these challenges and increasing the demand of a teacher's daily job are routine assessments, parent conferences, meetings with the principal and other superiors, paperwork and lesson plans.

The best way to beat stress is to reflect on why we chose this profession in the first place, and what motivates us to go on every single day. When we feel discouraged, think about the positive things that we made happen in our students’ lives. This can bring out our best while keeping our stress levels in check.

When we are faced with difficult situations, we should get much-needed support from our school and superiors through stress management training. This can raise our tolerance for stressful conditions and fend off job stress before it begins.

The school is a place of learning, and should be a stress-free environment. Stress should not get in the way of our goals – to help students achieve their dreams.

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The author is Teacher III at Sta. Maria National High School, Bunducan,

Bagbaguin, Bulacan