HOW TO REDUCE TEACHER STRESS

NORMITA C. MANALAC

High stakes exams. Demanding administrators. Challenging students. No wonder teachers are stressed! On a daily basis, those circumstances can challenge teachers to do their jobs well— or overwhelm them.

I often hear this comment from children who are having problems with school.

Schools and teachers are usually very good at thinking about the wellbeing of their pupils. We consider ourselves to have a duty of care to our pupils. We do not usually think about our own well-being – until it is too late and we are sick. People who take on caring roles are often not good at looking after themselves.

It is vital that we manage our own well-being, as we cannot manage pupils and learning if we cannot manage ourselves. Children come in every day to school and more or less do the same thing, sometimes having slightly better or worse days. What makes the difference is the reaction of the adults around them. Taking time to manage your stress is essential in order to teach effectively and to help students with their stress around learning.

What daily or weekly occurrences stress you out? What people, activities, things or habits cause stress in your life? Make a Top 10 list and write down possible solutions.

A problem shared really is a problem halved. Talk to a trusted friend or colleague. Getting it out of your head will always make you feel better and encourage you to become more solution focused.

Easier said than done, I know. But this is the bottom line. To really deal with stress, you can’t go back, under, over or around –- you have to go through it.

— oOo—

The author is Principal II of Mancatian Elementary School