WHEN LIFE GETS TOUGH: FOR TEACHERS

Your spouse is out of work. The car is making funny noises. Your preschooler’s daycare center has warned of a virus going around. And you have to take a bus to your school-job in freezing rain, to spend the day in close quarters with twenty children still antsy from winter break.

How does a teacher keep going when Murphy’s Law seems out to get you, inside the classroom and out?

Don’t Take It Out on the Class

First and most important rule: remember your students aren’t responsible for most of your stress, and shouldn’t be made to pay for it. It’s tempting to vent your frustration by turning crabby and impatient, cracking down on behavior you’d normally tolerate, making a big deal over everything. Doing so, however, only makes things worse all around. When you’re impatient with your students, they resent it and become uncooperative; and the more uncooperative they are, the more frustrated you will become—and you have a vicious circle on your hands.

What you can do instead:

Share Details as Needed

Where you have a good relationship with a class, it’s fine to admit you’re feeling stressed and to ask them to help by reducing noise and interruptions. Trying to hide every sign of “weakness” will only increase your stress. (This open approach can work even if your relationship with the class is strained; many kids empathize with teachers who show a human side. If you can’t be honest with the class, look for a wise confidant—not a gripe partner—among fellow teachers.)

Also, consider starting a class discussion on, “What’s stressful for you? How do you feel? What do you do about it?” You might pick up some helpful advice!

Teach the Kids About Tough Issues While Teaching Yourself

If your struggles are worse than an ordinary bad week, you can build on the class-discussion idea by incorporating related topics into the curricula:

Ideas for dealing with family problems may be generated via a study of what “family” means to different cultures.

New perspectives on financial problems can be gained from Great Depression history.

Insights on health concerns may come up during a biology class.

Remember, there’s more to teaching than sharing what you already know yourself. Paying attention to your own lessons may bring the “aha” moment that helps you solve your problem. At the very least, it’ll keep you aware that others have weathered similar situations.

Cultivate a Hopeful, Optimistic Atmosphere in the Classroom

However bad things may seem, nothing is hopeless. Focus on “overall, life is good” emphases to create hope (and progress) for your future and your students’.

Decorate the room with cheerful images and inspirational sayings.

Include in lessons plenty of examples that show successful perseverance and resilience.

When a lesson must focus on a dark moment in history or another painful subject, emphasize searching for glimpses of hope and for things we can learn to build a better future.

Hold “count your blessings” discussions where everyone shares what they like about their lives right now—and remember to participate yourself. Remember also that “what you’re thankful for” should include your job and your students. Look carefully: you can always find something positive!