PEACE OF MIND FOR TROUBLED TEACHERS

PEACE OF MIND FOR TROUBLED TEACHERS

“You shouldn’t worry so much,” a coworker told the gym teacher.

“What do you mean, don’t worry?!” cried the other. “I have 101 things to worry about,” and poured out a long list of his work, financial, and personal troubles.

“But if you keep fretting like that, you’ll get high blood pressure and your hair will fall out.”

Nervous Ned considered that for a moment, then wailed, “That makes 103 things I have to worry about!”

Have you ever felt that Murphy’s Law was after you personally? The school’s three worst troublemakers are all in your class at once. Five parents are on your case for being “too hard” on their kids. The principal seems to have singled you out as the one teacher who can’t do anything right. Your spouse has been laid off work, and no amount of budget-tweaking shows how your teacher’s salary can keep the family fed and housed. And now, you’ve been ordered to switch to virtual teaching due to coronavirus closings—and your virtual equipment is experiencing every technical problem in the book, and three families have called you since yesterday complaining they can’t get the right equipment and what are you going to do about it.

Take a Deep Breath

Even without that long a list of immediate problems, most teachers can find more than enough to worry about. Pressure from students, pressure from parents, pressure from administrators, pressure from school boards and state testing agencies. Low salaries. Responsibility for endless lesson planning and contingency planning. … Okay, we all know that picture, but before you cross into the panic zone, slow down, quit counting your concerns, and remember: you’ve survived all of the past, you’re all right in the present, and it’s not your responsibility to see the whole future today.

Count the Positives

Even without that long a list of immediate problems, most teachers can find more than enough to worry about. Pressure from students, pressure from parents, pressure from administrators, pressure from school boards and state testing agencies. Low salaries. Responsibility for endless lesson planning and contingency planning. … Okay, we all know that picture, but before you cross into the panic zone, slow down, quit counting your concerns, and remember: you’ve survived all of the past, you’re all right in the present, and it’s not your responsibility to see the whole future today.

Stay Busy With What You Can Do

Fretting over what you can’t solve immediately will only paralyze you. Working on something productive—from taking a virtual course to writing a memoir on what you’ve learned from teaching—will take your mind off your anxieties and help life feel more under control.

Finally, Keep Things in Perspective

If you must consider “the worst thing that could happen” (e. g., losing your job), don’t exaggerate its consequences (you won’t be jobless and broke forevermore) or discredit your ability to cope with it (no matter what happens, you can pick up the pieces and move on). Just realizing you could live with the “worst” will clear your head and free you to do the best thing. Including saving time and emotional strength to enjoy the nonwork aspects of life!