Wellbeing
Teaching, as a profession, is recognized as demanding and stressful (e.g., Griffith, Steptoe & Cropley, 1999) and teachers experience stress when the demands of the situation exceed their ability to cope with these demands. Some researchers even attribute the substantial attrition rates among teachers in some parts of the world, to significant levels of job-related stress that teachers experience and fail to manage (Chaplain, 2008; Kyriacou & Kunc, 2007).
Research has revealed that teachers are exposed to various sources of stress. Major among these are: teaching unmotivated students; sustaining discipline in the classroom; a demanding workload; being exposed to frequent changes; being evaluated by others; undergoing difficult or challenging relationships with colleagues and administrators, and poor working conditions (Kyriacou, 2001).
Firstly, remember you are not alone, we all share the same challenges. We are however, individuals with different lives outside school - which also come with their own set of challenges too!
Yes, life is good and we love our profession, but at times we feel anxious (will they think I am a rubbish teacher?) …stressed (I have so much marking to do!) …irritated (why won’t the pupils listen?) …and the list goes on. So how do we manage those negative emotions?
Below are a number of links to associations and resources which you may find useful.
Keep talking. Keep listening to each other. You are amazing.
Resources
- Apps
- BUH: Mental Health & Wellbeing Booklet
- Building Resilience Toolkit #6
- Dealing With The Effects Of Lockdown Toolkit #5
- Defining Your Fears Instead Of Your Goals
- Managing Anxiety & Improving Wellbeing Toolkit #4
- Managing Transitions Toolkit #7
- Mental Health & Wellbeing Toolkit #3
- Mentally Healthy Schools: Coronavirus & Mental Health
- NHS: Mental Health & Wellbeing
- Resources To Support The Return To School Toolkit #8
- Teacher Anxiety: Help & Support
- Teacher Wellbeing Research Report
- The Linking Network: Secondary Ideas & Resources
