Combating Stress in the Classroom

Doctors tell us that 80-90% of disease is stress-related, and surveys indicate that few jobs are as stressful as a teacher’s. The 2015 Quality of Worklife survey showed that 73% of teachers found their job to be stressful “often.” A Gallup Report called The State of America’s Schools asked, “Did you experience stress during a lot of the day yesterday?” 46% of teachers said yes. Only nurses reported an equal frequency of stress, followed by physicians and sales people at 45%.

Educator stress is most often generated by factors outside the classroom. The Worklife survey indicated that low pay, a lack of planning time, and the rising focus on standardized tests fuel many teachers’ stress levels. Other sources include pressure from administrators, unreasonable parents, drama in the teachers’ lounge, overloaded classes, and the never-ending chore of grading papers.

Effects of Stress

In our earlier Science of Learning series we explored how stress and other negative emotions impact the way the brain operates. When distressed, the brain’s limbic system closes access to higher brain functions. Thus, stress hampers your ability to think clearly and work effectively, creating an "inner noise" that leads to memory loss, the inability to solve problems, and the absence of creativity and coping mechanisms. In teachers, stress can sap you of critical qualities, such as compassion.

Top 8 Tips for Teachers

No one can completely eradicate the stress in their lives. There are, however, proven methods for reducing it, in order to teach more effectively and have a happier life. Here are our top 8 tips:

#1 – Keep a Positive Attitude

Sometimes this is easier said than done. But, as an educator, you have much to be grateful for. You have a meaningful job that is often more rewarding than almost any other career. Celebrate your successes, draw energy from your students, and keep your eye on the big picture. Remind yourself why you chose this profession and believe in what you do.

Other tips for staying positive:

• Try not to take issues personally – many of them are outside your control
• Approach stressful situations as interesting challenges
• Write a list of things that are stressing you out and rank them by how deeply each can affect your life. Then decide if you are going to accept the issue, change it, or dismiss it.
• Even when you feel negative about something, react to it positively and proactively. Your students will follow your lead.
• Make a list of things you find inspiring, and refer to the list when you’re down
• Don’t take yourself too seriously

#2 – Take Care of Yourself

Follow the advice that people give moms: taking care of yourself enables you to better care for your children. Make time for yourself; take a break when you need one. Make a list of things that you enjoy and arrange to do one every day. Enjoy nature, indulge your hobbies and seek your own passions. Find balance – you deserve to have a life!

#3 – Exercise

Exercise is a great way to take care of yourself, as well as a great stress reliever. A simple walk can do wonders. If you like sweaty, rigorous exercise, make it part of your weekly routine, burning off stress and calories at the same time. With health and strength come energy, self-esteem and a positive attitude.

#4 – Draw Strength from Your Support Network

You aren’t alone. A friendly chat with the right person can make all the difference. Brainstorm and share inspiration with a trusted colleague, venting when you need to. Schedule weekly support sessions, so you have something to look forward to. You will draw comfort from knowing that there are others who understand your challenges, and one of them may have the golden advice you need.

#5 – Bring Fun to the Classroom

Establishing a collaborative, supportive culture with your students is also uplifting. When possible, follow the 21st century trend toward student-centered education. Let your students’ interests guide your lessons – let them lead, create and contribute.

Even though learning can be serious business, add levity, humor and fun when you can. Laughter is good medicine, and a great stress breaker. It creates bonds between people. Variety is important, too, helping students maintain focus. Alternate your lectures with hands-on activities. Our Science of Learning blogs also taught us that after 3-5 minutes focused on a single type of activity, brain neurons become less responsive. They can recover quickly if they get a change of pace. This variety, especially if it involves physical activity, is not only fun – it helps your students listen better and absorb more information.

#6 – Stay Organized

Disorganization often exacerbates stress. If you can organize your day and manage time wisely, you’ll benefit from the sense of being in control. Break big projects down into manageable steps, detailing your path to completion. Create a simplified system of filing and grading, using digital tools and centralizing materials when you can. Schedule set timeslots simply for getting organized – perhaps even a weekly Working Late Day. After getting caught up, you’ll feel better about switching out of work mode as soon as you leave the office.

#7 – Manage Student Behavior

Starting Day 1, establish a firm but fair behavior policy in your classroom. Involve your students in creating this system and use plenty of positive reinforcement. Make sure your policy includes effective discipline measures, tailoring your approach as necessary for individual students. Praise positive behavior publicly – students love to look good in front of their peers.

#8 – Stay Away from Negative Influences

Just as you try to gravitate toward the positive things in life, you can devise guidelines for avoiding the negative. Guilt, for example, is often an unproductive downer. Even a simple cup of coffee can aggravate stress, if it makes you jittery.

If there’s a parent, administrator or colleague who’s getting you down, meet the issue head-on. A direct, respectful conversation, with specific positive objectives in mind, can turn a negative situation around. These conversations work with students, as well, and can go a long way toward improving your relationship with them, as well as their behavior.

Other tips for avoiding negativity:

• Remember that you’ll never be able to please all the people all the time 
• Don’t listen to rumors in the teachers’ lounge 
• Embrace mistakes as learning opportunities – and teach your students to do the same

You’ve got a hard job, but it’s one of the most important jobs you can imagine.Focus on the aspects of this job that give you joy.

Tune in next month when we continue our “anti-stress campaign,” with recommendations for administrators and school districts, as well as tips for reducing stress in your students.