Sometimes, I feel like I need a little perspective. Some days, I come home from work exhausted. Especially this week, the week before Thanksgiving Break. This is not something that is unique to me. All week, I have seen posts on social media from other teachers that are feeling the same way. With daylight savings […]
Teacher Burnout
Posted inTeacher Self Care
Teachers who Practice Self-Care: Selfish or Sustainable?
Teacher burnout is a phrase that we hear all too often in the field of education, and it’s no wonder with all that teachers must juggle day in and day out. Most teachers take their work home: planning, grading and brainstorming well into the evening and on the weekend. Add those tasks to extra-curricular activities […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
The Challenges of Mental/Emotional Health for Teachers
By: Scott Miller Phoenix When I began teaching, I never once thought about the challenges I would face when it came to mental health and stress. It never crossed my mind that stress would be a factor for a teacher until I had to manage a classroom. During my first five years teaching, I averaged […]
Posted inFeatured, Teacher Burnout
Combatting Exhaustion and Stress to Promote Teacher Wellness
We’ve all been there: dragging our feet, scanning the clock, wishing for an opportunity to just sit down and relax for a few solitary minutes. If you’re a teacher, you’re likely to not have the words, “rest” and “relaxation” in your personal vocabulary. It doesn’t matter if it’s the first week of school, or several […]
Posted inSpecial Education
Making Special Education Work For Everyone
I teach in a mild/moderate special education classroom, meaning that all of my kids are on IEPs and have been placed in my room because they meet disability criteria that my school district recognizes. They are able to attend a regular education classroom for all other subjects besides reading, language arts, math and adaptive behavior. […]
Posted inTeacher Burnout
The Off-Duty Teacher: What I Do to Feel Relaxed and Refreshed
It’s Monday afternoon, you’ve just spent the last 9+ hours on your feet teaching 130 students. You’ve barely had time for lunch and now two hours after dismissal, you’re ready to go home. However, you find that it’s hard to program your time at home because you’re still processing the events of the school day. […]
Posted inTeacher Burnout
A Teacher’s Power of Positivity
I’ve spent enough times surrounded by negativity. I’ve gone the other way when the “negative teacher” walks down the hallway. I’ve watched people publicly belittle my profession and union over and again. I’ve led that union and had to open far too many negative emails of plea / help / disdain. I’ve hoped for that […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
TEACHING RESPECT: Removing Creativity Hinders Respect for Teachers
Lack of respect is something that I’ve discussed with many of my fellow educators, as it has seemingly run rampant in recent years. The product of our discussions usually center around our love for teaching, but also, we discuss how difficult it has become to maintain in an environment where we do not feel respected […]