As teachers deal with an enormous amount of stress that grows every year, very little research has actually shown the impact of that stress on teachers emotionally. Recognizing this fact, a preliminary study completed in 2014 in order to investigate teacher working conditions showed that 11% of teachers suffered from anxiety (Borrelli, Benevene, Fiorilli, Damelio, […]
Teacher Self Care
Posted inTeacher Self Care
Depression Kills Teachers if Left Untreated: It Should Not Kill Their Careers
Recently, I learned that I have been blackballed from a school district from what was cited as “poor performance” after receiving summary evaluation marks that demonstrated performance far above “poor.” In talking to people I used to work for, the only conclusion I could come to (since the school district failed to provide me with […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Why I Took My Work Email App Off of My Cell Phone
Three school years ago, I removed the work email app from my phone. It was one of the best actions I have taken. It is hard to balance your professional and personal life when your professional life is taking dominance at home because you can’t stay off of your work email. Here are some reasons […]
Posted inOpinion
The Burnout Phenomenon: Getting Comfortable with “No”
In the last few weeks, a colleague and I have been discussing some recent feelings of burnout and exhaustion that we both share. As we delved deeper, we both came to the conclusion that in our personal and professional lives, at the moment, we’ve “bitten off more than we could chew”. We have taken on […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
The Declining Mental Health of Educators
Teaching is different from other professions because your mental health affects so many different lives, lives who are truly vulnerable and dependent on you for growth. This places an extreme amount of pressure and stress on teachers, and if they are already predisposed to mental health issues, it can be a recipe for disaster. I […]
Posted inInstruction & Curriculum
Teacher Self-Care Conference- We’re Back
“The kind of teacher you become will become will directly be related to the kind of teachers you associate with. Teaching is a profession where misery does more than just love company, it recruits, seduces, and romances it. Avoid people who are unhappy and disgruntled about the possibilities for transforming education. They are the enemy of […]
Posted inHow to Fix Education
The Positives of Being Sick
I have had a job since I have been legally able to work. I’ve endured the crummy hours, the long shifts, the underpaid positions where the male boss puts you in a corner (literally). And I believe I have a very strong work ethic. I enjoy working. I don’t like to leave tasks undone and […]
Posted inTeacher Self Care
Extinguish the Flame and Stop Burning the Midnight Oil
Educators are notorious for arriving at school early and staying way past the end of the school day. Even the weekends aren’t off limits. Some work in their classrooms part of Saturday and return on Sunday. Many times these educators find themselves being asked to leave by the custodial staff. It’s time to blow out […]