TL;DR: Teachers, I see you. I care. It’s okay not to be okay. Ideas to help below.
Dear fellow teachers,
Whether you teach K-12, postsecondary, or some other training, there are a lot of extras in our work. Every teacher’s experience is different. One of my friends teaches high school social studies, another teaches elementary school music, while I teach adult students in a business program at a polytechnic university. We all go above and beyond to support our students. I think this is a trait universal to all teachers.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are having to embrace technology at all levels of education more than ever before. From virtual classroom lessons to videoconference parent-teacher meetings and office hours, we’re on our computers all day every day. Let’s not forget the endless PowerPoint slide decks and that relentless email inbox that add to our technology hangover at the end of each day. Oh boy, what a hangover it can be!
Student stress is our stress
Students’ stress compounds teachers’ stress. Of course, there’s the usual worry about exams and assignments; about classroom management and, sometimes, discipline. The pandemic adds additional layers of worry with masks, handwashing, physical distancing, deep cleaning, technology, and so on.
K-12 students are struggling. Younger students are uncertain why all these extra measures are needed and some lack the self-regulation skills to follow the safety rules. Older students are learning to maintain their social connections through gaming, Discord, Instagram, and TikTok which comes with other known risks to monitor. They’re also stressing out about exams and how to apply to university or other higher education. At the same time, it’s difficult for teachers and parents to provide support for students who need physical assistance, struggle with executive functioning online, or require other accommodations.
Adult student stress is exacerbated
The additional stressors my adult students share with me are overwhelming at times. Some are facing housing insecurity. Others have lost their low-paying jobs or, worse, are having to report to workplaces where COVID safety protocols are not being enforced.
I’ve also got students worried about ill or injured family members in the hospital. Even more are concerned for elders in seniors’ care — a hot zone for COVID-19 outbreaks — or are being pressed into unpaid roles as caregivers to fill gaps in the system.
And, unusually, more than a dozen of my current students are pregnant plus I teach a handful of expectant fathers. If this is a representative sample, there’s no doubt there will be a pandemic baby boom in 2021!
It’s okay not to be okay
Students of all ages are struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses as their home lives are turned upside down. Teachers are struggling with these issues, too. Collectively, our capacity to cope is diminished while we’re being asked to carry more than a full load. Frankly, everyone could use more hugs and more naps right now.
Intellectually, I know that it’s okay not to be okay. I’m sure other teachers can intellectualize that, too. But, it’s important to know that we can and should seek mental health support. Talk to your school’s human resources department and your family doctor to obtain local referrals.
“Not okay” isn’t a permanent state. In my experience, it comes and goes from day to day. Often, the bad days line up with crummy decisions. Lately, I’ve stayed up too late watching Netflix, eaten too many carbs, and let my daily walking routine lose momentum. Oops. But mental health is so much more than just making the right choices. Please seek help, as needed.
How to help yourself
Even those teachers who appear calm are participating in the tornado of emotions and task lists swirling around them all.
When I wrote The Content Planner, I created a master list of things to do to overcome writer’s block. (If you have a copy of the book, you’ll find it on pages 44–45.). I recently reread that list and discovered that many of those techniques are helpful in teaching, too. I’ve adapted that list for you here. Consider these actions:
- Breathe: Take a moment to focus on your breath. Inhale deeply, hold the air a moment, and then exhale slowly. Try square breathing, too.
- Eat and drink: You might be dehydrated or have low blood sugar. Fuel your body.
- Enjoy comfort foods: During a crisis like a pandemic, comfort might supersede calories. To save the stress of excess pounds later, aim for comfort foods in moderation, if you can.
- Step away: Move from your desk and do something else. Look at family photos on your computer, take up knitting, or make a cup of tea. Keep your hands busy. Let your mind rest.
- Take a nap: A 20-minute power snooze can reset your brain. You’ll return refreshed. But be sure to set an alarm. Sleep any longer and you’ll wake up feeling groggy.
- Switch tools: If you usually teach using PowerPoint slides, try distributing a digital handout and lecturing on camera instead.
- Turn your camera off: I think we should cultivate a digital culture where camera-off is okay sometimes.
Flower doodle by Angela Crocker - Doodle or color: Adult coloring can help you focus. It can also reduce anxiety and help you sleep better. As you color a design, your subconscious mind calms itself and rejuvenates. I know teachers who do this while their students are at recess.
- Create a ritual for the beginning and end of each day: Try a virtual commute. If you are teaching in a virtual classroom from home, this can help distinguish between home time and work time.
- Break it down: Split a big task into smaller tasks. Look at today’s lessons only and worry about next week when you’ve got more capacity.
- Make a checklist: Enjoy the satisfaction of ticking off a box on the list as each teaching task is complete. Lots of teachers make a list of marking to be done – me included!
- Practice self-care: I’ve recently learned that self-care isn’t all bubble baths and pedicures, but sometimes something simple such as a couple minutes rubbing in your favorite hand lotion can be comforting.
- Get some exercise: While group fitness classes are closed, a simple walk or run around the block can help. Longer distances are great, too, if your body is up for it. Time permitting, get out in nature as often as you can.
Communication is key
Teachers excel at self-sufficiency. They appear to be able to do it all, but sometimes that’s not enough and the stress ends up taking a toll. So many teachers sacrifice their own well-being to support their students. It’s a pattern we need to break but that seems hard to achieve in the middle of a pandemic.
Human connections are essential and that can start with a simple conversation.
Teachers are blessed to have many like-minded colleagues. Take time to talk shop with someone at your school or connect with school administrators, as needed.
Sometimes it helps to talk about worrying, stressful, and frustrating situations privately. Talk to someone you trust — your spouse, your best friend, etc. Their role is to be a good listener and to maintain the cone of silence.
Social chats help, too. I regularly participate in two online chats with friends. One is affectionately known as “stitch and bitch” while the other is “wine and whine.” Both are cathartic.
Talking to a certified counselor can also be cathartic. Most are currently taking appointments by phone or video chat and there are lots of options to choose from. Paid sessions may be covered, in full or in part, by your extended health care plan. Free sessions are often made available through schools, employers, and public health. Many counseling offices have added additional staff and online self-study resources to respond to the additional need for support during the pandemic.This includes government-funded support like the Mindshift™ CBT and BounceBack programs in British Columbia.
I see you, teachers
I’ll end this here with one last thought: I see you. There’s little teachers can do to change the state of the pandemic and, truthfully, the regular stresses of teaching aren’t going away when the pandemic ends. I know and share your struggles. Without doubt, well-being is important. Teachers, I applaud you for doing great work and making do as best that you can.
Take care,
Angela
P.S. I’d love to hear from you. Let me know how you’re doing in the comments or send me an email.
