This is the 2nd installment in our blog series for Educators
It is one thing to hear about a crisis in education, it is another to be on the front lines experiencing it. A teacher’s job has changed and evolved dramatically over the past 20 years; so much so that it is almost unrecognizable to what it once was. Ask any veteran teacher why they entered the profession. The answers they provide will most likely be similar and along the vein of, “I wanted to work with kids…I enjoy working with children and I wanted to help them…I had a teacher who inspired me, and I wanted to do the same.” Those are all noble goals and reasons for choosing the profession- but in this era, does that reasoning ring true? Is teaching in the 2020’s just about “working with kids? Or inspiring them? Teachers are now drowning in a myriad of regulations, and unrealistic expectations combined with low pay, declining staff and increased workloads. All while being put under a professional microscope. The more people leave, the greater the responsibilities for those who are left behind. Bigger classes, more classes to prep for, more meetings, more parents all equate to more stress which in turn leads to an erosion of the teacher’s well-being. Teachers are leaving the profession in unprecedented numbers and is it really any wonder why? The expectations that are held for them are often not realistic and many are placed in a position where they must choose between the profession they once loved and their own mental health. That is an incredibly unfair position to place one of this country’s most valuable resources.
As a teacher, you are following the call of a noble profession. Quality, dedicated educators are needed now more than ever. As a teacher, please realize it is ok to put yourself and your own personal needs first when you can. Remember to make time to spend with people you care most about or participate in activities that make you happy. This will replenish and rejuvenate you. Practice self-care. That isn’t being selfish; quite the contrary. You are refueling yourself so that you will have something to give. Treat yourself from time to time- remember, if you don’t take care of yourself, who will? It’s ok to tune out. Information overload can be unhealthy. Draw a strong line between your personal and professional life. Allow yourself to schedule down time where you aren’t a teacher- let yourself just be a person.
Most of all, remember that suffering, sadness and hurt are all part of the human experience. As human beings we are all living through a collectively tumultuous time. There are things that we can’t always control. But there are plenty of things that we can control- not the least of which are defined moments of personal joy and inner peace.