If you’ve ever worked in the classroom, you know that teaching is a physically demanding job. The immune system is constantly under attack by the many germs that students carry into the school building. There is hardly enough time to use the restroom in between classes. Days are spent constantly circulating rows of desks and bending to meet a student’s gaze. Each day can be exhausting, leaving the teacher with aching feet and another oncoming cold. But, here are ways to combat these physical challenges.
Small changes to support mental health
There are so many small actions teachers can take to find moments of peace and rest during the school day. A simple solution could be to incorporate decorations that you personally enjoy, such as a family photo or favorite type of plant, so that when you see it you feel uplifted. Or, you could alter the scent of your classroom with an essential oil diffuser that spreads the lovely scent of peppermint or orange around your space. Having a supportive desk chair or a stool to rest on while lecturing are also great ways to have physical support throughout the day. The classroom should ultimately be designed to facilitate student learning, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a comforting place for the teacher!
Get rest outside of school
Many teachers work at schools where, outside of their teaching responsibilities, they have duties to the community. This can include anything from hall monitoring to bus-boarding supervision to announcing sports games to chaperoning dances to monitoring lunches to holding study hall hours…the list is endless! So, on top of teaching students, planning lessons, grading assignments, and learning new teaching technology, teachers wear many hats. It’s imperative that teachers take time to rest when they are not working. This could mean clearing your head on a short hike or making time to get in bed early. Being rested can make the difference between being excited about work and dreading the morning alarm. It can also keep a minor cold from turning into a bout of the flue.
Use your support network
Teaching can often leave people feeling like they are alone on an island with no help. Teachers have so many responsibilities and, due to the oftentimes solitary nature of the work, may feel isolated. But in truth, they are not. They have a large school community to draw from in addition to their own personal community. When teachers are feeling overwhelmed or run-down, asking for help can go a long way in lightening the load.
By using Go2s, a private social network designed to help users live a more meaningful and functional life, it’s easy for teachers to keep their trusted support network organized and handy.