Working Wellness Into the Teaching Life

Everyone likes the idea of leading a more healthful lifestyle that includes eating nutritious food, exercising, and reducing stress. Many of us, in fact, think of the benefits of those very habits as we speed past the gym in our cars while gulping down coffee and a rushed breakfast. Teachers -- who must be “on” all day -- have little control over large portions of their schedules, and are being pressured to demonstrate more and better results, often shoulder yet additional stress. But instead of reaching for another brownie and cappuccino and becoming one with the couch, you can improve your health and outlook with just a little daily maintenance.

STRESS AND THE GREAT ENERGY DRAIN

A survey in a January 2004 article in NEA Today – Stressed Out - reported that 88 percent of teachers experience moderate to high levels of stress. And teachers, who traditionally are dedicated, “giving” people who often put others' needs before their own, often don’t recognize the toll stress takes on their overall health. The stress sources, include overloaded classes, lack of parental support, increased scrutiny, a rise in accountability, the growing job pressures and workload in light of educational reform, role conflict, overload, insufficiency of resources, and low self-efficacy.

IDENTIFYING STRESS

The first step in relieving stress is assessing a person’s ability to cope, Dr. Thompson said, and coping begins with an appraisal of the perceived stressor. Educators can choose to take either a problem-focused or an emotion-focused approach to relieving stress, she continued. “Being emotion-focused means that educators will turn to programs designed to reduce or eliminate the emotional impact of the stressor,” according to Dr. Thompson, professor and director of Educators/Teacher Stress Institute . These can include strategies such as engaging in exercise, relaxation techniques, and perspective building.

Other educators would rather focus on eliminating the stressor, that is, to take a problem-focused approach, she noted. Those educators could engage in developing action plans and problem-solving approaches.

Administrators can help their faculty by first being aware that a portion of their own stress is directly related to teacher stress, Dr. Thompson noted. “Leading a stressed staff poses a challenge, impacts school climate, and impedes student achievement,” she said. In addition, administrators need to develop an awareness of stressors within the educational system, recognize when their teachers are stressed, and use effective management strategies to reduce stress.