Back to School Teacher Anxiety is A Real Thing
End of summer hits the same way, teacher burnout and stress looms whether you’re a seasoned teacher or brand new. Anxiety over going back to school sets in. For me, it’s when August 1st hits. I start to panic-plan; what new routines can I incorporate? Where are all of the articles on updated best practices? The butterflies of “back to school” take over, and I respond with new binders, pens, and posterboards.
New concerns face teachers as we return back to our classrooms, as of late. Of course, I’m referring to the pandemic. Regardless of where you live, the uncertainty lingers around how we will deliver instruction and interact with every student. And it’s almost certain we’ll be asked to modify whatever we originally had in mind. Don’t get me wrong, I’m starting my THIRTIETH year of back to school since being a child in Kindergarten! I’m always overjoyed! That excitement hasn’t changed, it’s evolved. Instead of just experiencing the magic of the classroom as a student, I’m now the one CREATING that magic!
I encourage you to run head first into this new school year with all of the wonder and optimism that we’ve always had. But I do caution that we remain realists. Teacher burnout and stress is real. The anxiety of returning to a classroom full of unknowns is even more real. But it doesn’t mean we have to be any less of the amazing teacher we’ve always aspired to be.
Benefit from 9 detailed & actionable steps to avoid teacher burnout. Grab a copy of my free guidebook complete with planning and reflection pages. No matter your situation, you will have a clear plan to master your mindset in and out of the classroom.
Teacher Job Stress is Always Evolving
Take a minute to get to know me. I’ve been teaching for almost 12 years, and every stage has looked different due to my changing and growing family. In the first couple of years, all of my stress revolved around not having experience. Planning perfect lessons, preparing for observations, learning all of the building procedures. I was also a new wife navigating the changes in my adulthood and personal relationships.
By my third year I was raising my first child. I suddenly wore all these different hats and the stress centered around time management, worrying if I was “enough”. Motherhood was my most cherished title, and I was petrified I would never have a work/home balance. I went through this a second time when my daughter was born a few years later.
Once I finally mastered that – wait, who am I kidding – I have NOT mastered motherhood, nor do I feel like I ever will! I soon realized that the educational field is somewhat like motherhood – ever changing. By year five I expected to be on autpilot for back to school. Just simply flow into the start of the year. I was quickly reminded: state standards could change, teaching assignments could change, administration in our building could change – and. they. all. did. If it wasn’t obvious before, halfway through my career it was clear that this would never be a static job. Walking in unprepared is never an option.
I also learned that teacher burnout and stress is not just a back to school thing. It is a revolving door. It comes again at report cards, holiday time, state assessments, and wrapping up the year to make sure our babies are ready for the next grade. Rather than be naive to all of these situations, it’s better to tackle them head on. I want you to have a clear plan that will get you from one season to the next. I want you to have mental clarity to bring the magic of the classroom to your students. These three steps will help you get there.
Prioritize your physical and mental health
We don’t need empirical proof to know that the healthier we are inside and out, the better we will feel about managing daily tasks. We have to make sure that we stay active on a daily basis or at least a few times a week. Intentionally fuel your body with food rather than just surviving to the next bullet of your To Do List. I know it seems counterintuitive – to feel more rested I should get up earlier to exercise?
Aside from the data proving physical activity contributes to overall energy throughout the day, you’ll have your own evidence within a few days. I promise you, that’s all it takes – and I am a reformed snooze-aholic! Do you play the game “how many times can I snooze my alarm before rushing into work late?” I did too. You know what I found out? No matter how long I slept I could never get out of the funk that came with rolling out of bed and rolling into work.
Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t know your personal schedule. I don’t know if you’re up at 4:00 AM because you need to take a train an hour away to get to work. But exercising in the morning is what works best for me. As soon as I leave work I put on my mom hat – (Chauffeur hat? Chef hat?) Pick a hat – that’s what I’m doing from three o’clock until bedtime. The important thing is that your body recognizes you are prioritizing its most basic functions by giving it a boost of physical activity at some point each day.
Right after school works best for you? You need to get the kids to bed first and that is your zone? That’s fine! Pro tip: Everyone knows teachers loves a good planner – and we live by it like a School Year Bible. Schedule your fitness activities the same way that you would schedule a faculty meeting or a doctor appointment – and MAKE. IT. HAPPEN!
The meal aspect of this seems counterintuitive as well, because in order to have healthy foods at work some amount of preparation must go into it. What are the alternatives? I’ll tell you, they are one of two things: One, you run out of the house with nothing and realize that you have to stop at a convenience store to grab an egg sandwich or on your lunch break to the closest fast food drive through. Waste of time and calories! Two, those of you that wouldn’t want to eat those foods on a regular basis end up skipping meals instead.
No fuel = no coping mechanisms for stress! Invest a small amount of time each weekend into grabbing your favorite easy prep healthy snacks. Once your body realizes that physically, you’re taking the time to function at your best, you will be more equipped to deal with daily stresses. Your body will have the energy – and the endorphins – to tackle it all with a positive mindset.
Prioritize classroom management strategies in your classroom
This step should be a goal for every single school year already, but you may have never considered how it contributes to avoiding teacher burnout and stress. Well, did you ever realize when you have a positive interaction you feel better about your day? Classroom management is ALL about ensuring positive interactions with the people you spend the most time with.
The moment to moment tasks that we tackle each day are innumerable and contribute to our stress levels. The majority of them can be managed with ease if classroom management is buttoned up. Take some time to reflect on what any given time in your classroom looks like. Do your students enter and begin their routine in an orderly fashion? Do they understand transitions from one activity to another and do it seamlessly? Focus a bit of time on analyzing your problem areas and revamping your systems. The time put in will save triple the aggravation on the back end.
Classroom management success varies year to year and class to class depending on the dynamic of the students. If you know your systems work but you’re still having trouble, it might be time for something more creative and fun. Do you have a system for buy-in and rewards so that your lessons go more smoothly and you maintain timing because everyone is engaged? Many teachers use tickets or “cash” for prizes, or coupons to turn in for special incentives. Target problem behaviors with these rewards.
Of all classroom management tips to be overlooked, assigning student jobs is high on the list, especially at the secondary level. Students YEARN to be helpful, even in adolescence, and will bend over backwards to have a special title in the classroom. Assigning an attendance taker will not only add value into that student’s role in your class, the delegation of tasks in and of itself is a big teacher win. That’s one less task to attend to.
Simply speaking, when we’re confident our main hours are under control and function like a well oiled machine, we take a weight off of our shoulders. Our lesson planning and delivery is more effective. We stick more closely to our schedules. We are more prepared from one moment to the next. And naturally, when you have a great handle over classroom management, you build a wonderful relationship with your students. Students that enthusiastically contribute to your classroom also contribute to your overall feeling of well being and positivity.
Prioritize your time by not overcommitting
One of my own personal downfalls is that I overcommit. We’re teachers, therefore we’re helpers. We want to fix all of the problems of the world. So when a colleague asks for us to take on another project, it can be really difficult to say no. Before you know it, we’re sitting at our desk during prep period, staring at our planner with tears in her eyes because we’re not quite sure how we’re going to manage yet another commitment.
If I’m going to take a tough love tone with you, it’s now: You need to take a hard concrete look at what YOU want, thicken your skin a bit and learn to say NO. The question of taking on a commitment is literally a yes/no question – no is always an option! The person asking already knows this, I promise you. And I’m certain they also understand if you cannot. We’re only human.
The physical approach to accomplish this with confidence is to write this down on a list. On PAPER. Write down the name of every commitment you currently have – what days and time frames you must give of yourself to fulfill the commitments, how much of your energy it consumes, how happy the role makes you. You might find that you’ve made a couple of commitments that you’re really not passionate about or that you don’t contribute too much to to begin with and you can clear your plate a bit by removing them.
This list should then be converted into digital form when you settle on your activities. Keep them in your back pocket for quick and easy reference. Next time someone asks you to commit to something new, tell them that you will get back to them. Reference your list, see if it’s a good fit. Of course the act of saying no is a hurdle all in itself as many of us are people pleasers. But if you’re here and you’ve read this far, you’re dealing with a much bigger challenge that you need to overcome! I can say from experience, the outcome we imagine in our minds is much worse, but pales in comparison to spreading ourselves too thin. Put you first this time, you deserve it!
Explore More Reasons for Teacher Burnout
Five Ways to Prevent Teacher Burnout
Teacher Burnout: What It Is, Why It Happens, and How You Can Prevent End-Of-Year Burnout
The phenomenon of teacher burnout is unique to the career itself, and not without the science and psychology to back it up. The statistical findings on teacher burnout are compelling. With the unprecedented challenges that education is currently facing due to the pandemic, it’s imperative to truly understand what’s at play for our well being.
I absolutely love putting a mindful lens on all teacher related areas and would love to speak to your heart directly. Leave a comment with what you’d like to read more of – after all, I’m here to help you! After reading this, I hope you feel like you know a bit about me. Trust that you’re ready to overcome the challenges of teacher burnout, and sign up to receive my free guidebook with my 9 most detailed and actionable steps and planning sheets. I look forward to knowing that your stress will shift to confidently conquering any teacher burnout and stress you may face this year!
