In any form of occupation, having the right mindset is important. In the world we live in, there is no such thing as an "every good day guarantee." Occurrences are either good or bad; if it happens, it happens; and believe me when I say, teaching is not a picnic at the park. Everyday inside the classroom is a journey, a learning journey to be exact. It is full of fun, excitement, downtime, uptime, awkwardness, hilarity, and so much more.
(https://pixabay.com/images/id-3591573/)
Entering a class full of rich and diverse kinds of children is a very interesting and, at the same time, intimidating part of being a teacher. No matter how you group these children by age, hobbies, likes, or dislikes, They are still different from one another. Their personalities are as vast as the sky, and being their assigned teacher can be overwhelming at times. If you have been reading my blog content, you know that I have been emphasizing that teachers are human beings. We are not perfect beings that cannot be found at fault. We do have good and bad days as well. One thing my senior teacher told me is that "never ever bring your personal troubles or issues inside the class." Most of the time, the advice is to suck into me anything I have outside my teaching circle. That is easier said than done, believe me. But as life moves forward, let us always remember that we have the ability to start things on the right note.
Disclaimer: This post is for entertainment purpose ONLY. I am not a professional psychiatrists or psychologists to evaluate human personality or mind. I am simply sharing what is working me as I am as well handling and battling my own anxiety and depression. Spread love not hate. Read what you want, leave if you are not interested.
So here are the things I do and tips on how I start my day as a teacher positively.
1. Focus and Meditate
Start the day with positive affirmations; always have something to look forward to in the days to come. Fill your life with positivity by assuring yourself that you are doing what you need to do, nothing more, nothing less. As teachers, we are creatures of habit who plan, process, and execute a lot of things, and most of the time we get frustrated and overwhelmed if things do not go our way. We are perfectionists by nature. You cannot tell me otherwise. So, to lessen the sour aftertaste of this notion, place yourself in a position where you know you are doing well. Read inspiring quotes, listen to your favorite song or podcast, and maybe pray to start your day.
2. Exercise and Eat Right
It might sound redundant, but having a healthy body can lead to a healthy mind. I am not the most physically fit role model in the world, but when I eat healthy or exercise, my body and mind relax. At least for a moment, I was able to do something for myself and not think of my students. In this way as well, you are allowing your body, heart, and mind to revitalize. You could do so much work if your body is in a good state. Being a teacher can sometimes get physical, so we need our body to be prepared for that. I exercise at least twice a week, and I am on a constant diet of no carbs and less sugar. At my age of 30 and up, it is wise to have a healthy body to do things more in life.
3. Pause and reconsider
It is easier said than done, that you are a cool and calm collective teacher. But when a situation occurs, especially once out of our control, freaking out or being nervous is normal. I repeat, it is normal. No amount of self-hypnosis can assure you that you will be alright in a given situation; most of the time, we are clued in on what to do or how to respond to a certain situation. Most of the time I do is to make a quick stop and assess the situation. As the only adults inside the classroom, we need to have a clear mind to process what is even going on. Most of the time, if danger comes, we can rely on our instincts to kick in. I have moments like that, and most of the time I am amazed at what I can do with my small body. Be alert, not paranoid, stop to think but never feel lost, and be the mature adult you need to make the right decisions.
4. Rest!
Most of the time, being a teacher can be too demanding; the notion that the only thing we do is teach never sits well with me, for we all know that is not the case. Besides facing our students on a daily basis, we are asked to prepare lessons and teaching materials, meet deadlines, grade students' papers, have conferences with parents, and so much more. This role can sometimes be too tiring and draining. The thing I have to learn the hard way is to rest. I am a hard-working person, to the point that even on my break time I review the lesson, check papers, or even prepare for the next lesson tomorrow. At that time, rest was not part of my human vocabulary. Until such time, I got fed up, too burned out, and it led to high anxiety and depression. I was told by a psychiatrist that resting is part of the job itself. I should never have contradicted my own working mantra. The mindset should be to work hard but play and rest harder. So, as a piece of advice to fellow educators, rest your only human. All those things that you need to do will be dealt with. You do not have to worry. It is not a crime to take it easy and rest.
5. Seek Assistance
Another thing I learned the hard way is asking for help. I am in the process of changing that. Being independent is a good thing, but too much is too much. We should always go to work with the knowledge that if you are your students' support, who's ours? Find the right group of people that can help you in times of trouble. Knowing that you have people to go to or to talk to in your most vulnerable moments can make any day worth while. As I have been diagnosed with depression, I found out that I am not alone. My friends and family are there to support me in times of need. All I have to do is to ask. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness. We are human. We are not made of stone, metal, or any hard material on earth. We can break, but we can be rebuilt as long as we know that we are not alone.
Posts
0 Comments