Teacher Wellbeing - Preparing Your Defensive Game Plan
- rebeccabesly2
- Aug 25, 2019
- 3 min read
Across the world, many teachers are either returning or preparing to return to school. Images of classroom reveals are once again finding their way onto social media, as are resource preparations. I would be very interested to know how many other professions get the genuine level of excitement from resources and office supplies, that we do in education. I am no exception to this rule. I love a new book, to either read or write in, and don’t get me started on finding the perfect pen.
This return to school ‘dance’ has spanned my career, the main difference has been the growing opportunity to share the excitement online. It is this online environment that highlights an additional component. A component that was once perhaps limited to conversations with confidants, but is now represented often through a meme designed to put a humorous twist on the underlying anxiety that rests around the return to school. What these anecdotes speak to, is the reality that whilst we are passionate about our mission to educate the future of this planet, our profession/occupation/vocation comes with aspects that drain us of our resources and impact our wellbeing.
Time demands, workload, and student’s disruptive behavior, are some of the contributing factors which create overwhelm. Overwhelm that is resulting in concerning attrition rates, or high stress levels for those who stay.
You will hear me refer often to the importance of developing a sense of control over your life, where you feel you are able to exercise choice and increase your productivity, or effectiveness. This sense of control helps develop a broader notion of personal fulfilment. This position enhances your ability to successfully manage temporary setbacks or frustration, which positively correlates with longer-lasting feelings of inner satisfaction.
Our reality check, is that once we are back at school, regardless of how pretty our classroom is and how much time we have spent planning resources over the break, there will inevitably be an attempted drain on your personal resources.
How you respond to the requests and competing demands for your time, is your choice!
Imagine if the Denver Broncos [insert your favourite team/sport here] went off to play offence...and only offence. Imagine how different the game would look! We know the reality is that not only is there a plan for defence, there’s a whole team for it. There is no magic 8 ball, no time travelling, or predetermined result for the game. The defence team is prepared for a variety of situations, involving a range of players. The possibilities are endless...yet they are still prepared. This way when there is a need to respond, it is just that, a response...not a reaction. There is the expectation that there will be a need for an defence team, and they are as prepared as possible when the moment presents itself. This is preparation done right.
Your call to action for the beginning of this term, semester, or year, is to consider the situations, events or issues that throw you. Consider what it is about these things that drains you, and to then come up with a plan on how to address these concerns if and when they present themselves.
If you have clarity around these aspects, you are more likely to respond in a manner that is aligned with your moral compass, has given you the opportunity to seek clarity concerning workplace expectations and enables you to respond in an authentic and considered manner, if the situation arrives. Imagine the feeling of liberation when you have managed that 'challenging issue' that was bringing on overwhelm with personal congruency and diplomacy...because you had clarity.
When it doesn’t work as you planned, which will also happen, use the opportunity to reflect and add a new strategy to your defence playbook. We are all learning, there are no absolutes. However a defence playlist does enable you to execute some control over the reactive nature of the school environment.
Comments