Create A Simple Stress Reduction Plan

Create A Simple Stress Reduction Plan For Your Sanity

 

Stress Is A Health Wrecker

It’s that time of year again. Summer vacation is over and school begins soon. Time flies when you’re having fun, but the bills must be paid. So, it’s back to work you go. Teachers, your classroom, and students await. Principals and administrators, your school community needs you. Do you feel a bit of anxiety thinking about it? Don’t fret, because you are going to create a simple stress reduction plan as a pre-emptive strike.

Stress is a health wrecker and killer. The Mayo Clinic has a list of effects of stress on the body. The effects range from headaches, muscle tension, chest pain, fatigue and more. Stress also affects you emotionally and spiritually. Therefore, you don’t want to carry around stress like a heavy purse. Begin to learn your triggers of stress and develop a plan to combat the effects. Stress reduction is key to your health and sanity. Continue reading →

The Benefits of Teacher-Led Professional Development

The Benefits of Teacher-Led Professional Development

Professional development (PD) is an opportunity to increase our knowledge and skills as educators. Yet, we sit in PD sessions where we wonder when will it end. Or we attend mandated PD where topics have nothing to do with our school’s goals or school improvement plan. Sometimes, we wonder if anyone asked a teacher for input on PD topics. We complete surveys at the end of PD sessions and are asked for topic ideas and input. However, is anyone listening to our needs as professionals? We as educators need to take control of our own learning and understand the benefits of teacher led professional development.

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Public Perception of Education and Teachers

Public Perception

Teachers have a difficult but rewarding job. Sometimes, they feel underappreciated for the service they provide to students and families across this country. Public education continues to take hits in the media. The public perception of education and teachers often seems negative. Sometimes, it feels like the ills of society are somehow the fault of teachers. Our education system bears too much responsibility. Consequently, educators feel the burden of trying to raise test scores, maneuvering ever changing policies, inconsistent leadership and more. It leaves teachers to wonder how does the public perception affect their jobs and morale.

We, the public are bombarded with information about school funding, standardized testing, and comparing our educational system to those in other countries. Recently, we listened to politicians debate whether the Secretary of Education is qualified to serve in the position. Also, we heard about the possibility of major decreases in funding for schools. Overall, it’s hard to see positives when all the news appears to be negative. However, the public perception of education and teachers is not as bad as it seems. 

Three out of four Americans have trust and confidence in public school teachers.

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