{"id":104,"date":"2012-06-11T07:35:02","date_gmt":"2012-06-11T07:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.awareplus.co.uk\/blog\/?p=104"},"modified":"2012-06-11T07:35:02","modified_gmt":"2012-06-11T07:35:02","slug":"teacher-stress-a-tool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.awareplus.co.uk\/blog\/teacher-stress-a-tool\/","title":{"rendered":"Teacher stress – a tool"},"content":{"rendered":"

I talked last post<\/a>\u00a0(called with little imagination ‘Teacher Stress’) about the fact that teachers are somewhat special in the way they have to deal with stress because many of the tools that are available to ‘normal’ people can’t be used by classroom-facing teachers.<\/p>\n

I’d like to explore in this blog a technique that does work for teachers. The plan isn’t to deal with stress, it’s to make teachers more immune to stress and more ’emotionally robust’.<\/p>\n

Culturally (I’m writing in the UK) we find it very difficult to say “I’m really good at this”. Some people can, of course – but even then not everyone who says it believes it. With teachers’ being judged by external factors so much, this lack of self belief can get pretty serious. We often start to believe that we’re genuinely not<\/strong> good at anything – and feeling like this is a sure fire recipe for being vulnerably to stress… if you don’t feel able to admit to yourself that you’re a good teacher (or good parent or trainer or accountant or whatever!) and then the proof comes in that you’re not, in the form of bad results in this year’s GCSE or Value Added Scores… you can see where this can lead!<\/p>\n

So here’s the tool.<\/p>\n

Create a table with three columns (a simple sheet of A4 will do, it doesn’t need to be on a computer, or even be neat!) and label the right hand column “Acts”. In it, jot down half a dozen things you’ve done successfully in the last 72 hours. Most people protest that they’ve not achieved anything in their last 72 hours when I use this exercise as part of our stress management training but that’s not the point – it doesn’t have to be something that turns the world around.<\/p>\n

In my case I’ve been known to include driving to the venue without crashing or (as far as I was aware) breaking any laws. One client included getting dressed in the morning which seemed to me to be a great example because everyone does it! (If someone else dressed them in the morning they clearly have a far more interesting life than I do!<\/em>). Leave a bit of space between each of the items on your list and dont’ get stressed if you can’t immediately create six. Half a dozen is an approximate number!<\/p>\n

When you’ve listed your successes, label the middle column “Skills”.<\/p>\n

Each of your successes is based upon (at least!) one skill so beside each Act, jot down a skill it’s based upon. Don’t take the word Skill too literally – anything that the Act is predicated on will do.<\/p>\n

For example, if I get to a training venue on time (a success) it is predicated on an ability to drive (or a could have picked ‘plan’ or ‘navigate’ etc). \u00a0(I should add, in case anyone is doubting me, that I have always got to training venues on time, this is just an example! \ud83d\ude42\u00a0<\/em>)<\/p>\n

I suggest taking a break before the next bit – the metaphorical cup of tea sounds like a good idea!<\/p>\n

Step three is simple – each Skill is built in turn upon (at least!) on “Fundamental”. Label the left hand column that way and (the obvious bit here!) list a Fundamental for each of the Skills (and hence each of the Acts).<\/p>\n

Take another break – there’s nothing worse than getting stressed by the exercise itself!<\/p>\n

Now have a look at the list of things you have in your left hand column. These are basic, fundamental, important and timeless things that are<\/p>\n