Gabrielle “pulls her anger in and lets the emotional elevator go down.” Kasey “stops, grounds herself, and lets out deep breaths.” And Nadia “takes a step back, calms herself, and re-approaches the situation with a thoughtful response rather than an immediate reaction.” Through their composed approaches, these teachers help maintain a supportive learning environment for our nation’s students.
While these solutions seem simple in reflection, in the moment they can be a real challenge, especially if you work in a classroom environment, which researchers from Penn State say can be as stress-inducing as an emergency room. Teachers enter such an an environment every day, which sometimes feels like life-or-death. The teaching profession doesn’t just begin and end during class time. It’s increasingly defined by unrealistic expectations; extensive meetings and other instructional demands; and difficult conversations with principals, administrators and parents. While we must address the contextual issues that overburden our educators, we must also take the steps to build their resilience.
They need dedicated spaces to practice the art of listening with fellow teachers—and pick up the tools to navigate those discussions. They need time after the school day to learn how to make the most of mindfulness in response to any number of stressors. And they need safe spaces in which they recognize and confront those issues alongside facilitators and peers.
We can now say that when our educators have opportunities across the school year to practice the arts of mindfulness, listening and emotional management, they can better navigate any number of stressors they face in a given day.
To read more of Patricia A. Jenning's article, please click here.
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