I’m Stressed Out Please Help!
Managing stress in the workplace especially in a school setting is crucial to students learning. When a student ask a ridiculous question you have to remind yourself that you were once a student and were very confused on a subject matter. Instructors are looked upon as authoritative leaders in their field. Instructors are always on and viewed by students even not being in the classroom. Also a component in managing stress can be from an instructor’s upbringing from their family. Another component can be an instructor’s personality being an introvert or extrovert, etc. also has a significant difference in the classroom. For instructors to correct this problem there are training stress seminars online, continuing educational stress workshops on-campus, stress management consultants, etc. There is help out there but instructor have to make the first step.
It is important that as educators we have to look back when we were onced students. As instructors we are the students role models. Students look up to us for guidance in their carreer. Therefore, instructors need to take the step to correct managing stress.
It's great perspective to think that way Ernida. Yes, looking back to how our lives were as students ourselves, we can be more empathetic and responsive to student needs.
Even if you are stressed you can't let it show to the students. Smile at this and have a conversation at the beginning of class. It helps everyone. Discuss a topic of the day, something in the news and get it to apply to your class.
I would like to respectfully disagree. I don't think instructors hold the same status as role-models as in the past.
With teachers sleeping with students, the government paying for proformance, and parents relying on teachers (in some cases) to raise their children, the objective role of an educator is becoming muddled.
I believe this is why the teacher must set her own standards for interacting with students and now allow herself to become depressed and dragged into the muck found on the under belly of society.
A teacher can become stressed, but she must never allow the emotion to reflect in the classroom. At the same time, it is important for the student to understand the teacher is human. This, hopefully, will create a respected and professional bond between student and teacher.
It is important that as educators we have to look back when we were onced students. As instructors we are the students role models. Students look up to us for guidance in their carreer. Therefore, instructors need to take the step to correct managing stress.
John, I like your thinking. Sometimes, they only way to understand where our students are coming from is to remind ourselves of what our lives were like when we were them. It's true that there have been lots of changes since we were once students. Technology is a big one. However, some of the stress our students experience is very similar to the stress we once knew.
Dr. Melissa Read
