Lets jump straight to the top 3 Causes of Stress, as identified in a 2013 research paper on Secondary School Teachers in Australia:
- Student Behaviour
- Assessment
- Time
Now, I’m not in Australia! But as a Secondary School teacher in Ireland, those three ring true for me also.
Digging a little deeper…
Student Behaviour related to dealing with disruptive students, as well as having to motivate students with difficult attitudes or lack of work ethic.
The general trend towards more school based assessment was found to be stressful, as was the challenge of simply completing the curriculum.
The increasing number of administrative tasks that teachers have to complete gives a sense of Time pressure, with new tasks being added every year.
This research can be further accessed here.
Awareness, Awareness, Awareness…
It is really helpful to be aware of the causes of the stress in our lives. Becoming really specific about this – for example asking ourselves questions like:
“Is there a particular day that I find more stressful?”
“Is there a particular time of day, or class that’s more difficult?”
Then once we notice certain patterns, can we be creative in coming up with ways of looking after ourselves? This is a theme that will continue throughout this blog.
Mindfulness practice is worth trying. Coming back to the present moment has been shown to help us deal with issues as they arise.
Try our FREE 3 Step Breathing Space which can be done right in the middle of your teaching day.