August 2021 – Happy Schools

Strategies to Reduce Your Frustration

August 26, 2021

Teaching can be demanding and at times frustrating. As an experienced teacher, I have made a conscious effort to develop strategies that I can deploy when I feel frustrated at school. Here are some of the techniques that work for me. Don’t rant endlessly, but do seek support from your colleagues. Everyone needs friends at school. One of the best things about working with teachers is that we are experienced in offering encouragement and advice. If you have a stressed-out moment during class, smile and act as if you have things under control. Your students do not need to know that you are having a bad day. Give up those heavy loads of teacher-guilt that we all carry around. We…

Coping With Change

August 19, 2021

Stevef

Resilience

Change can be hard. Often change is for the good. Occasionally change brings about worse outcomes. The one predictable aspect of change is its inevitability. Coping with change is one of the biggest challenges in schools – the sheer volume, let alone the rate of change, can be overwhelming. Avoiding change fatigue can be critical to preventing change-related stress and burnout. Tips: Make small changes or break big changes into small increments. It’s like running up a huge hill – don’t look at the top, just keep your eyes a metre or so in front of you. Remember to turn around and look back at your progress every so often… that will help buoy you on and spur you up…

Reclaiming Your Mojo

August 12, 2021

Stevef

Engagement

Working in schools can be both rewarding and challenging. In stressful times we can forget why we work in schools, we can lose our mojo! The following strategies are intended to help you reclaim your mojo and look after your well-being. Schedule stop times – Identify your work curfew: a set time when you have to put the laptop down and take a break. Call it quits. Break up with the iPad. Schedule a date with someone else … even if it’s just yourself. (Can you tell I’m recently divorced?) Set goals for yourself that don’t involve work – Staff who work in schools tend to be goal-minded individuals. A novel concept for me: working toward a purpose that doesn’t…

Overcoming the Challenges of Working From Home

August 5, 2021

Stevef

Resilience

Staff in many schools are currently working remotely. Whilst many people will initially be happy to be ‘working from home’ (teaching in your pyjamas sounds great), it does come with its challenges and demands. Everyone who works remotely has to figure out when to work, where to work and how to create boundaries between their work and personal lives. For example, traveling to school has usually been part of our routine. Whilst you gain the travel time, you lose the opportunity to make a clear transition from home to work. Here are some tips for working well from home. Create a New Morning Routine Your morning routine helps you focus and engage in a productive time. Whilst it can be…