More then ever, it is difficult being an educator as it is learning but it's more fulfilling. If a challenge is shied away from then one should not call themselves and a teacher. Being a teacher is about facing difficulties head on and finding creative ways of dealing with them. In the world of technology and the internet, everyone thinks they are a teacher but they are far from it.
Difficulties that are facing teachers today are illogical parents, overbearing departmental heads, learners needing special attention that teachers are not trained for, missing resources, ever changing policies, unstable educational climate and so forth. The list is quite long. Many articles have been published concerning such topics but solutions aren't. At times it's best to take a different approach or just focus on something else completely.
There's too much depression in this profession so how do we remain sane and actually flourish? Let's look at a few ways of doing that.
It is important for teachers to identify their triggers. Triggers are specific stimuli that lead to these negative thoughts and emotions. Whenever these feelings and thought are arising, it is important to silence oneself and try to figure out what is bringing about these changes in mood. Once these are discovered, it gets much easier to control them and to deal with them accordingly.
With so many laws and policies that are against teachers; that are preventing teachers from effectively doing their jobs; that have taken the teacher's power away and led to the teacher's abuse by children; that are bombarding the teacher with extra paper work leading to longer hours at work with no extra pay; that are keeping teachers longer at their jobs even during weekends and holidays and away from their families, it is easy to succumb hopelessness and sadness. Here the teachers need to restructure their priorities and only focus on what they are hired to do. All other extra work should be done only when the teacher feels that they have the energy and time for it. Educators have rights and knowing those rights can set them free from their bondage.
The issues we face as people aren't the problem but how we choose to deal with them is. Some people cower and hide whilst other see them as challenges to face and to overcome. We have no control over what happens to us but we are in control of how we react to them. Let's take back our power and flourish.
