Read through to the end of this entry, and you will see how all the
sections fit together—I promise.
The Survey:
Survey results that fit into the Interesting-But-Not Surprising
Category:
More than half of the teachers questioned in the MetLife Survey of the
American Teacher said they felt under “great stress” several days a week.
This is not news to most of us. We understand the results of the significant
educational reforms, including new academic standards and new teacher
evaluation systems. Michael Cohen, the
president of Achieve, an education nonprofit group, says of the survey results,
“What struck me most is they [teachers] are operating in an environment of
public discourse that is often focused on blame.” Ouch!
The Research:
From a February 2013 Time
Magazine Interview with neuroscientist Bruce McEwen:
Stress
systems were put there to help the body adapt and survive. They have a good side and a bad side…. Good
stress is rising to a challenge, feeling exhilarated when your body and brain
are working properly to help you do so….
Toxic stress is where bad things happen, perhaps because you don’t have
the inner or external resources needed to cope and perhaps because you have had
early life adversity, which makes you vulnerable to adverse outcomes.
The Story:
The following is a story bouncing around on the
Internet. I was unable to trace its
origin:
A young lady confidently walked around the room with
a raised glass of water while explaining stress-management to an audience.
Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question: "Half empty or
half full?"
She fooled them all. "How heavy is this
glass of water?" she inquired with a smile.
Answers ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.
She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't
matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not
a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I
hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.
"In each case it's the same weight, but the
longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."
She continued, "That's the way it is with
stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden
becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on.
"As with the glass of water, you have to
put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed,
we can carry on with the burden--holding stress longer and better each
time."
The Point:
Teaching is a stressful profession these days. It has been and will likely continue to be so
in the foreseeable future. Some stress
is good, maybe even healthy. Over time,
the stress we face can wear us down.
When the glass gets too heavy, find a way to put it down for a
bit. Laugh with friends, hug a child,
walk in the sun, read a good book, or cook a great meal. In school, buy a plant from the FFA, go to a
concert or sporting event, joke with a student or peer, or shake hands with
every student coming through your door.
Bruce McEwen, the neuroscientist referenced above, says it is our perception
that makes all the difference: “It’s where you perceive yourself that
matters. The brain is the key because it
perceives and decides what is stressful in the traditional sense of the word
and regulates behavior and physiology.” When
we find a way to let it all go for a bit and focus on what is really important
in life and at school, it will inevitably change our perception.
Raise your glass in a toast to this thought:
We have great students and a great staff, all working towards a common
goal.
It just might help relieve some of your stress.
Have a great week.
Phil
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