How Can They Cope?
The stressors (major, minor and micro-) for teachers are so many that it's hard to think of them all. If you aren't a teacher, try to imagine yourself in their shoes. They work long hours with inadequate salaries, in overcrowded classrooms, with difficult students and parents, with inadequate autonomy to teach the way they know is best, and without the respect that they deserve as professionals.
I've recently read about some additional stressors for teachers that I hadn't known about.
MASKS
Some teachers describe having to keep what they call a "mask" ("a game face," or "being on" ) at work. And they have to assume that "mask" whenever they encounter a student or parent outside of school. It's a "teacher persona," and it's "mentally exhausting."
Is This Stressor Inevitable?
Not with an Inner Guide. If the stressor is fatigue, an Inner Guide can make it possible to temporarily override that feeling. If the stressor is a concern about a problem in one's life, it is possible to compartmentalize these issues while at work. If the stressor involves negative feelings toward the people you have to interact with, such as unruly students or helicopter parents, it can be possible to minimize these uncomfortable feelings by looking at the students' and parents' behavior from their perspective. An Inner Guide can help one override fatigue, compartmentalize, and employ empathy even under difficult conditions.
URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS
I also read that teachers, as well as nurses, are getting UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections) due to their schedules not allowing for adequate restroom breaks. A UTI can become a very serious illness. Some teachers have to work for eight hours without a restroom or meal break. No wonder they are quitting in droves. (Many aren't; perhaps their working conditions are a bit less stressful.)
The Culture Must Be Changed
Many teachers are speaking up much more than before, striking not only for better pay but for better working conditions and even for changes in the toxic environment in which many of their students live. But this takes energy that many teachers may not feel they have.
What are your thoughts about this? You can comment below.
