Educators Are More Stressed at Work Than Average People, Survey Finds
By Madeline Will on October 30, 2017 3:25 PM
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_now/2017/10/educator_stress_aft_bat.html
The survey, released by the American Federation of Teachers and the advocacy group Badass Teachers Association on Monday, included responses from about 5,000 educators. It follows a 2015 survey on educator stress—and finds that stress levels have grown and mental health has declined for this group in the past two years.
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more on stress, mindfulness in this IMS blog
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=stress
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=mindfulness
Harper, A. (2019, April 2). Reducing teacher stress may require multiple strategies. Retrieved April 2, 2019, from Education Dive website: https://www.educationdive.com/news/reducing-teacher-stress-may-require-multiple-strategies/551604/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202019-04-02%20K-12%20Education%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:20185%5D&utm_term=Education%20Dive:%20K12
- In the face of mounting testing pressures, rapidly changing reform efforts and student circumstances over which teachers feel little control, more than half of teachers consider their jobs to be highly stressful, which is affecting teacher absenteeism rates, retention and student achievement, according to The Hechinger Report.
- There is a growing trend to address teachers’ mental health through stress-reduction and resiliency-building exercises. These include yoga and programs such as those offered by the Center for Resilience, Breathe for Change and mindfulness training offered through Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education. However, these efforts are mere triage and only offer short-term solutions, some experts say.
- Education leaders can offer longer-term solutions that address root issues by providing mentoring support in schools rather than bringing in outside experts, rolling out new initiatives in a more teacher-centered way, and involving teachers in discussions about what works best for students.
But principals also need to build relationships with teachers themselves to create a sense of trust and more open and honest lines of communication. Good teachers are hard to find and losing them to stress is not a good option. Finding ways to solve the issues that are causing them stress and helping them deal with the inevitable pressures along the way is well worth the effort in the long run.
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more on stress
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=stress
When yoga becomes a respected part of the school day
Pushing for “whole-child education,” the Compassionate Schools Project focuses on mind and body wellness
http://hechingerreport.org/yoga-becomes-respected-part-school-day/
a massive study of a “whole-child” education program called the Compassionate Schools Project, has several purposes.
Schools can’t focus only on academic content, she said, with students who don’t feel safe and calm in the classroom.
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more about mindfulness in this IMS blog
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=mindful
How Mindfulness and Storytelling Help Kids Heal and Learn
Sept 2016 https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/09/26/how-mindfulness-and-storytelling-help-kids-heal-and-learn/
Neurological research shows that tragic experiences can affect brain development and impact a child’s ability to concentrate and relax.
In an attempt to offer more psychological support, they reached out to Grossman who is a teacher and co-founder of Mindful Schools. The definition of mindfulness, says Grossman, is to “pay attention, on purpose, to the present moment.”
a form of narrative therapy for the students.
“Mindfulness taught our kids that they have the ability to make wise choices, and it’s strengthened their resiliency.”
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more on mindfulness in this IMS blog:
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=mindfulness
more on storytelling in this blog:
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=storytelling
This is what happens to your brain and body when you check your smartphone before bed
Dr. Dan Siegel, clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine, lays out all of the negative effects that bedtime screen viewing can have on the brain and body. WATCH THE 2 MIN VIDEO