Do you want to know my super power for effective social-emotional instruction? I am an outdoor enthusiast, and that is a part of my teacher self-care instruction. 🥾
No Olympian; just someone who loves to be outside. 🌳
How is that a social-emotional instruction strategy you might ask?
Did you know that your teacher self-care is an essential part of social-emotional instruction?
And did you know that your own social-emotional skill development is an essential part of effective classroom management?
In order to effectively incorporate and model SEL skills in our classrooms, we must have created a balance in our own lives by nurturing our own social and emotional needs.
We need to understand the teachers’ own social-emotional wellbeing, and the influence of that well being on their students before we can fully know how to promote SEL in the classroom.
When teachers are carrying stress, they pass that stress along to their students. A teacher’s lack of confidence in their efficacy or about the support they receive can influence the fidelity with which they implement SEL programs.
So, in truth, the best social-emotional instruction strategy for schools is to support teacher self-care.
What is Teacher Self-Care?
Self-care for teachers involves things that you do on a regular basis that maintain your physical, mental and emotional health both personally and professionally.
A lot has been said online about wine, coffee and potato chips as valuable tools for teacher-self care. I like all of those things, and they all are a part of my life . But when I feel myself reaching for those things when I am stressed I quickly look at my schedule and realize that my self-care has not been up to snuff.
For my self-care, I study my bible daily, movement first thing every morning, being outside every day, a healthy diet, and enough sleep. Time with friends and family is very important as well, but unless I have taken care of those other areas, I am no good to anyone.
When I was in the classroom my teacher self-care included being prepped well in advance (7-10 days) and always 100% ready for the next day before I left the school.
Why Teacher Self-Care is Important
Your personal self-care is your teacher self-care and it is not a luxury. Teacher self-care
is a professional necessity that allows you to stay effective in the classroom. Your self-care enables you to create a healthier, more productive classroom environment without the burnout that is pervasive throughout the profession..
You cannot create a productive environment if you are burnt out. At one point I lived each day counting down the days until the next break. I loved my job, but I did not have enough time for myself.
Eventually I realized that I had thrown away a couple of years by always waiting for the future to arrive. That is no healthy way to live, and so I started taking steps towards daily teacher self-care.
Being happier and healthier reminded me of my passion for teaching. I had more job satisfaction, and it allowed me to make better relationships with my students.
As you experience the power of self-care, you will have the wherewithal to meet the challenges of teaching and you will be authentic in your understanding, compassion, and social-emotional instruction.
Why Teachers Need Self-Care
Teachers face many stressors daily. Classroom management, the constant administrative tasks, and the emotional demands of supporting students. It is these stressors that lead to burnout and make you unable to teach effectively.
In addition to managing the stress in a more functional way, you will be healthier overall when you practice teacher self-care. This means fewer sick days, so fewer instructional days lost, and better health to enjoy your time off. Poor teacher self-care can really devolve into a vicious circle of absenteeism and an inability to be healthy enough to enjoy free time.
And, of course, it is difficult to be authentic during social-emotional instruction if your own is lagging.
How Teachers Can Practice Self-Care at School
There are many ways to incorporate teacher self-care into your daily routine at school.
A big one for me was starting the day every day with laps around the school with my students. Everyone benefited from being outside and moving. We did a lot of laps for a variety of reasons.
Sometimes my students also ran a quick lap while I transitioned to the next subject. This was considered safe and appropriate in my context, and you must, of course, determine if such an option is appropriate in your context.
I also learned to remind myself to breathe slowly and deeply. Teacher tone of voice is a powerful communicator, and when I noticed my stress was being communicated in my voice, I would take a few moments to breathe. Often I did this subtly on my own, however, why not invite the kiddos to join you? That is a powerfully authentic social-emotional instruction while you practice teacher self-care.
I used to take at least 5 minutes of my lunch break to just sit and breathe. Just to slow my whole body down. Sure there was lots to get done, but those 5 minutes made a huge difference to the rest of my day.
Self-Care for Teachers Ideas
1) Mindfulness and Meditation
Similar to what I mentioned above, a few quick moments of mindfulness and breathing in the classroom can make a significant difference to your teacher self-care. There are a number of apps that you can choose from to help you.
2) Physical Activity
The ideal physical activity that many teachers think is essential for teacher self-care
is the 5:00 a.m. HIIT workout or after work workout. Although I totally support the idea of this time to yourself, this can be a challenge with a family, or fluctuating hours. There are other options:
- consider active breaks that you do with your students (we skip counted to calisthenics)
- go for a walk during a break
- stretch after school before digging into tasks
- arrive early enough
- take your children to a playground after work and do laps of the playground
- go for a stroll after dinner with your spouse or children
You do not need to be an Olympian any more than I do. Just start with something small and add to it as you are able.
3) Seek Professional Support and Set Personal Boundaries
Determine what your necessary personal boundaries to establish your teacher self-care
are, and then set them. You may need the objectivity of professional support to help you to determine, set and maintain your boundaries, or even to talk about the challenges of your job.
If you work in a school that lacks a supportive professional community or teacher self-care, consider moving schools if possible, and, if not, seek supportive professional learning communities outside of your school.
Peer support networks, people that truly understand the highs and lows of your everyday job, are really important to your teacher self-care and mental and emotional health.
If possible, find someone who will help you to explore the lighter side of life as well, and learn to laugh more.
4) Practice Gratitude
Before you head home for the day, find 3 things to be grateful for. Even on the most challenging days I always found something to be grateful for.
Did a student have a breakthrough? Or perhaps one child was unusually kind to another child. Was there an encouraging word from a colleague? A parent? A student? An administrator?
Maybe today ws the day there were no discipline issues after recess. Regardless of what it is, reflect on the day and see if you can find something.
5) Listen to Music
Music is a powerful tool for helping us to give voice to our feelings. If you don’t have one already, create a variety of playlists to reflect a variety of feelings.
Play music at school while tidying up and planning. Maybe even combine this with your physical activity, and dance like no one’s watching. 🥰
6) Unplug on the Ride Home
Consider turning off the podcast, or the music, and ignore the phone (which you shouldn’t be talking on while drawing anyways).
If you have your children with you, is there something that you could give them to keep them quiet and engaged? Obviously, this is the time you want to prioritize your children, but by having a few moments to yourself first you will have more to give them later.
7) Expand Your Teacher Self-Care Away From the School
This last suggestion is cheating a little bit as it is not an idea to do teacher self-care at school. But that is also the point really.
Now that, hopefully, you can see ways to incorporate moments of self-care at school, perhaps this will prompt ideas for how to take the time you need at home.
Ultimately, of course, the goal is to find strategies for self-care that go deeper and are richer than what I have shared in these suggestions. But the point I am making is that you can start with tiny islands of time.
How Teachers Can Practice Self-Care
There is definitely a lot of buzz in our culture about the expectations people have about teachers. If you don’t prioritize your self-care, no one else will do it for you.
Recognizing and implementing teacher self-care requires 5 essential steps:
- Understand what teacher self-care is . . . and what it is not.
- Understand to the core of your being why self-care for teachers is important.
- Believe that you are worthy of and need self-care.
- Identify ways that you can practice self-care both at work and during your free time.
Get started today!
Getting Started with Teacher Self-Care Today!
Teacher self-care is not a luxury. I love to teach, and I miss the classroom most days. But every day I was glad to say good-bye and close the door.
Why was that? Because teaching is a job.
I believe it is also a calling, and I believe our work should bring fulfillment. But it is still just a job. Because it is a job, and it is, hopefully, considered a lesser priority to your health, it is important that you hold space for the rest of your life.
Teacher self-care is the space that you hold in your day not just to create a better classroom environment. Teacher self-care is also the space that you hold in your day to live the best of the rest of your life too.
Start by choosing a little bit of something. Maybe a short stroll around the block, or a short stretch while breathing deeply. Slowly grow your self-care practice, and make it seamless in your life.
Teacher self-care! You’ve got this!! I would love you to share what you do in the comments below.
Related blog posts:
What is classroom management? Why is it Important?
What Does Social Emotional Learning Mean for Your Class?
How to Make Your Teaching Tone And Voice Revive Your Class Now!
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