Even in normal times, teaching is no walk in the park. 在课程计划, 课堂时间, 与父母和照顾者沟通, 并关注学校和地区政治, the concept of self-care can easily fall by the wayside.
疫情期间，压力更大. Pressure to teach both virtually and in person; pressure to keep your students progressing even with new challenges; and pressure to stay well despite the growing numbers of infections and deaths from COVID-19. 你经常觉得自己做了两倍的工作, 管理双倍的风险, 有时只完成了一半. And when the school work is done, you most likely are taking care of your family as well.
然而，事情是这样的. 即使你更忙，s现在照顾小精灵更重要了.
“如果你感到不知所措，这是可以理解的,布兰妮写道, MS, LSSP, 为理解, a non-profit organization dedicated to 家庭 of children who learn differently. “You may need a reminder that practicing self-care is essential to your well-being, especially during times of uncertainty and transition.”
文章提出了五点建议:
- 认清什么是你能控制的，什么是你不能控制的. You can control how you teach, how you budget your time, and how you take care of yourself. But, for instance, you can’t control what happens in your students’ homes during virtual learning.
- 与你的需求和感受保持联系. It’s easy to shove feelings to the back burner, especially when you’re busy. But take a moment to stop, stay in touch, name the feeling, and see if there’s something you need. 也许下次休息的时候可以出去走走, protein-filled小吃, or a note to yourself about a task that is taking up brain space.
- 设定并保持界限. If you’re working at home, the lines between job and home life can get blurry. 是的, 你上课的时候可以洗一大堆衣服, 是的, you can grade papers on the couch at night in front of the television. But the more you blur the lines, the less important self-care can seem. Make a schedule for yourself just as if life were normal. 为冥想做预算, 锻炼, 日志记录, 音乐, 或者其他能让你集中注意力的事情, 快乐, 和健康. 有句谚语说:“有一个幸福的妻子，生活就会幸福。”? Adapt it: A 快乐 teacher equals a thriving classroom.
- 将自我照顾融入你的生活. This can be as quick and simple as remembering to breathe deeply when you’re stressed, 与另一位老师联系, 把有意义的报价放在手边, 或者花点时间感恩. 说到这个…
- 寻找和发现感恩和快乐的时刻. Being mindful is a strength; it keeps you in the moment and clears your head. Even if you’ve got your entire classroom on a Zoom call, 你可以找到快乐的时刻, 幽默, 感激之情, 和成就感. Noting these moments – and even writing them down in a notebook you keep for this purpose – will help keep you centered.
Self-care, of course, also extends to your health habits. Have you given in to comfort eating during the pandemic? 你睡不着吗? 你的锻炼计划已经半途而废了吗?
Dominican 大学 Online has a series of courses that emphasize different aspects of health and wellness for the educator. All earn you continuing-education credits, and all are self-paced and online.
“A focus on self-care and wellness has been proven to work wonders for the mind, 身体和教室,多米尼加提醒我们. “It is well-established in the business world that healthy people will be better at their jobs, 导致一个更健康的底线. 老师和学生也是如此. Healthy and 快乐 teachers and students lead to a more engaged and successful classroom.”
多米尼加的 自我护理和健康课程 range from nutrition to life balance to mindfulness, social connections, and resilience. 一些例子:
- 实施教育工作者自我照顾: 真正致力于一个自我照顾的计划, it helps to understand why doing so is psychologically and physically important to your health. And here’s the bonus: Self-care relates to teacher retention, 工作满意度, 精力枯竭的减少. In this course you’ll research self-care and implement a self-care routine. (EDUO 9054, 1-2个学期学分. Students earn one credit by logging 20 hours engaging in self-care; for two credits, 你必须工作45小时.)
- 教师自我照顾:管理工作和生活: 平衡,平衡,平衡. 你经常听到这个词, and it feels impossible; our worlds simply don’t always adhere to clocks or schedules. But this course focuses on strategies for work-life balance even with the realities of a teacher’s world. EDUO 9053, 2个学期学分.)
- 教师自我关怀:感恩的科学: 很简单,对吧? 对你生命中的美好事物心存感激. 但在现实中, 除非你养成习惯, you may not notice the positive things as much as you do the negative. Explore the science of 感激之情 and the benefits it has on your well-being. EDUO 9052, 2个学期学分.)
- Teacher Self-Care: Building Social Connections and 支持 Systems: Connecting with others and having a support system is critical to our well-being, 在大流行期间，这可能是一个更大的挑战, 当我们尽可能多地呆在家里的时候. Learn about the psychology behind social connection, social support, and your health. EDUO 9051, 2个学期学分.)
- 为健康和健康制定你的计划: Reflect on your current health status; learn about foods that enhance brain function, 为什么水合作用很重要, and how 受欢迎的 diets affect your body; identify stressors in your life, 关注健康, and create a health and wellness plan for your own life. EDUO 9780, 3个学期学分.)
“教育者真正 想要 和他们的学生在一起, 亲自和在教室里, 以提供最高质量的教学,奥黛丽·坎贝尔写道, MA, “上交”, 为教育工作者提供资源的公司. “But … there needs to be a balance between teachers’ well-being and the well-being of students, 家庭, 和社区.
“With all of the differing perspectives on how to educate students safely and effectively, 同时确保每个人都健康并得到支持, the resilience and well-being of our educators becomes more important than ever. They are on the front lines of teaching in-person and online, and they are shepherding this generation of students into the next phase of global education.”
图片来源:Jacoblund via iStock.
