Articles by Educators

Substitute Teachers: Tips to Stay Sane

Educators — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 02:58:24 -0400

Whether it's your first day or 500th day as a substitute teacher, stepping into an unfamiliar classroom with kids whose names you don't yet know can be an unsettling feeling. The job of a substitute can seem like the perfect set up for stress that induces a little bit of "crazy."

The Buddy System, revised

Educators — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 23:29:48 -0400

As educators, it is easy to get wrapped up in the day- to- day, neverending, "to-do" list of lesson planning, photocopying, cleaning, organizing materials, creating new supplies and manipulatives, and e-mailing parents, community support individuals, and school staff.

Taking your work home? Oh NO!

Educators — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:02:17 -0400

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Parenting skills,not easy to come by

Educators — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 22:54:57 -0400

As elementary, secondary and college level teachers from city to suburban areas, we encounter familiesof all different educational backgrounds. Though, the educational background, is not indicative of the success of our students' parenting skills. We spend five days a week, September through June with our students, getting a handle, not only on their&nb

From a Second-Year Teacher to a First-Year

Educators — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 23:06:28 -0400

It's
nice to be able to relate to the person who is trying to help you
during your first year. I was there last year, not 15, 25, 35 years

Uncohesive Staff

Educators — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 17:23:40 -0400

A stressor for many educators is working in a school in which the staff does not work together as a cohesive whole. In other words the members of the staff either keep to themselves or form small groups (cliques). If the staff doesn't all work together it is the students who ultimately suffer, and as educators the students are and should be are top priority. Not only do the st

Actually HAVING a life!

Educators — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 21:07:48 -0400

Teaching is a stressful profession to work in.

2x the teacher=2x the stress

Educators — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:46:56 -0400

A classroom that provides its students with 2 teachers (co-teachers) or a teacher and aide, can be very beneficial but it can also bring a lot of stress to the adults involved. Each person has their own personality and ways of dealing with teaching and classroom procedures.

All I Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten

Educators — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 15:16:34 -0400

...more like, All I Need to Know, I Learned While Teaching Kindergarten!

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Dear Diary?

Educators — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 22:14:16 -0400

Teachers are often given the advice to journal on a daily basis in order to gain a greater perspective on the lessons and progress made each day. Journaling can be a helpful tool for teachers to look back and see what worked and what could be improved upon.

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HOPE deferred makes the Heart sick!

Educators — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:10:11 -0400

Teacher vs. Student Expectations

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OH!I know who "YOU" are!

Educators — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:09:34 -0400

The issue I want to discuss today is the way sometimes we hear about the bad behaviors or faults of kids before they even step into our class. We need to avoid that "OH!

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SCARY Standardized Tests

Educators — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:16:20 -0400

Whether it's the MEAP in the beginning of the year, Scantron testing throughout, SAT/ACT's at the end, or any one of the other many standardized tests that us educators are responsible for administering - it means one thing: STRESS.

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Stooping to Nasty Colleague Levels: Or Not?

Educators — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:57:01 -0400

There you are the one who teaches because you have the students' best interests at heart, the one who allows students to cons

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Stressed out by Student Struggles! Help SOS!

Educators — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 12:33:50 -0400

As educators we have all experienced negative stress associated with conflicts in the classroom.

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Parents + teachers + students = stress!!!!

Educators — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 20:48:29 -0400

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Follow through

Educators — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 13:58:30 -0400

We're educators for a reason. We know stuff and are good at sharing it with others so that they know stuff. Unfortunately, we too often fail to head our own advise and education. So many of us can spend our entire day instructing students not just in content areas, but also on how to be a successful student and human being.

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Tips for teachers to de-stress

Educators — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 22:24:55 -0400

Tips for dealing with teaching stress from a veteran teacher.

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STRESS - Figure It Out!

Educators — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 22:35:29 -0400

Stress is a normal part of life. There's good stress and bad stress. Stress can be harmful if not handled properly. Stress can affect a person physically and mentally. There are many ways people handle stress and reduce stress within their lives. Some stress are self-imposed.

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Start the School Year Positively

Educators — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 22:26:49 -0400

I know that I am not the only teacher who dreads going into the store in the summer to be bombarded with "back to school" signs. As the summer comes to an end there are ways to make sure the school year starts off on a positive note.

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Sustenance for the Soul

Educators — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:46:01 -0400

There have been many chapters in my life that included such tremendous internal tension and turmoil that I could find solace in

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Can Pets Improve Your Mood?

Educators — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 23:38:59 -0400

As educators, our mood is very important. Can pets improve your mood? For those who love animals, it's virtually impossible to stay in a bad mood when a pair of loving puppy eyes meet yours, or when a super-soft cat rubs up against your hand. Getting a new best friend can have many stress relieving benefits.

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Angry Students

Educators — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 23:05:23 -0400

It can be very difficult for younger students to express their emotions. Having a child in the classroom that is acting out is a stressful situation. Not only is the situation stressful on the child that is acting out, but it can also be stressful on the other children as well.

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Communication: Did We Understand Each Other?

Educators — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 17:44:23 -0400

All educators spend time talking with parents and families whether on a daily basis, during conference time, or at field trips or special events at school. How do you know though, that parents and families who speak another language are understanding and really comprehending what you are saying to them? I work in an area where we have families from many different countries, and who

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Schedule Yourself into Your Busy Schedule!

Educators — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:45:47 -0400

Educators who are dedicated to their work and have a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of their students can rarely avoid taking work home with them at night and on weekends. The reality of the teaching profession is that some work, such as grading papers, will be done at home. A problem can arise for an educator's mental health when too much time is spent doing work at h

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Hit the Ground Running!

Educators — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:20:53 -0400

Come September, teachers hit the ground running and there is no stopping us until Christmas break! The focus is on the students and the demands of a busy school day. Sometimes it feels like if you have to remember one more thing you will explode. How many times have you realized that you forgot to make that doctor’s appointment or stop by the pharmacy because you were still in school mode?

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Alleviate Stress from Grading Papers!!!

Educators — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:23:21 -0400

How can teachers get away from having a clutter of papers to grade?

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Hurt Feelings at School? 7 Practical Tips

Educators — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:19:13 -0400

There is a lot of judgment of one another at the school setting. We often judge a colleague according to our standards or we have been judged ourselves. We all know the teachers who we perceive to be the principal’s pet, who don’t do “this” or actually do “that”. We may have been on the receiving end of these judgments and unfair perceptions which can be quite hurtful

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Lesson Planning

Educators — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:12:11 -0400

How many of you have thought to yourselves, "Why do I write lesson plans? I know what I'm doing; I've been doing it for 20 years." "My mentor teacher doesn't write them." "My administrator never asks to see them." Whether you're a first year teacher, have been teaching for years, or are re-entering the teaching profession, writing lesson plans is an imperative element of su

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Report Card for Parents?

Educators — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:19:28 -0400

Who dreads parent-teacher conferences more? I would be willing to bet that it is the parents..and not for the typical "I"m going to kill my son for doing that" reasons! Parents often feel that they are being graded moreso than their children. Time after time in monthly conferences with my families, I hear a frustration and panic of feeling ill equipped for this job that we cal

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"Those" kids.....

Educators — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:57:49 -0400

I had lunch recently with a lovely woman whom my family has known for many, many years. She is a retired elementary teacher who has never had children of her own, but considers herself a “grandmother” to my kids. With so much experience (over 35 years) in teaching, I value her insight as an educator. I love hearing her stories, as they are all usually inspiring and full of hope.

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Healthy Stress Management Options

Educators — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:29:12 -0400

If a teacher can master successful techniques that can help control their stress and tension wouldn’t that be helpful? Not only at the second stress happens (in a classroom), but also to help control their stress and tension in the long-haul (an entire school year) can be done probably easier then you think.

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Fieldtrips- Fun Outing or Nightmare?

Educators — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:40:40 -0400

How many of you educators have hosted a beginning of the school year open house and received the question, What field-trips will the kids take this year?

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Laughter in the Absurdity

Educators — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:23:52 -0400

For years and years, laughter has been thought to relieve stress and promote general well-being. It makes sense when we consider that the resolution of extreme stress can be the defeating syndrome of surrender or depression from anger and rage that is turned inward. On the other end of the spectrum of extreme stress, unresolved stress is rage -- anger turned outward, often unleashed wi

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Your Assignment

Educators — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:07:10 -0400

Your task is to write a to-do "blog" on any issue concerning the mental health of educators. Identify the issue and state why it concerns mental health. Briefly discuss the issue and offer the reader (assume an educator) a strategy for dealing effectively with the issue or the stress brought about by the issue. I have included an example post which is listed as Laughter in

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