This year started like any other, calm and relaxed and then boooooom! Workload goes into overdrive. However there has been a slight difference in how I’ve coped with it. Normally I’m calm and placid in school but when I get home my frustration and stress comes out; I snap at Mr Humanities, eat tons of chocolate, work long hours, try to sleep but end up tossing & turning… the list goes on. The start of 2015 has been very different.
Keeping the idea of #teacher5aday in my mind has helped me to remain calm (most of the time), I had a wobble before school the other day but survived it through a chat with a HLTA and good friend. Phew. So far any time this term I’ve felt my blood pressure rising I’ve taken the time to think about ME and not felt guilty about it. How nice is that?
Here’s a short list of how I’ve stayed sane this January
alternated between FULL weekend off and working ONE day of the weekend
connected with Mr Humanities in the mornings and evenings
eaten healthier meals, less of the throw it in the oven and let it cook.
volunteered in conservation
joined a re-enactment group
been creative in the classroom – yr 7 made models of natural hazards and I managed to find the time to create displays
every morning taken the time to say hello to the art teacher that gets into school first
got out and about in the fresh air on weekends
appreciated the sunrise in the morning
taken the time to just listen to the ewes in the lambing shed each morning
tried to leave school at a reasonable time (5:30pm)
volunteered with year 11 in after school and during morning clubs
tried to read more (not quite managed my reading aims but progress has been made)
created a poster for my phone screensaver to make me think of my wellbeing when things get stressful
Knowing that there is a network of other teachers out there thinking about THEIR wellbeing and that of their team has been awesome. Although it may just be me in my department at the moment, when September comes looking after my team’s wellbeing will be one of my priorities, especially if they will be an NQT like it has been suggested they will be. I remember how hard it was and how the little things really helped keep me perky in the classroom.
I’ll be continuing with the #teacher5aday mindset for the rest of the year. For February my aim is connecting more in school, since my classroom is tucked away and I get no passing traffic, there are few visitors to my room other than the kids and I have duties 11/15 times a week getting out and speaking to colleagues is a struggle. But for February that’s my aim , just need to consider how I’ll go about doing it – suggestions welcomed.
For a very positive read head over to Martyn Reah’s review of January or the very first blog to get started.
If you’ve been following #teacher5aday I hope you’ve had a positive start to the year and choose to continue.
If you haven’t started yet, why not try it through February, you’ll be glad you did.
Thanks for reading
