Phew! We know teaching can be a stressful activity in the current education landscape. What with online, offline, hybrid and blended teaching models coupled with falling student engagement doing the round? Teachers are left on their own to improvise, and this can create great stress.

We understand your plight and think that wellness and self-care should always come first. By doing this, you can make teaching a sustainable long-term teaching career that benefits both your students and you! Here’s a strategy for you. Before we proceed, let’s understand what teaching sustainability looks like!

Teaching Sustainably

When teachers practice teaching sustainably, they incorporate the following behaviours.

• They practice self-compassion and are kind to others, including their students.
• They prioritize both their personal and professional lives.
• They hone their skills and strive to get better at their teaching skills.
• They hold some power in the decision-making processes in their schools.

 

With these principles in mind, teachers can begin thinking about how they can start to build sustainable careers.

1.      Build Relationships that Keep Your Energy High

Teaching involves a lot of giving and this can be truly taxing. Finding both professional and personal relationships that can energize you and build you up is crucial to ensure teaching sustainability. Your life and relationships outside teaching play a huge role.

Your trusted friends and family are the ones to lean back on. They will keep your spirits high when your work is taxing and help you get back to it with a straight mind.

2.      Adopt Practices that Can Heal & Restore You

When teaching gets taxing, many teachers often resort to practices that can bring relief in the short-run but add further grief in the long term. Instances include over-eating and bingeing on OTT platforms. Instead, try having short rituals like just an hour’s worth of a show, a small piece of chocolate, meditation, or even a gentle yoga session to reduce anxiety and stress.

These practices can be your go-to options for stressful times.

3.      Always Reflect on Why You Chose Teaching

When things get taxing or boring, it can be easy to quit. To teach sustainably, keep reminding yourself why you chose teaching in the first place. This can help you put energy into teaching and really getting down to improve your skills, get better, and climb the career ladder.

 

Adopt the Above Practices & Begin Teaching Sustainably

Teaching sustainably is a great way to bring both purpose and progress to your teaching career in the long-run. Adopt the above practices and get started on your sustainable teaching journey today! Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.