Teaching is among the 'top three most stressed occupations'

Teaching is consistently among the top three most stressful professions, according to a respected academic who has studied well-being in 80 occupations.

 

Sir Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health at the University of Manchester's business school and a former government adviser on well-being, told TES that the profession regularly ranked among the most stressful jobs.
“Of all the occupations I’ve studied, and that’s about 80, teachers are in the top three most stressed occupations,” he said. “The hours are long and antisocial, the workload is heavy and there is change for change’s sake from various governments.”
His comments came as the country's biggest provider of new teachers, Teach First, revealed that it had started offering trainees psychological support because of concerns that classroom pressures could trigger mental health problems.
Other high-stress professions identifed by Sir Cary included healthcare and the uniformed services such as the police, ambulance and the fire services. He added that some parts of the IT industry were also high-stress. Librarians, gardeners and lab biologists tended to be among the least stressed professionals.
Sir Cary has published well over 100 pieces of research on workplace well-being and stress, during a 30-year career in academia. He is the outgoing chair of the Academy of Social Sciences and president of the counselling charity Relate.
He said anxiety, stress and depression were leading causes of sickness absence across many occupations, and in teaching these problems were “endemic”.
Sir Cary said constant changes in education policy added to teachers’ stress levels, and he urged the government to take a “hands-free” approach to education.

Hey, New Teachers, It's OK To Cry In Your Car by Meg Anderson

Like many first-year teachers, Luisana Regidor has a lot on her mind. There are lesson plans to write and papers to grade as well as a dozen other things: evaluations, observations, fundraisers, class trips. It's overwhelming.

"Last Wednesday, I left here and I got in my car and I just cried," says Regidor, who teaches U.S. history at Schurz High School in Chicago. "Everything was hitting me at once."

Regidor, 31, says other teachers warned her that the first year could be rough, but in September she was full of ideas and energy.

"Then, six weeks in, it happened," says Regidor. "Last Wednesday, I definitely felt like I should probably throw in the towel and do something else."

Regidor isn't alone in that feeling or its timing. One in 10 teachers will leave the classroom by the end of their first year, and teachers are particularly vulnerable in October and November.

Ellen Moir, CEO of the New Teacher Center, which runs mentor programs in roughly 200 districts nationwide, has decades of anecdotes to show that October hits hard. She even has a name for this time of year: The Disillusionment Phase.

"As they get six or seven weeks into school, they realize how tough it is to be a really good teacher," says Moir. "They need someone saying, 'You are not horrible. You are not a fraud.' "

First-year teachers who have someone they see as a mentor are more likely to stick it out. So, what about the new teachers who feel like they are out there on their own, with nothing more than a pat on the back and their own good intentions?

For them, veteran teacher Roxanna Elden has developed a free "disillusionment power pack." After one week, more than 1,000 people have signed up to receive a month of motivating emails sent every few days from Elden, an English teacher at Hialeah High School near Miami who has been teaching for more than a decade.

Her goal: get new teachers to Thanksgiving break.

"The aim is to say what I always wish someone had said to me in a meeting," says Elden, 36, who has also written an advice book for teachers called See Me After Class. She added that she hopes the emails, which allow teachers to write back, will create a safe place for those who might not have one.

"Lots of jobs are hard," says Elden, "but with teachers, it's like, 'Wow, I'm hurting kids because I'm as bad as I am.' You have these exaggerated thoughts like, 'Well, what if I break my leg? I'd get three weeks off.' "

The emails are a combination of personal stories and advice. One includes a photograph of a journal entry she wrote during her first year. Below it, Elden writes, "The students from this class are in their 20's now. I'm friends with many of them on Facebook, and they don't seem to have been permanently scarred by the mistakes."

Elden's worst day of her first fall in the classroom happened in late October. Her students were acting up, so she assigned them a long list of math problems even though she knew homework shouldn't be given as a punishment. Later she realized it was Halloween and that she had most likely only ruined the night for the kids who would do the homework — the ones who had been behaving anyway. It was the last straw: She broke down crying in her car.

 

Elden's emails alone might not make the difference if a teacher is seriously considering quitting. The more comprehensive a mentoring program, the more likely a new teacher is to stick around, says University of Pennsylvania professor Richard Ingersoll. But the emails might nudge a struggling teacher to seek more help elsewhere.

Back in Chicago, Regidor has been reaching out for support — to her mom, who is a principal at another school, and to the experienced teachers on her team.

"I look at them, and I go, 'Oh, they're still here,' " Regidor says. Despite the tough days, she stresses that she loves her students, her school and her job.

"You want to be that amazing teacher from Day 1, but you have to recognize it takes time," she says. "It'll get better."

Basic Things Never to Say to a Kindergarten Teacher

 1. So, you just play and finger paint all day? Sounds like babysitting!

Of course! Kindergarten teachers just play and sing and dance all day—whilst also being expected to teach something like 20 kids foundations of math, reading, social skills, and emotional skills that will assist their educational growth.

2. You need to treat him differently than the other kids. He’s sensitive.

All of our kids are unique and will be treated accordingly–with empathy and understanding. 

3. (If he’s a male teacher) Don’t you have trouble being compassionate toward the kids? 

Although only 2% of all kindergarten teachers are male, they can be as compassionate (perhaps more!) as their female counterparts. Like anything else, it all depends on the individual. If anyone is drawn to teaching–especially at this level–he knows not to intimidate, to comfort his students with humor, and, above all, to educate.

4. These kids are so young, they won’t even remember you.

Do you remember your favorite teachers throughout the years? Maybe not. But we do–which is part of the reason we got into this business. We want to mold the minds of our students, giving them unique and memorable educational experiences. Don’t you want them to like learning?

5. Can you update me on my child’s daily progress?

We’re happy to do this every once in a while, especially if your child is struggling. But please understand. We have between 20 and 30 students, all with different emotional and educational struggles. We’re trying to stay afloat. Help us get to the root of your child’s personal struggles with an email at the beginning of the year–and we’ll keep in contact. But an everyday report is a bit overzealous.

6. Maybe when I retire I’ll do something fun, like teach kindergarten.

Hilarious. There’s nothing like wrangling 25 high-energy, occasionally-screaming children for eight hours of the day. Doing it for fun sounds GREAT, doesn’t it? Have fun.

7. Why do you care so much about your salary? You should just care about the kids.

We love our students; we love teaching; we love everything about the learning experience. We don’t love scraping to pay our bills at the end of the month. We don’t love living in poverty. Get it?

8. This is nice for now, but don’t you think you’ll want to advance your career someday? 

Honestly, you shouldn’t say this to anyone, in any profession. Every day,  kindergarten teachers are attempting to reach our potential in the classroom, educating and creating a beautiful atmosphere for learning. That’s all we can say right now. Anything else?