Focus
As educators, we would hope that our students are focussed. Part of our role is to create engaging content for our lessons to maintain the interests of our students and help keep them focused. But what about us? Teaching can quickly consume so much of your time and if you are not careful you may start to lose focus on what is important. Here are a few tips to keep you positive.
Stop indulging your destructive beliefs
As a teacher, it doesn’t take long to come across a post or article reeling about teacher workloads and stress; unrealistic targets and extraordinary demands. You may go online to find positive stories to focus on and yet there is so much negative information. It is sometimes hard to escape. Before long you may find yourself reading a post which confirms what you were suspecting all along. Confirmation bias keeps you in a perpetual downward spiral. Well, it is time to STOP!
Look for Solutions rather than Problems
If you are looking for solutions, make an effort to find one. It sounds simple, but if all you are doing is indulging in your own beliefs that you cannot change what is causing you stress, you are unlikely to find solutions and you are unlikely to reach a happy ending.
Manage your expectations
If you feel that you are struggling to have your voice heard when it comes to solution making then focus on solutions that just change your world. It is possible that your suggestions are unrealistic at that time which can leave you feeling helpless. Regain control by changing your own world and feel empowered again. Don’t expect others to have the same goals as you or be motivated to drive change. If you want to influence others, it’s unrealistic to expect them to change just because you are convinced. Managing your expectations of others and of situations will help you to remain calm and reduce frustration.
Small steps are the building blocks for our greatest journeys
Choose small wins. It will give you enormous self-satisfaction and may even inspire others without you even knowing about it. This doesn’t mean trying to right the world with a complete overhaul “if I were in charge, I would change this, this, this, and that”. It means approaching one problem at a time, a small problem and something that you can change or achieve. This might be organising some data for a parents evening, or making a rough long-term plan for a scheme of work.
Deal with problems head on
If you have an issue with someone, pluck up the courage and speak to them directly. If you spend your time moaning to colleagues or going above their head to a superior you may not get the best possible resolution. As educators, we are trained to receive feedback. Don’t be afraid to give it if you think it is required.
This post was written to inspire a few qualities which may keep you thinking and acting in a positive manner. Please share if you agree and comment below with any feedback.
Thank you for reading