Our bodies are temporal, and even our minds, but they are what we have, and they are a gift. As a gift, we should treat them with respect. Being a teacher, on the other hand, is a calling that doesn't.... jive with that notion. It's draining on mind, body, spirit, and emotion. It's a joy and a blessing, but it's also a high burnout position, especially in recent years.
Here is one reason I saw today. You are never, ever good enough. Never. Ever. You can be an amazing teacher that excels in many areas of this profession of many talents, but you won't receive a lot of validation for that. What you can expect, however, is to have growth demanded of you constantly. Even though the administration and coaches are on your side and have the same goal as you (making learning better for the kids), it has a nasty side-effect. It makes many teachers feel not good enough. For me and many others, this just doubles up with the self-doubt we already have from our own push towards being better.
I am finding that professions as strenuous need buffer. Buffer is every way. Teachers need to make room for some buffer sleep, for some buffer exercise, for some buffer time to maintain friendships and hobbies an whatever else. We need buffer to maintain our sanity, our emotional health, our physical wellbeing, and our spiritual strength.
No comments:
Post a Comment