Overcoming Burnout, by Tammy Boothe, Kindergarten Teacher at Carroll Oakland

Plato “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

Each of us feels at some time that his/her efforts are completely and totally ineffective.

We feel as though things are never going to improve.  We feel at times that we are helpless to anything about it.  These thoughts can soon become pervasive, permanent and allow us to feel powerless.  The following are the ideas that I gained from my reading” Awakened: Change your mind set to transform your teaching” by Angela

Watson and hope they help all of us.  Our perspective will determine whether we feel courageous and accomplished or discouraged and defeated.

1. As teachers we must stop rewinding thoughts that might be negative. We must refuse to allow harmful messages to permeate our thinking. These are counter-productive and stay planted in our minds.
2. We should dismiss negative thoughts and feelings.  We are all doing the best we can with what we have been given.
3. Distract any further negative talk with something positive.  Don’t compare it to what you thought or wanted. Be flexible and willing to change.
4. Reject any negative talk to you personally.  Don’t even think about it.  As long as you are thinking about it you are giving power and importance to it.  Thoughts need to be dealt with head on.  Thinking about this does not help me be the best teacher I can be.  It will tear me down and make me feel bad about myself.  We should remind ourselves that even though we don’t feel like it right now, we know that we have the ability to be successful with this student, parent, or you fill in the blank and  we will succeed.
5. Replace negative thoughts with something strengthening.  It will affect the way you view problems all throughout the day.  Notice the good things.  Replace false helplessness and remember your core beliefs.  We should always remember the reason we went into teaching.  Our problems today will not last forever and our efforts are making a positive difference. We must choose to be powerful.

I would like to encourage all of us to set our minds on something positive and productive;  stay focused on what we can control;  give ourselves permission to do what we can do and don’t worry about what everyone else is or isn’t doing.  In doing so, not only do we empower ourselves but also the students we teach.