6 Ways to Strengthen Teacher Well-being

October 13, 2022 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Teacher well-being is a critical component to teacher success, not just at school, but in the rest of their lives as well.

It is no secret that teachers are suffering high rates of exhaustion, overwhelm, stress, and burn-out. According to the National Center for School Mental Health, 50% of teachers have seriously considered leaving the profession. Teacher stress is linked with lower engagement and lower achievement for students. It is also costly, teacher turnover costs the United States up to 2.2 billion dollars annually.

Many of the issues that cause stress and overwhelm are out of the immediate control of teachers. School organization, leadership, climate and culture, lack of resources and staff, high demands and lack of support are among the issues that lead to today’s stressful educational environment. The result is lower feelings of personal fulfillment, happiness and life-satisfaction.

We all know its a problem, but what can we do about it?

This week we spent two days at the Iowa BEST Summit, where leading psychologists and researchers from around the country focused on strengthening mental wellness supports for educators and students.

This conference validated our belief that while we can’t control everything, we can learn to put our time and energy on the things we can control. We can take step to improve our personal fulfillment and happiness which can lead to higher life satisfaction.

Our country, including legislators and our school districts, must address organization factors that negatively affect teachers. Many of those things are not in our immediate control. However, according to extensive research, there are things teachers CAN control that move the needle towards higher levels of life satisfaction.

The ideas we share below at not “toxic positivity.” This is NOT about masking your feelings and pretending that everything is okay. It is about understanding that things are NOT okay, and then doing what we can to successful move forward and do what we need to do. It is about taking care of our own mental health, to the extent that we can, rather than giving up hope or waiting for the world to fix all of our challenges.

To that end, here are 6 things teachers can do to increase their teacher well-being:

Shift Your Mindset.

Positive emotions are often under our control and have an impact on our well-being. Focus your time and energy on things you can control and let go of the rest. You can control your own emotions, attention, physiology, motivation and personal behavior.

There are many ways to shift your mindset. Mindsets are contagious, so be careful who you spend your time with. Find something every day to be grateful for. When you have a challenge, ask yourself, “What advice would I give a friend?” Develop self-compassion and let go of the need to be perfect. Holding unrealistic expectations for yourself will always lead to dissatisfaction.

Find meaning to find motivation.

Personal motivation requires understanding our purpose. Why did you go into this profession? Look for the higher calling. Think of a time when you know you made a difference in the life of a student. Remember the times when you felt empowered and loved your work. Take a look at your personal skills and strengths. What do you have to offer the world? When you are using your gifts, you are likely to be highly motivated. Consider how you can bring your personal gifts and talents to your work in new ways.

Recognize your accomplishments.

When your to-do list is long, it is easy to beat yourself up for all the things you didn’t finish. This is a recipe for self-negativity. Instead, try to focus on all of the things you did accomplish each day. Teachers do hundreds of things each day and then berate themselves for what didn’t get done. When you add up your daily accomplishments, you are likely to be astounded!

Negativity bias often causes our brains to focus or even obsess over things that don’t go well. We can counteract negativity bias by focusing on the things that went well. You will gradually be able to train your brain to see the positive rather than the negative.

You can also recognize small steps towards a larger goal. You’ll be surprised at how many little things there are to celebrate!

Bring the joy.

Joy is connected to feelings of well-being as well as increased learning and even physical changes in our bodies.

What brings you joy? Focus on the joy in your life. Plan something fun with friends. Take time to work on a hobby. Watch a funny movie.

Plan at least one small thing that brings you joy each day.

Write it in your planner.

Bring joy into your classroom too. If you don’t bring the joy into your classroom, who will? If you are tired and grumpy and bored, you can bet your students will be as well.

We can never expect students to bring more to the room than we bring. What do you want? Engagement? Motivation? Energy? We set the tone in our classrooms. What we bring is what students get.

Find ways to bring in playfulness and fun into your classroom and watch things change for the better. For more ideas read our #1 most downloaded post 8 Simple Ways to Bring Joy to Your Classroom.

Prioritize self-care.

We all know the importance of self-care, but often put it on the back burner. You need to eat, exercise and rest. Sleep deprivation affects almost everything about our day- our energy, our attitude, and our ability to solve problems. If you do nothing else, try to get enough sleep. That alone will increase your sense of well-being.

Self-care doesn’t work when it is prescribed. Self- care is very personal. You need to decide what makes you feel good. Maybe it is green smoothies and yoga, maybe it is a warm shower and a good book. Maybe it is a cup of coffee on your morning drive or a walk in the evening. What relaxes you? What recharges your battery? Doing more of what feels like self-care to you.

Foster positive relationships.

When we feel psychological safety, engage in meaningful collaboration, and feel support from those around us, we do better in all areas of our lives.

Think about how you want to feel in your classroom and in your life. What would it take for that to happen? Then work backwards. Keep moving back a step until you get to things that you can do.

Think about how you want your students to feel in your classroom. Then work backwards. What would it take for that to happen?

Make it a priority to get to know people. Provide acknowledgement. Create opportunities to work with others on something meaningful. Belonging increases our ability to cope with challenges and helps to assure that we will thrive.

Teacher well-being is a complex issue with many elements that need to come together so that teachers feel happy and fulfilled in their life and work. We can’t control everything that needs to occur, but we can influence our own happiness in significant ways.

Our best,

Would you like more ways to stregthen your well-being? We have create a virtual workshop which addresses all of these issues and more. The workshop is open from Oct. 15 until Dec. 1st and available on-demand, 24/7.

It might be just the shot of support you need to bring energy and happiness back into your life.

Check out our Reignite Your Passion: Renewal and Rejuvenation for Teachers here.

20 Things You Can Do to Make Your Life Better

October 6, 2022 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

What if we told you that you could make your life better by doing small, simple things that have a big impact?

As a teacher, you exist in a world that is full of expectations. You want to help your students while also supporting your family and friends. It is easy to lose yourself, to fill everyone else’s bucket while leaving yours empty.

You deserve to find your own happiness and fulfillment in your life.

It is easy to get stuck in a rut and to accept the ordinary or mundane. That is not where life’s magic happens. Life’s magic happens when you are feeling alive, joyful, and empowered.

What are you doing when you feel most alive and joyous? What gives you the most energy? Consider how you can bring some of those elements into every day in small ways.

Small things, done repeatedly, have the power to make big changes. A slow trickle of water can create a canyon. One small rolling rock can start an avalanche. Choosing to take small actions can build momentum that will help you to continue a journey that will result in increased happiness.

“I always tell people if you want to know the secret to happiness,

I can give it to you in one word: progress.

Progress equals happiness.”

Tony Robbins

As individuals, we each thrive in different ways, and we need different things.

The following are some suggestions of small actions than you can implement to start building momentum. The actions start easy and get more and more powerful as you go down the list.

Smile at someone. They will likely smile back. Smiling increases our mood-enhancing hormones and decreases our stress hormones.
Add fruit or cucumbers to your water bottle. You’ll drink more and stay hydrated. Good hydration increases our overall energy and our ability to think clearly.
Text a friend just to say “Hi” or wish them a good day. Positive relationships increase our happiness and even our life expectancy!
Give a compliment- you’ll benefit from a good feeling as much as the recipient.
Look out at a beautiful vista in nature and breathe. You will relax and feel calmer.
Every day, congratulate yourself for one thing that you did well. Success builds more success.
Laugh more. Tell a stupid joke. Joke around with a colleague. Watch a funny show or movie. Laughing reduces stress.
Use the mindfulness feature on your smart phone or watch. It literally takes one minute!
Here is a trick from personal development trainer Mel Robbins, every morning when you are in the bathroom, look at yourself in the mirror and give yourself a high five. It is a daily shot of confidence.
No time for your favorite hobby? Try spending just five- to ten minutes. Play one song on the piano. Make a sketch. Do a few yoga poses. Read a few pages. Something is always more than nothing and engaging in a passion increases our happiness.
Ask yourself, what is one small thing I could do to care for myself right now? Then do it. If you don’t care for yourself, who else is going to?
Make plans to do something fun with a friend. You’ll have something to look forward to!
Spend a few minutes journaling- it helps you to develop self-awareness.
Think of a challenge that you are experiencing. Reframe it as, “how is this challenging offering me a chance to grow and be stronger?”
What are your instincts telling you to do? Listen to that message. Instincts are often our inner wisdom guiding the way.
Consider one routine that is working really well. How could you replicate it in other routines? Having strong routines opens up brain power and energy because you have fewer decisions to make.
When you feel overwhelmed, get out of your head and into your body. Take a short walk. Immerse yourself in water. Dance in your living room for five minutes. You’ll feel more at peace and calmer.
If you feel stuck, change a routine. Taking a different route to work, cooking something new, or talking with someone you don’t know well can open up creativity and new ways to solve a problem.
When you feel yourself doubting that you can do something, challenge it. Come up with at least one example that whatever you are doubting is not true. Look at the evidence that proves you can do something. Your experiences in the past will give you strength for the future.
Choose something in your life that is no longer serving you and let it go. This might be as simple as an article of clothing or a household object, or as complicated as a relationship. Letting go of things that no longer serve you will open space for better things.

Life is not about perfection. It is about moving in the right direction.You don’t need to upend your entire life to make your life better. You just need to focus on small, positive actions that add up to big momentum and that will help you make your life better.

Our best,

P.S.

If you would like more personal development for teachers, get our book, The Inspired Teacher’s Journal: A Weekly Guide to Becoming Yourt Best Self.

This guided journal is designed to help teachers live with intention in both their teaching life AND personal life.

Teaching is both rewarding and demanding. Teachers want to make a difference, but they also want a fulfilling life outside of school. The result of trying to be and do it all is stress and overwhelm.

In this guided journal, we will guide you to write, draw, reflect, and plan. In addition to the reflective journal pages, over 40 teachers share their best wisdom and advice. Together, we will inspire you to create your best life.

Best of all, you will learn to surround yourself with a star system of caring, supportive people who will encourage you, challenge you to rise higher, and lift you up when you need it.

Get your copy of The Inspired Teacher’s Journal: A Weekly Guide to Becoming Your Best Self here.

Start Your Day with Intention

September 15, 2022 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Do you ever feel like you have more things to do than time to do them?

For teachers, every day is busy. The busier you are, the more you need to focus your time and energy on the things that are most important. A teacher’s to-do list is never done. When you have more things to do that time to do them, you need to prioritize where you put your attention.

Prioritizing is hard, especially when all the things feel important.

But let’s be realistic- without prioritizing what you do, your day easily gets hijacked. Have you ever had a day when you feel like you got absolutely nothing done? You probably did a lot of things, but they weren’t the most important things, and you are left feeling frustrated.

If you don’t focus on what is most important, it is easy for others to make demands that seem like priorities in the moment but may not be your priorities in the bigger picture.

We have an easy strategy that helps us prioritize what we do each day. We learned this technique at a live workshop from personal development trainer Brendon Burchard, and we both quickly adopted it for our mornings.

This quick strategy helps us to start each day with intention. It allows us to focus on what is most important. We consider our values as we think about how we want to show up in the world, who needs our time, and what we want to get done.

Take a few minutes first thing in the morning and answer the following questions. Answering these questions will help you to be focused, resilient and positive. You’ll set your intentions for the day and get the day off to a good start.

If one word could describe the kind of person I want to be today, then that word is__________ and I chose it because….

Who needs me on my A game today?

I would know today was a success if at the end of the day I did or felt these things…

These questions don’t take more than a minute or two to answer. You can jot them down in a journal or your planner. If you answer the questions repeatedly, it will become a habit that will help you start your day with intention, which in turn, leads to living a life that is centered on your values and one that exemplifies how you want to show up and who you want to be.

We hope you will give this activity a try!

Our best,

P.S. If you want to extend this idea, we have created a journal just for teachers:

The Inspired Teacher’s Journal: A Weekly Guide to Becoming Your Best Self.

In this book you will find more questions to help you focus on what is most important. We’ve even included habit trackers and quotes and tips from other teachers.

You can get the book here.

https://amzn.to/3RMIq1i

Be a Better Teacher with These 10 Children’s Books

September 8, 2022 by Inspired Together Teachers 1 Comment

We all love children’s books, but did you know that children’s book characters can help you be a better teacher?

Teachers know that children can learns all kinds of lessons from children’s literature. Stories provide great opportunities for children to learn, but our storybook friends have a few lessons for teachers as well!

What do some of our favorite book characters have to teach us? Take a look…

1. Ramona from the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary

Ramona often finds herself in trouble- but she doesn’t mean to be a mischief maker. Like many children, Ramona is impulsive and inventive-a combination that can lead to trouble. Remember when your students get into trouble that they rarely mean to cause harm.

2. Tacky from Tacky The Penguin by Helen Lester

Tacky is an odd bird, but a nice bird to have around. Tacky reminds us that our differences are what makes us special. Remember that each of your students is special in their own way; help children to appreciate and value the uniqueness in each of us.

3. Alexander from Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Alexander is having a bad day. Chances are, you are going to have a bad day, all teachers do. You may want to run away to Australia, but know that tomorrow will be better.

4. Lily from Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

Lily and her teacher Mr. Slinger have a disagreement. You are going to have a disagreement with a student. In the end, Lily and Mr. Slinger make up. They don’t hold a grudge, which is good advice for all teachers.

5. Cricket from The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle

It turns out that The Very Quiet Cricket has something to say after all. Perhaps the very quiet child has something to say as well. Don’t forget to welcome in the quiet children.

6. Curious George from the series by H.A. and Margaret Rey

Curious George is curious! That is what makes him endearing. We love his inquisitiveness. Teachers should remember to encourage and love children who are inquisitive as well.

7. Trisha from Thank You Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco

Trisha has a reading disability. Her teacher, Mr. Falker recognizes that Trisha needs extra help and he works with her to improve her reading. He shows her that one teacher can make a difference in a child’s life. You might be that teacher.

8. Grace from Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman

Grace has big dreams. She wants the starring role in Peter Pan even though she if an African American girl. Grace teaches us not to squash children’s big dreams. The next president, Oscar winning actor, astronaut and professional athlete are sitting in your classrooms today.

9. Anne from Anne of Green Gables by L. M.Montgomery

Anne is an eternal optimist. She wears her heart on her “puffed sleeves.” Most children are optimistic. Teachers can follow their lead, embracing each new day and each new adventure as Anne does.

10. Flat Stanley from Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown

When a bulletin board falls on him and he becomes flat, Stanley doesn’t despair. He adjusts! Teachers will always have days when things don’t go as planned. Like Stanley, we need to be flexible and pick ourselves up and move on.

Children’s book characters can help us remember what is both special and challenging about childhood. They remind us of our human nature. Book characters encourage us and teach us that we don’t have to be perfect.

The next time you share a book with students, think about the lesson that might be there for you.

Our best,

How to Increase Teacher Confidence

August 26, 2022 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Many teachers tell us is that they struggle with confidence. Every teacher has had experiences that have shaken their confidence. Confidence isn’t something that you have or don’t have- confidence ebbs and flows. It’s perfectly normal to feel confident one day and less confident the next day. Sometimes, all it takes is one difficult conversation or one negative remark and we fall down the rabbit hole of questioning everything we thought we knew about who we are and what we can do.

You may be struggling with confidence if you often feel that your best efforts aren’t enough, that you will never finish your to-do list or that at the end of the day, you haven’t done enough.

You may also feel a lack of confidence if you feel like you have not been able to meet the needs of your students, your family or yourself. You might constantly question whether your lesson plans are good enough, or whether you are a worthy enough teacher, friend, partner, or parent.

We all want to feel confident, and there are good reasons for having confidence. When you are confident, you make bold and creative choices. You can face challenges head on and are more resilient when things go wrong. With confidence, you are clear in your vision and are able to hold to a plan of action.

There is even research that suggests that when teachers are confident, they are more organized, ask better questions, and give better feedback. Their students also learn more. (Mojavezi & Tamiz, 2012).

Confident teachers also inspire students to be more confident. When students believe that they can tackle something new and learn the concepts, they are more likely to be able to do so. Confidence also affects student engagement and motivation.

As Henry Ford once said,

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

In her Ted Talk How to Build Your Confidence and Spark it In Others, former 3^rd grade teacher and activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham shares her insight into why confidence is important.

Cunningham reminds us that teachers need to appear confident because they are modeling for students. She says, “ You can’t be what you can’t see.”

You can watch the Ted Talk here:

We all want to be confident. What can you do to increase your teacher confidence?

Here are 5 ways to grow in confidence:

Stop expecting yourself to be perfect.

You teach your students to have a growth mindset; you also need to have a growth mindset yourself. Many teachers are really hard on themselves. It is okay to admit that you don’t know something. Be willing to learn from your mistakes. You are human, and all humans make mistakes.

Accept that your To-Do list will never be finished.

It is the nature of the work that just when you finish something on your list you will add three more things. No, you will never check off everything on your list! Once you accept that, you will feel less stress around it. Feeling like a failure because you never complete your to-do list is a recipe for low self-confidence.

Realize that not everyone will love everything you do.

This for those of you who are people pleasers. You can’t please everyone all of the time. If you do, you are probably not setting enough boundaries for yourself. Also, remember that sometimes negative remarks or criticism is not about you, it is about someone else’s insecurity, their bad day or their lack of understanding a situation the way you do. Consider criticism , take what you can from it, and be willing to let it go if it doesn’t serve you.

Own your own unique gifts and talents.

You may not be as funny as the teacher down the hall, and your bulletin boards might not be as Pinterest worthy as the ones you see on-line. You have gifts and talents that others do not have. Focus on the special things that YOU bring to your classroom. If you struggle to see your own gifts, ask others. Sometimes friends or colleagues see in us what we fail to see in ourselves.

Stop thinking that you are an imposter.

Imposter syndrome tells us that we are not who we are pretending to be. It also tells us that we are not qualified, that we don’t know enough, or that we are not as good as others. Listening to imposter syndrome is like turning out the lights on your personal happiness and success. You were hired for a job, which means that someone believes in you. You also choose to do this work, which means that in your heart you want to make a difference. You have training and experience that will help you to do the job and you are smart enough to figure out what you don’t know.

Recognize your own successes.

Chances are you made a hundred decisions today and chances are also very good that most of those decisions were good ones. Yes, you likely made a decision that given hindsight, you might have changed. Don’t spend all your time worrying about the few things you got wrong at the expense of acknowledging all the things you did well!

As you gain experience and wisdom, your confidence will grow. As you learn more, you’ll realize that you have many qualities that make you a good teacher. You’ll learn step into your own uniqueness, embrace your own teaching style, and accept that despite bad days and struggles, you have a valuable role to play in the lives of the students you teach.

Our best,

Mojavezi, A., & Tamiz, M. P. (2012). The impact of teacher self-efficacy on the students’ motivation and achievement. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 2, 483-491.
https://doi.org/10.4304/tpls.2.3.483-491

To that end, here are 6 things teachers can do to increase their teacher well-being:

Shift Your Mindset.

Find meaning to find motivation.

Recognize your accomplishments.

Bring the joy.

Prioritize self-care.

Foster positive relationships.

Share this:

“I always tell people if you want to know the secret to happiness,

I can give it to you in one word: progress.

Progress equals happiness.”

The following are some suggestions of small actions than you can implement to start building momentum. The actions start easy and get more and more powerful as you go down the list.

Share this:

Share this:

1. Ramona from the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary

2. Tacky from Tacky The Penguin by Helen Lester

3. Alexander from Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

4. Lily from Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

5. Cricket from The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle

6. Curious George from the series by H.A. and Margaret Rey

7. Trisha from Thank You Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco

8. Grace from Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman

9. Anne from Anne of Green Gables by L. M.Montgomery

10. Flat Stanley from Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown

Share this:

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

Here are 5 ways to grow in confidence:

Stop expecting yourself to be perfect.

Accept that your To-Do list will never be finished.

Realize that not everyone will love everything you do.

Own your own unique gifts and talents.

Stop thinking that you are an imposter.

Recognize your own successes.

Mojavezi, A., & Tamiz, M. P. (2012). The impact of teacher self-efficacy on the students’ motivation and achievement. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 2, 483-491. https://doi.org/10.4304/tpls.2.3.483-491

Share this:

Connect with us on Social Media!

Mojavezi, A., & Tamiz, M. P. (2012). The impact of teacher self-efficacy on the students’ motivation and achievement. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 2, 483-491.
https://doi.org/10.4304/tpls.2.3.483-491