Tips to Reduc The Tension of Teacher Transitions  S. 5 E. 67

Listen to this episode to learn strategies for surviving teacher transitions! 

Show Notes:

Episode Summary:

As teachers, transitions in our career are always happening. Some of these teacher transitions are voluntary and some are involuntary. Some are welcome and some are not. Learning to reduce the tension of  transitions can be a good lesson for all of us, no matter the time of the year or the place we are in our careers when the transition occurs.

Today, we explore common types of teach transitions as well as strategies we can use to reduce the tension that inevitably surrounds us as we make transitions. Whether your next transition is known to you, or is hiding around the corner waiting for the right moment to catch you off guard, you will definitely want to have these tension-reducing tips in your back pocket!

 In this episode:

The following show notes are a summary of the episode. In the discussion, we often add stories or examples. Listen to the podcast episode for the full discussion.

Introduction:

As teachers, we are always in flux. We continually have new colleagues, new students, new assignments, new….well you get it. The list goes on and on.

Teacher transitions often involve the unknown and the unknown can be scary. There can be a lot of tension and fear.

Let’s take a minute here and clarify one thing. In this episode we are talking about teacher transitions. We are not talking about the transitions that we help our students make between classes or between the classroom and the cafeteria. We do have a blog post about those types of transitions, titled Teacher Tricks for Triumphant Transitions, Today we are talking about the career transitions that teachers make on a regular basis. So let’s jump right in and explore types of transitions commonly experienced by teachers

Types of teacher transitions teachers commonly experience: 

Voluntary and involuntary transfers

Voluntary transfers occur when teachers choose to transition in their career. Maybe you’ve asked to teach at a different grade level or you have taken on more of an administrative role this year to see how you feel when you are out of the classroom. Even though voluntary transfers are sought out by the teacher making the transition, that doesn’t mean that they’re not scary and can leave a teacher feeling like they are far out of their comfort zone.

If you don’t know what an involuntary transfer is, consider yourself lucky. Involuntary transfers occur when a school district decides to transition a teacher to a different grade level or maybe even a different school based on student enrollment numbers or budgetary constraints. Involuntary transfers can be particularly difficult transitions for teachers to make because they often felt safe and comfortable and we weren’t ready to take on new roles, new responsibilities, or maybe even have to go to a different location to teach.

Moving to a different grade level

If you haven’t moved to a grade level other than the one you are currently teaching in, you probably know someone who has recently transitioned to a different grade level. Teachers transition between grade levels many times in their career. Some of the transitions are smooth, for instance if a teacher transfers from 2nd grade to 3rd grade in their current building on to a team where they are ready know all of the teachers well.

However, some grade level transitions can be much more difficult such as the case where a teacher who is certified to teach middle school and elementary, moves from teaching at the middle school to teaching lower elementary the next year. That is definitely a major transition when it comes to content, ways of teaching and behavior management, and the developmental stages of the kids.

New teaching teams

Teaching teams who have been together a long time start to feel almost like family. So when one person leaves the team and another one comes in, the transition can be very difficult. Whether it is the new person on the team feeling left out and like they don’t understand the inside jokes of the team, or it is the existing team members who are worried their new teammate won’t like them, this transition can often be difficult.

 Moving to a new school

Have you ever moved from one school to another? If you’ve made that transition you know how difficult it can be to pick up on all of the rules, nuances, and expectations of a new school. This can be especially true if you move at the beginning of a school year and are expected to teach all of this to your students when you haven’t even learned it yourself. It’s hard to be the new kid, which still stands true when you are the new teacher.

Moving to a new district

Moving from one district to another can be like moving from one planet to another. The transition can help any teacher realize how much they took for granted in their last district. Not all districts function the same in the transition from one district to another definitely can cause a lot of fear and anxiety for a teacher, even if the transition was one that the teacher wanted.

New careers in or out of teaching

Teachers definitely experience a time of transition as they move into the field of teaching or as they move out of the field of teaching. These are pretty major transitions so it can take teachers have while to get their feet on the ground. For example, imagine the teacher who transitions from teacher to administrator and then has to become the supervisor of their previous colleagues and peers. That can be a tough transition.

This quote from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sums up transitions well. “The transition was difficult. It’s hard to stop something that you’ve enjoyed and that has been very rewarding.”

Strategies for reducing the tensions of teach transitions:

Treat it like an adventure

Mindset matters. If you tell yourself the transition is like a jail sentence you will find things in your surroundings to confirm that. If you tell yourself it is like an adventure, you will find evidence in your new surroundings to confirm that too. Plan for the transition like you would an exciting trip- a safari into the unknown. What do you hope to see? To learn? To experience?

Make a “pros” list

If the transition is involuntary or a particularly large transition, you have probably already considered all the cons. This is our mind’s way of protecting us and keeping us safe, always looking for danger. But have you stopped to consider all the benefits? Make a list of the pros. You may be surprised at how quickly your list grows. Think about the new friends and colleagues you might meet. One positive outcome might be the opportunities you will get to play on your strengths that may not have been noticed before you made this transition.

Take action steps to ensure success in your new role

Instead of spending your time and energy worrying about the transition, repurpose that energy into action steps that will help you to be successful in the new roll you’re transitioning into. For example, if you are going into a new school or district introduce yourself to people before the first day of school. Switching to a new grade level? Read up on the content, pedagogy, skills, or knowledge that will help you to be more successful in that grade level. preparing for your new role will help you to reduce the stress about the transition.

Get yourself into a good place physically and mentally before making the transition

If you’re anything like us, and we’re guessing you are because you are human too, if you are feeling rested or happy, you can better handle the stresses that life throws your way. Because transitions involve so much unknown, the better you feel physically and emotionally, the better off you are, and the better you are able to approach the transition with optimism and energy.

Are you making a big transition soon? Try to get enough sleep, eat well, and have a few days of well-earned rest before you start. The optimism you bring to the transition, because you took care of yourself before the transition, will be noticed by others

We love this quote by Socrates, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new”.  That is what all of these strategies encourage you to do.

Don’t fight the transitions you encounter in teaching. See them as opportunities to build on the new.

Conclusion:

We wrap up today with these insights from author William Bridges who has studies and written about the differences between “changes” in our lives and “transitions”:

“It isn’t the changes that do you in, it’s the transitions. Change is not the same as transition. Change is situational: the new site, the new boss, the new team roles, the new policy. Transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation. Change is external, transition is internal.”

When changes in your life and career occur, our hope for you is that you do the internal work and self-reflection of the transition. Using the strategies we suggested will help to ease the tension as you experience the many transitions of your teaching career.

Recap:

As teachers we are bound to face many transitions in our teaching careers. Whether these transitions are voluntary, involuntary, frequent or infrequent, how we prepare ourselves for these transitions makes all the difference in reducing our tension before and during the transition. By considering the transitions we are encountering as educators, and taking specific actions steps to reduce the tension during these transitions, we set ourselves up for success today and well into the future.

Quote:

“It’s hard to stop something that you’ve enjoyed and that has been very rewarding.” 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Children’s Picture book: First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg

Transitions: making the Most of Change by William Bridges 

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

Inspired Together Teachers Podcast Epsiode 7 Prevent, Eliminate or Reduce Stress

Inspired together Teachers blog:  Teacher Tricks for Triumphant Transitions,

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