To all of my teacher friends -

You did it!

You made it through another year (or are very close). I have no doubt that each one of you worked incredibly hard this year, poured everything you have into your job, and earned your summer break.

I know this because I have worked beside dedicated teachers and educators for many years. I have seen the late nights, the tears over troubled students, and the frustration with all the expectations that continue piling up.

Many that haven’t been in education could never begin to understand the stress and pressure that teachers deal with on a daily basis. We often hear, “How hard could it be? You get the whole summer off” or my favorite, when a family member said to my mother (a third-grade teacher for 30 years), “Don’t you just tell them to sit down and do their work?”

So that begs the question….

Why IS Teaching Stressful?

Differentiated Instruction (but not too different)

Students come into a classroom at all different levels. Some are gifted and could easily teach the class, while others may even struggle to read the instructions. How does a teacher keep things interesting, move at the necessary pace for the student that needs a challenge, and also take time to reteach those that are falling behind?

This occurs by differentiating the instruction depending on where students are at; speeding up lessons or slowing them down based on the needs of the students. Recent discussions about submitting lessons for the year upfront would substantially cut down the ability for teachers to meet students where they are.

Student Capacity for Learning

Much like every student enters a class at different levels of learning, they also come from different home environments. The following students might make up a classroom on any given day:

One might have witnessed a fight between their parents before leaving the house and they are concerned that it might lead to a divorce.

Another opened an empty pantry this morning and is worried about whether there will be any food for dinner.

Another was just in an argument with a friend and they are wondering if they will have someone to sit with at lunch.

One just did poorly on a test and feels the pressure of getting a bad grade and how it might affect their GPA.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs shows that someone needs to have physiological needs met, feel safe, like they belong and feel accomplished before they can even think about being the best person they can be.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is a way that teachers can attempt to help students address some of these problems so they are able to learn. Unfortunately, there is currently quite a bit of opposition to SEL strategies, and teachers are left wondering if they will get in trouble for doing a simple check-in with students before starting a lesson.

Lack of support

Teachers don’t go into the field for the salary, they do it because they love kids and want to make a difference. They have hearts for helping and rarely decline when asked if they can assist in various capacities throughout the school and community.

Unfortunately, the same consideration is not always returned to teachers. Sometimes when contacting home (and, in some schools, administration), teachers do not receive the support that they hope for. They might even be blamed instead of the student being held accountable for their behavior.

The combination of consistently giving of themselves and a lack of respect and appreciation can take a toll. Teachers often end up needing to take time off to recoup or some end up leaving the profession altogether.

With a lack of substitutes, other teachers are often asked to cover classes during their planning period or classes are combined to make sure every student is monitored. This causes larger class sizes, less opportunity for breaks, more work to take home and higher burnout rates. It becomes a dangerous cycle.

Overwhelming Expectations

I recently talked with a teacher about the many different things that happen in one day or even one class period. They might need to:

fill out various forms for students that require special services,
remember to take attendance at a specific time,
deal with internet issues,
find time to grade papers (because they covered a class during the conference time),
help students who missed a day get caught up,
try to find supplies for students who forgot theirs,
refocus and motivate the class when they get off task and
maybe have to pull one to the side to talk about behavior

On top of all of that, there might be a surprise walkthrough to make sure that they are covering the objectives written on the board, accommodating the students that need it and are implementing the latest district initiative to improve test scores.

If teaching is so stressful, why do they keep doing it?

At the end of the year, the reward is so great. Relationships are formed, kids learn, and goals are achieved. With the summer break right around the corner, teachers see a light at the end of the tunnel. I guess you could compare it to childbirth….with the break in between, teachers recover from the painful moments and remember the joy. They come back in the fall eager to meet their new students and start the process all over again!

Teachers, if no one has told you this year, you are amazing. You make a difference and the students are so fortunate to have you. If you are struggling, I would be so honored to help you. We need good teachers like you to stay in the profession!

Check out the Counseling for Teachers page to see if counseling can help you with some of these challenges.

Why is Teaching Stressful?