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Teachers’ Stress and Ways to Beat It
As anyone who works in education knows, the life of a teacher can be a demanding and stressful one, albeit very rewarding at times. From planning lessons and marking homework, through to preparing for Ofsted inspections and parents’ evenings, it can all mount up.
A YouGov survey commissioned by an education charity last year found that 75% of teachers in the UK reported symptoms of stress – including depression, anxiety and panic attacks. This is in stark contrast with just 62% of the working population as a whole.
Another survey by NEU showed that workload is causing 80% of teachers to consider leaving the profession. What are the government doing? Earlier this year, The Department for Education claimed it is supporting schools to reduce unnecessary workload (a key factor of teachers’ stress), and has pledged to give schools and teachers longer notice policy changes. Meanwhile, Ofsted has made great efforts to debunk myths that it needs specific types of marking or teaching in classes, and no longer calls out individual teachers during inspections.
Stress is clearly something many teachers experience. With a bit of patience and knowhow, you can also learn how to manage – and ultimately beat – any stresses and strains you might face along your career. Here are some tried and tested methods to reduce and help eliminate teacher stress.
Identify the main causes
There could be several reasons for a teacher to feel stressed. These can include workload, an uncontrollable class, a difficult parent, or an unreasonable head. Try and identify the problems and categorise them into two sections, problems you have control over, and problems you have no control over. When you begin to analyse the stress triggers you have some control over it can give you a solution to addressing some of your stresses.
Communicate
As the old adage goes “A problem shared, is a problem halved”, and this is very true when it comes to stress. Whether it’s a fellow teacher, your head/ head of department or partner, it’s important to have honest, open discussions about things that worry you and that are causing you stress. Other people may have an alternative way of looking at the issues and may even have a solution you’ve not even thought of.
Prioritise tasks
If a heavy workload is a main cause of stress for you, then an effective way to reduce the amount of work on your agenda is by working on the crucial, most essential tasks/projects first. Remember to be realistic with deadlines and try not to overload your already full schedule. Realise that you’re far more likely to make mistakes when you’re stressed and anxious. With an achievable workload you’re giving yourself the best chance of producing excellent work as well as reducing stress.
Make time for yourself
The very nature of teaching often sees them coming in early and leaving late. Try and stick to your routine and not work too late, too often. Having some kind of work/life balance is essential to reducing stress. Make a schedule for work that you’ll do outside class times and try to keep to it, allowing you to dedicate time outside of this for yourself, friends and family. The bottom line is that learning how to switch off is essential to reducing stress and anxiety.
Write a list
It may seem obvious but making a list at the start of each day, or at the end of the day for the following one, helps give you clarity in exactly what you need to do. Just the act of ticking things off your to-do list has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety, not to mention the lovely satisfied feeling you’ll get as your list decreases throughout the day. Move any tasks that you didn’t manage to complete to the top of the next day’s list and finish it as a priority.
Urban Learning’s Education Division Team Leader Michelle Emery says, “Everyone’s looking for the perfect teacher, but although their teachings might be divine, teachers are all too human, and that’s something others find hard to accept. Don’t confuse the teacher with the lesson”.
These are a few obvious but essential ways to help make your work life a little less stressful and a lot more manageable. If you would like to speak to us about your next role in education and start utilising these stress-busting methods, then check out the latest vacancies here.
We look forward to hearing from you.
As we all know Teachers are under a lot of pressure and sometimes struggle to plan their day to day lessons let alone for a lesson observation and interview. With such little time on your hands there is still an expectation to present an Outstanding lesson. So… how do we survive the interview process? Here are so helpful tips?
- Don’t over prepare yourself
- Keep the students talking and LOTS of questions
- Preparation
- First impression is key
- Research
Preparing for your lesson
How to prepare effectively for your lesson observation & interview.
Understand the School
It’s extremely important to consider the ethos of the School you are about to interview with when you are preparing for your lesson observation and interview. Would the School rather see a structured lesson or something more creative?
Know the class data
Make sure you are fully prepped on the age group, class size and the ability ranges of the class you will be teaching. It will help you present a more relevant and successful lesson.
Curriculum
Having a full understanding of where the class is in the curriculum will dictate the lesson that you plan. Delivering a lesson with new concepts will challenge pulils and help them engage.
Play on your strengths
Lesson observations will often give you the freedom to decide the kind of lesson you wish to deliver. If so, use a lesson that you can confidently present and that you have previously recieved excellent feedback for.
A clear and detailed lesson plan
Construct, plan and bring a well presented lesson plan which clearly outlines your lesson objectives, success criteria and different content for the varied levels of ability students. The Interviewer will always ask to see to your lesson plan when they observe your lesson.
SEN/EAL Support
Learning about SEN/EAL levels and the availability of a TA within your class will help with constructing different tasks.
Practice, practice, practice
Run through your lesson plan that you have prepared with colleagues and mentors and ask for feedback. Even deliver it to yourself in front of a mirror if it helps you memorise it.
This guide is available for download here >>>
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1YwrUUMFT4I0KeFYhDkUYdf6mEAwcMELL
What was once an educational standard is now increasingly becoming an unknown. Cursive handwriting is being pushed further and further down many a teacher’s lesson plan of importance, but is this good – or bad – for our children?
The practice of teaching primary school-aged children the art of cursive (often called ‘joined-up’) handwriting has been a standard part of the UK’s curriculum for decades. But as we march further into the digital age, teachers, parents, and governing bodies are asking “do we still need to teach children cursive handwriting?”.
Educational boards across the globe are asking the same question, with some countries going even further and taking action. From 2016, Finnish schoolchildren have learnt how to touch-type and text message rather than traditional handwriting. Last year, the US state of Illinois took the opposite stance and passed a law requiring school students to learn cursive handwriting, overriding the governor’s veto. This will come into effect from the 2018-2019 school year.
A disappearing artform?
A 2012 survey of 2,000 adults by UK mailing firm Docmail found that on average, it had been 41 days since respondents wrote - and that two-thirds of us only write short notes like shopping lists. The survey also showed that half of the people quizzed admitted their handwriting has become worse over time. There is a real danger that if educators and society don’t place more importance on handwriting (cursive or otherwise), younger generations run the risk of losing the ability to write by hand altogether.
Sue Crowley, a former teacher and former chair at The Institute of Learning believes it’s time to scrap what she feels is an outdated practice. Speaking to TES, Sue said, “I find it so hard to understand why children should be taught to write with a joined-up style as soon as they can form letters securely with the correct orientation.
“Thanks to the dominance of technology, most of us rarely write extensively with a pen or pencil.” So, with this in mind, do the children of today really need to develop cursive writing skills? It’s true that you don’t often see joined-up writing anywhere near as much as you would, say 50, or even 30, years ago. Personal signatures aside, many people no longer scrawl shopping lists or Christmas cards in elegantly sweeping fonts, with perfectly conjoined letters that flow into each other, as do waves on the sea.
More than just aesthetics
Whilst it may no longer be an educational necessity, most will agree that cursive handwriting is impressive. Jane Connolly, member of Peannairi, the Irish Association of Calligraphers, says handwriting is an art. “It’s something nice to look at,” she says, “it shows personality.”
Michael Sull, master penman, author and teacher believes teaching cursive handwriting is so much more. He says, “Handwriting develops the cognitive sense in children, as well as motor skill development. Handwriting helps people remember more of what they've written instead of just pressing keys that they have no more thought of after they press it."
A school in the state of New York is fully behind teaching children handwriting that is both pleasing to the eye, as well as legible. St. Agnes School encourages excellence in all educational endeavours, and good penmanship is a part of the course of study at the school. At St. Agnes children are taught to practice cursive handwriting at the end of the second grade (7 to 8 years of age), with further mastery taught in third grade (8 to 9 years of age). By the time children enter the fourth grade (9 to 10 years of age), students are expected to complete all of their written work in cursive handwriting. The school’s dedication to the artform recently culminated in their participation in the 2018 Zaner-Bloser 27th Annual National Handwriting Contest. The competition attracts over 300,000 participants from both public and private schools, and all abilities are welcome. Students who enter are judged according to the Zaner-Bloser Keys to Legibility: Shape, Size, Spacing, and Slant.
Speaking on behalf of St. Agnes School, Principal Elizabeth Jensen says, “Cursive writing is more than just a ‘lost art form’. Cursive writing allows students an additional means to process language, improve fine motor skills, connect with older generations and engage with historical documents.”
Whatever side of the handwriting fence you personally sit on, one would find it hard to say it wouldn’t be a shame if cursive were to disappear from society.
If you’d like to expand your career, visit our jobs boardto look at the latest roles. If you’d just like to have a chat about teaching, then get in touch with one of our experienced education consultants.
Call 0208 5066740 or email info@urbanlearning.co.uk
Candidate Feedback!
We had a lovely message come through from one of our candidates that was so nice we thought we'd share it with everyone.
In less than a week of making contact, I had an interview, taught my demo lesson and was offered a job as an English teacher in a school with a ‘good’ Ofsted standing.I could not have obtained this position without Damien's warmth, support and dedication to finding me the best fit in a wonderful school. The entire process – registering, getting references and obtaining an enhanced DBS was done from the comfort of my home. At the end of the week, my timesheets are not faxed but texted to Urban Learning. It is that easy! And after a long day at School, what teacher isn’t looking for easy? - my agency understands this. Go, Damien!
-Donna B
Thanks so much for the positive feedback, Donna!
If you're looking for your perfect role, give Damien a call on 0208 506 6740 or email damien.fisher@urbanlearning.co.uk
In the leadup to the Autumn Budget’s announcement on Wednesday 22 November 2017, like many before, there was much speculation from those in teaching as to what they could expect. What will The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s little red box have in store for those in education?
Phillip Hammond, The Chancellor of the Exchequer, has been under pressure from teachers, parents, and education unions to invest more money into schools.
The financial strain on schools was underlined recently with Nick Gibb, the schools standards minister commenting that it’s “not right” for heads to be asking parents to fund classroom essentials. His comments came after a school in Prime Minister Theresa May’s constituency asked parents to make a voluntary £1 a day contribution to help pay for books, pens and pencils.
But it’s not all bad news. Teachers in England and Wales – along with other frontline public servants – may receive a sizeable pay rise in 2018, after the government indicated it would lift the 1% cap on wage increases it had previously applied.
So, what can teachers and others in the education sector expect going forward?
We take a look at bottom line of Hammond’s 2017 Autumn Budget:
National Retraining Scheme
During his speech, Hammond announced plans for a retraining scheme, saying:
‘The Education Secretary and I are launching a historic partnership, between government, the CBI and the TUC – to set the strategic direction for a National Retraining Scheme.’
Its first priority will be to boost digital skills and to support the expansion of the construction sector.
And to make a start immediately, we will invest £30 million in the development of digital skills distance learning courses, so people can learn wherever they are, and whenever they want.
And I am pleased to be able to accept the representation I have received from the TUC to continue to fund UnionLearn, which I recognise as a valuable part of our support to workplace learning.’
T-levels
The Chancellor announced an introduction of T-levels with a further £20m to support Further Education colleges in preparation for them. This comes after having already pledged £500 million in funds for T-levels in the Spring Budget.
He said: ‘Knowledge of maths is key to the high-tech, cutting edge jobs in our digital economy.
Teaching for Mastery of Maths Programme
As some sources had previously suggested, The Chancellor has promised a boost for schools in the Autumn Budget: The Teaching for Mastery of Maths programme shall be expanded to a further 3000 schools, with £40 million to train maths teachers throughout the UK.
More financial support will be given through an introduction of a £600 Maths Premium for schools, for every additional pupil who takes A-level or Core maths. A proposal for new maths schools across England was also hinted at.
The Chancellor said this was so ‘highly talented young mathematicians can realise their potential wherever they live and whatever their background. More maths for everyone.’
An aim to triple the number of trained computer science teachers to 12,000 was also announced. Teachers will enter a nationwide retraining scheme after calls from the TUCunion.
If you’d like to expand your career, visit our jobs boardto look at the latest roles. If you’d just like to have a chat about teaching, then get in touch with one of our experienced education consultants.
Call 0208 5066740 or email info@urbanlearning.co.uk
Three Challenges Teachers Face Today
Teachers often are on the frontline of change. Shifts in government, economics and society can affect the way teachers work and the daily challenges they come across. We take a look at three challenges facing teachers in the UK today.
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1. New Apprenticeship Route
Recently, the education secretary Justine Greening announced new plans to offer “degree apprenticeship” teacher training courses. There are currently 16 separate routes into teaching, but the National Audit Office berated the government for the complex pathways, citing it was off putting for potential new teachers. In essence, the new routes may add to this issue, further discouraging new entrants.
The new scheme intends to enable graduates to become employed as unqualified teachers whilst training and will be launched in September 2018. Schools who are not eligible for the apprenticeship levy will receive government funding to cover 90% of the training costs.
Applications will be accepted through UCAS from Thursday 26th October 2017.
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2. Social Media
Issues relating to Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms continue to affect schools and make headlines. Cyber and text bullying, as we all know, affect children and young adults deeply. Problems that arise on smartphones at pupil’s homes can crawl into the classroom and disrupt both lessons and spirits. Nominet’s recent research found that teachers lose 17 minutes a day due to social media disruption, with this equating to over 11 days a year.
One of the latest challenges in social media facing teachers is their own presence and conduct on Facebook, Twitter et al. Open Facebook ‘friending’ of teachers with pupils or their parents can open doors to disaster. It’s been suggested that as a sensible precaution, schools should advise staff to set the most restrictive privacy settings and a sensible staff social media code of conduct should be commonplace on the induction of new team members.
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3. Unauthorised absences
Long a bone of contention for educators and parents alike, unauthorised family holidays have increased across primary and secondary schools since 2016. Official figures from the government show rates have risen from 0.9% in the autumn-spring term of 2015-2016 to 1.1% in autumn-spring 2016-2017.
The percentage of pupils who missed at least one session because of any family holiday – authorised or not – rose from 7.6% in the autumn-spring term of 2015-2016 to 9.4% in autumn-spring 2016-2017.
Despite these alarming figures, the document states “…interpretation of any trends should be treated with caution due to the volatility of autumn and spring term absence figures.”
Illness remains the most common reason for absence, accounting for 60.1% of all absences.
The teaching profession continues to be as rewarding as it is demanding. If you’re looking for your next challenge as an educator, get in touch with Urban Learning today.