http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/01/why-introverted-teachers-are-burning-out/425151/
As I mentioned in my first post, I have been thinking a lot about my friend Mike who lost his vision over Christmas and the role burnout may be factoring into his ill health.
Even though I'm not currently in the classroom, I can definitely relate to how teachers can, at times, feel exhausted by the constant demands for collaborative learning. As described before I aught overseas for about 15 years and while I enjoy group-work, I did have times when I felt drained by the daily contact and interaction with students, not to mention fellow teachers. I can also relate to how hard it is to find a quiet space to decompress and to reflect as a teacher on the job. In my current position at Algoma U, I'm required to attend numerous meetings and work collaboratively with other departments. It is a different kind of stress and it is important to take the time to, what the article calls "decompress".
The article makes some very strong points about how the education system doesn't take into consideration how many teachers may have introverted personalities and the lack of break time provided between classes. This could lead to what the author refers to as “collaborative overload” in the workplace. With these concerns in mind, I'm still a strong supporter of collaborative education and I believe students learn best when they co-construct knowledge with others.
I believe the key is balance and mindfulness exercises could be one of the methods used by teachers to find that much needed quiet space for introspection. Everyday, I am able to go home for a one-hour lunch break and I feel that this time provides an opportunity for me to recharge away from students and/or other distractions.
No comments:
Post a Comment