Did You Know?
Breathing techniques can change your physical and emotional response to stress. For example, breathing can decrease your heart rate, lower your blood pressure and reduce muscle tension. Breathing exercises send a message to your brain to relax, and to calm down. Breathing techniques could be used in your classroom and will give your students a life-long tool for handling stress. Breathing exercises for kids by Liz Bragdon will offer you a new tool for teaching your students how to overcome stress and anxiety.
Book of the Month
Apple Pie 4th of July by Janet Wong
This engaging story is about a Chinese-American girl who does not understand why her parent’s Chinese restaurant/store has to be open on the 4th of July. Who wants Chinese food? However, her parents might know more than she thinks. After all the fireworks for the 4th of July parade were made in China. Apple Pie 4th of July gives a delightful view of America’s diverse customs and cultural experiences, that make us proud to be Americans. Apple Pie 4th of July is available in Springfield Public Schools libraries.
What's in your tool box?
Teachers are experiencing burn out at a higher rate than ever before.A teacher's job is very demanding: lunch room duty, playground duty, and all the other obligations along the way can increase stress. You might feel like you need a coach to help you make it through the day, the month and the year. Christi Wilson, a credentialed teacher with 11 years of classroom teaching, would like to share some of her experiences with managing stress.
Below are five strategies for counteracting stress and preventing burnout.
- Leave work at school.
- Share the workload.
- Take a mental health day.
- Arrive at school early.
- Avoid the Sunday blues.
How should I apply these strategies to my life? Avoiding Teacher Burnout will give you the guidance that you need to help eliminate some of the stress.
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