Educators are no strangers to stress. From managing classrooms to juggling administrative tasks, the demands of the profession can often feel overwhelming, particularly in the spring when teachers are striving to cover all the academic standards and finish the school year strong.

But what exactly happens to our brains and bodies when we’re under stress, and how can we effectively manage it to prevent burnout?

Stress is a natural response to challenging situations, but when it becomes chronic, it can have detrimental effects on our physical and mental well-being. When we’re under stress, our bodies release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which trigger the “fight or flight” response. This physiological reaction can lead to increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and heightened emotional responses.

However, what’s concerning is that frequent stress responses can disrupt our baseline, keeping us in a constant state of survival mode. This shift can make us feel impulsive, overwhelmed, and reactive, while also diminishing our ability to think clearly or be attentive to others.

Over time, educators may experience difficulties in focusing, concentrating, and remembering things, while also struggling to engage their creativity. If these high levels of stress go untreated, they may lead to the development of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, or substance abuse. If you find yourself in this situation, seeking professional help is crucial and something that cannot wait.

Addressing Stress as a Collective Challenge

While it is important to understand educator stress at the personal level, when we see high levels of teacher burnout across the board, we know that it is not an individual problem, but a collective challenge that educators experience as a byproduct of the current teaching conditions. 

To address this challenge, solutions must incorporate both individual and organizational interventions:

Individual Interventions

They are designed to help educators develop tools and strategies to mitigate their stress, build resilience, and reignite the joy of teaching. Adult SEL programs, like Growing Your HEART Skills, can help reduce educator burnout by carving time for educators to reflect on their current challenges, (re)connect with their purpose, and develop additional SEL tools. See below for more details. I am currently working with schools that want to integrate this adult SEL program into their professional development plans for the next school year. If you are interested in creating a community of practice in your school, district, or county, get in touch. 

Organizational Interventions

These are focused on analyzing and changing those aspects of the school’s culture, structures, and routines that may be causing unnecessary stress, and could be changed or eliminated to create healthier and more joyful working conditions for staff. This is a process that requires gathering input from educators, and intentionally integrating its results into the school’s SEL planning. We need to include mental health support, staff engagement, and well-being in the way we design schools and plan educational programs. In other words, the same thoughtful planning that goes to serve students well needs to be applied to the adults who work with children. If you would like support with this process, get in touch.

As we navigate the challenges of the spring season, let’s prioritize educator well-being and resilience to create thriving communities. By recognizing the signs of stress in ourselves and others, and implementing proactive strategies at both the individual and organizational levels, we can create a healthier and more sustainable work environment for all educators.

If you’re interested in fostering a culture of well-being in your educational community, reach out. I’m here to support your journey.

Photo by Georg Eiermann

Growing Your HEART Skills is a 7-module online course that will teach you the HEART in Mind Model and help you develop your social and emotional capacity so that you can reclaim your joy for education, become a better educator, and live your entire life with more compassion, empathy, and peace.