One of the strengths of good administrators is their ability to relieve others of burdens. A good administrator consistently asks what they can do to help their staff and teachers do their jobs better. This is where we can start helping teachers who may have anxiety about their jobs and the battles we fight daily in education.
As I begin my thirteenth year in administration, the teachers with the most anxiety have been younger teachers, those under three years of experience. The more experienced teachers have had their moments and challenges, but their wisdom and experience help them through.
When talking to teachers, we find that some common themes create the most anxiety: workload/home balance, not being supported, and not having what they need to teach effectively.
These categories tend to be the main factors contributing to teacher anxiety in the schoolhouse. Factors outside the schoolhouse such as family issues and situations are the only things we can help with.
Things For Administrators to Look Out For
How can administrators know when a teacher is feeling or being affected by anxiety?
First, if the lines of communication are open within the school building, hopefully, a teacher will reach out to someone for help. Whether that be a colleague, a counselor, or an administrator, it doesn’t matter. A characteristic of a healthy school building is open lines of communication. Poor lines of communication and trust can lead to anxiety by itself.
Second, good school administrators are in classrooms and around the building enough to spot changes in behavior in their staff. Has someone been hiding out more in their classroom than the hallway? Has someone been staying later than usual before going home? Has someone gotten quieter in team meetings than usual? Not one of these scenarios necessarily means that something is going on, but any combination of these could be a sign that something could be going on.
Another indicator could be parent phones coming to the administrator’s office. Is there an increase in concerns in the classroom? Are there any increased times the teacher has missed grading checkpoints or deadlines? This also could be a sign that something irregular is happening with some of our staff members.
Ways to Help And Support Teacher Anxiety
Whether the teacher is experienced or just beginning their educational career there are some regular habits that administrators can do to lessen the anxiety of the teachers in the building.
First, create a culture that discourages burnout and emphasizes a work/home balance as much as possible. We tell our new teachers that we will send them home if they spend too much time in the building after six p.m. on most days. I personally helped a younger teacher to leave a couple of times because they needed rest to be ready to teach the next day. It is worth noting that work/home balance is not exactly a 50/50 proposition but more about the ability to focus in the moment where you are.
Second, administrators need to be as supportive as they can in a couple of arenas…when it comes to matters of instruction and with parents or other issues.
With instruction, administrators can ensure teachers have the resources they need to teach on a daily basis. This goes back to the basic pavilion needs of humans. If we have what we need on a basic level, we can then help others advance and learn, and it breeds confidence in what we are doing because we are prepared.
If a teacher ends up in a contentious situation with a parent, the administrator needs to back the teacher as much as they can, even if the teacher has made an error. If the teacher has made an error or has not followed the handbook, that conversation can be held away from the parent so a united front can be shown to the parent and any situation can be corrected.
Also, in discipline with students, how a teacher feels supported can decrease their anxiety levels because of the feeling of support from administration.
Many of these things apply to new teachers also, but more so with the levels of support. Having a strong mentor system in place so that the new teachers have a confidant to talk to, someone to show them the steps needed to complete basic items on the campus, help them with lessons, and simply how to just get around can do a lot for the efficacy of the teacher.
We have found that anxiety occurs most in teachers when they feel as if they are on an island and without hope. Sometimes, just sitting down with a teacher and developing a plan can ease anxiety because it gives them a road map to fight the issue and someone to walk through the plan with.
The more supported our teachers feel, the less anxiety will rear its ugly head and impact our schools!
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