topic Any teachers with anxiety? I need help to get through prac. in Anxiety

Any teachers with anxiety? I need help to get through prac.

sue_denim — Sun, 08 Oct 2017 07:59:09 GMT

Hi everyone,

I've just started in the forums, but am seeking some tips/ help etc to get through my 4th year / 10 week prac block. I'm a mature aged student, have been studying since 2011 due to parenting/ earning responsibilities, and I'm on the home stretch of practicum/ internship to get this dual degree. Thing is, it's not fun. I'm not getting that joy I'm supposed to feel when people who teach love their teaching. I struggle with classroom management , and no matter how many hours I spend on my lesson plans, it often unravels and I end up having an anxiety attack in front of the kids. I've burst into tears in front of one group: I can handle most kids (I've been a teachers' aide for 10 years), but the ones who argue that the sky is not blue, that I can't have their phone to take to the office because they've used it in class, etc, esp. those with ODD and just rude really confound me, and now know how to push my buttons. My uni obs. sessions have been mixed, the last one, she witnessed a train wreck of a lesson, and I've barely passed that stage of prac. I'm a really high achieving student: I normally get Ds and HDs, and now to be floundering is soul destroying. The 80 minute periods don't help either. I'm even questioning whether I want to be a teacher.

I'm back at it for the last half of prac tomorrow. Am trying to get in exercise, mindfulness meditation, eating well, trying to get enough sleep etc, but am scared I'll fail. My partner has also just left me, and I've got 2 disabled kids. I have to get through this. Help!

Any teachers with anxiety? I need help to get through prac.

Guest_125 — Sun, 08 Oct 2017 11:37:01 GMT

Hi,

I am a teacher. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate. Having freshly found yourself alone with 2 kids is going to be tough, let alone the stresses of uni. I went through my course with no kids, and have always absolutely admired the strength of those who go through uni while being parents!

Sometimes when people feel overwhelmed, anxious or depressed, it can take the joy out of something we normally would enjoy. I love my job, but it becomes less joyful and more difficult when workload builds up, or the more chronic my depression becomes.

Given how well you have gone with your assignments, it sounds like you try your best and might even have very high expectations of yourself. Please try your best to be kind to yourself and give yourself permission to be OK with making the odd mistake or with things not turning out exactly how you have planned. The reality of the profession is that often things don't go entirely as planned. Expect and accept the odd mistake and diversion from plan. Reflect on it and learn from it.

Please keep a few things in mind, if you can. I know how hard it is to have clarity of mind when you feel overwhelmed. Firstly, kids, even teens, have not yet entirely developed the ability to truly see how their actions affect adults. So, never take anything personally, even if it does seem personal. Secondly, the most challenging students often have the most challenging lives. The vast majority of the time, their behaviour is about THEM.

Go back through the behaviour management techniques you studied at uni if you have a chance, but be prepared for things to not work. Behaviour management is an extremely complex thing. And I can just about guarantee that your mentor teacher is not expecting you to have perfected the art yet - it is an extremely difficult part of the job.

Please continue to share how you are travelling. Best of luck. 🙂

Any teachers with anxiety? I need help to get through prac.

sue_denim — Sun, 08 Oct 2017 18:49:17 GMT

Hi Kitty,

To be honest, my course didn't cover behaviour management. It's a common complain for a lot of my study cohort: we're just expected to kow it by osmosis. Thanks for the tips however,: I am trying to distance myself from their behaviour (it actually makes me sad that some of these kids, who have good hearts deep down and are as smart and funny as anything have to act out this way). I want to be that teacher who reaches those kids, but I have to learn to crawl before I can walk, so to speak.

It is true that I set high expectations of myself, but in this case, I'm scared I'll barely get over the line, or have a bad prac report as the albatross around my neck for all days.

What tips would you give for instant first-aid if I get the anxiety/ death wobbles in class?

Any teachers with anxiety? I need help to get through prac.

Guest_125 — Sun, 08 Oct 2017 22:40:16 GMT

I can't blame people for complaining about not being taught enough about behaviour management. It's an essential thing to learn about. I recommend Bill Rogers' book Classroom Behaviour if it is available at your uni library - lots of practical tips. Glen Pearsall is also good if you can track down something by him about behaviour management. Otherwise, there are a lot of teacher blog posts, YouTube videos, etc. around. If you have the chance to do some learning and preparation beforehand I think it will help you feel more prepared in the moment.

Sounds like you are making a good start with helping yourself out through exercise, meditation, etc. Are you setting some time aside in the morning of your prac days to do some meditating?

In the moment of a situation it can be extremely difficult. If you can, take a few controlled deep breaths, slow down, and a mental step back from the situation to see if you can gain some clear thought. I know it can be extremely difficult.

Please also remember that it is far easier to focus on all that is going wrong. Remember to focus on all the good that is happening in the classroom too. There will be some. Take some moments throughout your day to notice these. It may help you to begin feeling more comfortable in the classroom.

I often found it hard not to let my thoughts race ahead, or just plain stop altogether, especially when I first started out. Honestly, even a few years into my career, there are times when I need to take a mental step back, focus on my breathing and centre myself when the feelings of being overwhelmed start to settle in.

What I found worked for me is keeping the focus on me to an absolute minimum. I started to keep the teacher-up-the-front stuff to the bare minimum and built in many other ways for students to be introduced to a topic or engage in the learning. It gave me the opportunity to keep my thoughts gathered, with less opportunity to get overwhelmed. And it worked better for the students too.

I don't know how helpful this is to your situation but I am really rallying for you. Please keep me updated. Look after yourself. Good luck.

Any teachers with anxiety? I need help to get through prac.

sue_denim — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 05:31:48 GMT

Great advice: I'm feeling my way with a couple of teaching strategies which are more student-centred, but I still feel like I need more in my armoury. They're all just variations of jigsaw learning, with some hands-on experimentation and a bit of relevant clickview thrown in. Our periods are 80 minutes long, with the afternoon period sheer purgatory if the kids just don't want to be there (for whatever reason), stopping the ones who want to learn from learning.

I've already seen some Bill Rogers, but will give those other names a go too. Another day down: I can do this.

Any teachers with anxiety? I need help to get through prac.

Guest_125 — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 07:46:52 GMT

Yep, afternoons are definitely the most challenging part of the day in a classroom. 80 minutes is one long afternoon to get through. Hope your day went well.

Any teachers with anxiety? I need help to get through prac.

sue_denim — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 07:51:47 GMT

Having another observation session tomorrow, as I've been earmarked as "at risk". Already feeling wound up.

Any teachers with anxiety? I need help to get through prac.

Guest_125 — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 06:53:37 GMT

Hi, just saw your post. That must have felt like an awful lot of pressure. Talk if you need to offload. Hope everything went well for you.

Any teachers with anxiety? I need help to get through prac.

sue_denim — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 07:58:48 GMT

Kitty,

I aced it: prepped it the the nth degree, delivered it with good cheer, gusto and control: got a good report: she thought I couldn't do it: proved her wrong. I can do this. Thanks for the vibes.

Any teachers with anxiety? I need help to get through prac.

Guest_125 — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 08:48:56 GMT

Wonderful news!

Any teachers with anxiety? I need help to get through prac.

Sunshine81 — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 11:46:59 GMT

First of all, great job on getting to your 4th year and final block of prac. That already tells me that you have everything you need to be a teacher. I have been teaching for 5 years and I still have some lessons that at the end i think to myself that didn't work out like I planed. And behaviour management is so tricky it is different for every class you will have and every child. So don't be so hard on yourself, you have got this far in your course because they see you have the knowledge and skills. You are doing a great job.