Football
season is upon us, but it’s more than just athletes who need a Time Out! With
high-stakes testing and merit pay, teaching has never been a more stressful
profession. And ongoing stress has
serious consequences, affecting the area of our brain responsible for memory
and learning.
When
stress is high and seems to be getting in the way of your coaching efforts, you
might try some of the following to get both you and the teacher you are working
with ready for a productive coaching session.
1)
Take a deep breath. You might even close
your eyes while you do it. Don’t hide your attempt from the teacher you are
working with. Our brains subconsciously mirror the emotions of others. As you
relax, the teacher you are working with is likely to relax, too. You may even
see the exhale.
2)
Drop and relax your shoulders. We carry a lot of tension there! Rotate your
shoulder blades and imagine the stress going down your arms and out of your
fingertips.
3) Laugh
out loud – it lowers stress hormones and boosts feel-good endorphins. You don’t
have to be a stand-up comedian to bring out a chuckle! Slip a comic strip in the front of your
clear-view binder or save a story from the school-day that made you smile.
Lightening the mood can increase the effectiveness of your coaching.
4)
Add calming images, sounds, or scents. In your classroom or office, a photo or
sound of waves washing up on the beach can foster relaxation. Bird song, music,
lavender, the scent of pine trees, the sound of rain, or the image of a sunset
are some other possibilities. Invite your senses to take you to a relaxing
place. It will ease the way for an open conversation and make others feel good,
too!
5)
Chew gum. A few minutes of chewing can
actually reduce anxiety. So offer a minty stick when you sense tension.
6)
Offer lotion. Our hands also carry a lot of stress, and applying lotion provides
a mini hand-massage for instant relaxation.
7)
Squeeze a stress ball. It’s a portable way to reduce tension.
8)
Head outside. If it’s a sunny day, an outdoor walk-and-talk will lift your
spirits and inspire new ideas.
9)
Journal. Writing about what’s stressing you can make emotions less
intimidating. In addition to reducing stress, taking a few minutes to write at
the beginning of a coaching session builds in reflection time and can provide a
springboard for discussion. Those two or three minutes for reflection feel like
a luxury in our fast-paced days.
10)
Food for thought: although complex carbs create a more lasting stream of serotonin,
simple carbs, like sweets, produce a spike in the hormone that can get the
brain in gear for productive conversation. My favorite research about stress is that dark
chocolate regulates the stress hormone, so now I have an excuse for my
addiction!
Of
course, you won’t try all of these at once. One or two will likely do the job,
releasing helpful hormones that chase away the ill-effects of stress. Decide
whether or not to explicitly mention the stress and what you are doing to relieve
it based on the context, the people you are working with, and your relationship
to them.
The
quick-fix stress-reducers mentioned above set the stage for the coaching conversation
– which could be another stress reducer.
Talking about stressful situations to a calm listener relieves, relaxes,
and creates opportunities for problem solving.
Try
a few of these suggestions yourself to get ready for the day. You’ve earned
that time out!
This week, you might want to
take a look at:
An
article about the value of reading for pleasure:
In
this video, a middle school National Teacher of the Year finalist shows how she
develops writing confidence in English Language Learners:
An
article about using memorabilia as writing prompts:
An
online app for Venn diagrams:
Get convinced about the power
of collaboration:
That’s it for this week. Happy
coaching!
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