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Stress: Better Classroom Management for You and Students

By Bailey Johnson


The behavior management strategy a teacher should follow should be how to cope with STRESS. As a teacher for over 20 years and having taught in elementary, middle, and high school, I understand that teachers are on the frontline with handling in managing the behaviors in their classrooms, not to mention actually teach. Am=n excellent behavior management plan starts at the beginning of the year if you want it to be efficient. However, an outstanding management strategy at the beginning does not guarantee an outstanding middle or ending.

When the classroom discipline methods do not work, this is when stress begins. STRESS is what we have when we are beyond ourselves. There are three kinds of stress; episodic acute, acute stress and chronic. I'm going to focus on chronic stress. Chronic stress can harm your system fatally. Some fatal outcomes include heart attacks, strokes and cancer.

As any teacher has learned, you are to set your standards and boundaries at the beginning, such as your class rules and procedures. How do you want questions answered, how are students to line up to leave the room and how to respect others in the class. As with those procedures you have established in your classroom, you are to establish procedures for yourself to help you eliminate the stress of managing your classroom's behavior. You do not want to die trying to manage your classroom.

Let's face it, no matter how much you have worked on your discipline plan with your team, there will be at least two or three students that are just not going to follow the plan. These two or three learners whether in elementary school, and you have them all day, or in middle and high school and they are distributed throughout your day, they are there and they are not going anywhere.

When the bell rings and the classroom is finally empty, you sit in your desk and reflect on your day and you look at the desk that the student that has caused your head to hurt, your shoulders to ache and your feet to hurt, you realize you have stress. As a teacher, to be of a purpose to your students you must practice relieving your stress. One major thing you need to do is to immediately let that day go. Do not take it home. The day is done and it cannot be relived. On your way home, listen to something that is relaxing, such as a book you've wanted to read or music, and create in your mind a better day tomorrow. When you leave the school door, leave it there.

Practice preventive methods to prepare your self for the next day. Make a plan of what you may need to do differently the next day. Ask yourself, is it something that I can do to prevent the behaviors tomorrow? Are the behaviors something that is prohibiting learning and disruption, then you need to correct this immediately as other students are at risk of not learning.

Talk to others. Ask how you can correct the situation in your classroom. You see, the key term here is discuss and ask questions. NOT complaining. Complaining is NOT going to fix anything. You are in the right position at the most perfect time. Obviously, you are to provide some of your self to your students. Behavior management is not just for the student, but for the teacher as well. The way you manage your stress will allow you to be a better teacher.




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