·
Lesson plans
·
Designing teaching aids
·
Class attendance
·
Attending workshops
·
Attending meetings
·
Checking notebooks
·
Designing question papers
·
Preparing answer keys
·
Conducting exams
·
Evaluating answer sheets
·
Cross verification of answer sheets
·
Attending to students queries
·
Attending parents during PTM
·
Fee calling and follow up
·
Informing parents whenever a child is
irregular/unwell…
The list of duties that a teacher
must perform never ends.
Add to these, there will also be
additional duties to perform.
Welcome to the new normal in
educational institutions where a teacher is expected to be a multi-tasking
human resource in this competitive and dynamic environment where teaching only
is not considered as a duty. Thanks to the fast changing world and thanks to
parents who consider admitting a child into a school is the only duty, teachers
have been having a tough time managing students who have become their children
unofficially.
In these circumstances, a teacher is
expected to evolve, acclimatize and emerge as a dynamic professional and
meet the challenges with smartness, knowledge and skills which are essential
attributes of a 21st century educator.
It is however, found out that
while carrying out the duties and fulfilling the desired objectives, teachers
especially the female staff members, are prone to issues as traumatic as stress
and tensions which take a toll on their wellbeing.
A random observation of the total
staff in schools I have worked and been working can be summed up in the ratio
of 70:30 where the population of female staff members is higher than the male
staff.
|
Staff
|
Age
|
Marital status
|
Percentage in total staff
|
|
Male
|
24-26
|
Unmarried
|
16%
|
|
Male
|
27 and above
|
Married
|
14%
|
|
Female
|
23-25
|
Unmarried
|
30%
|
|
Female
|
26 and
above
|
Married
|
40%
|
Source: observations on the basis
of appointments at different levels
The objective of bringing up this
bifurcation is very important to the theme of this month – Teacher’s Well
Being” because as compared to men, women are loaded with responsibilities which
stretch from home-school-home. It however, does not mean that men are free from
responsibilities and feel no stress. As such, along with the primary sources of
data, dependence on secondary sources is also necessary to understand which age
groups feel more stressed and why.
A survey conducted by Statista
shows the following results in our country:
“As per the results of a large
scale survey conducted across India in 2019, young adults between the age of
20 and 29 years of both genders were the most stressed in the country. The major
causes for the high stress levels among young people are peer
pressure, pressure to succeed in academics or work and irregular routine.”(Source:https://www.statista.com/statistics/1137295/india-gender-distribution-of-stress-index-by-age-group)
A GENERAL VIEW:
It is a general notion that a man
is made to be strong and bear all the challenges with a smile. In short, a man
is a tougher creation of the Almighty. As such, his ability to take stress and
manage it is higher as compared to a woman. A woman on the other hand, has opened
the gates of her home and made redundant the thought that a woman must remain
within the four walls of a home. She has excelled as a teacher, as a manager
and also as a CEO handling people and by accepting challenges. She has,
therefore, spread her arms wider and embraced challenges from every sphere possible;
with a smile to prove that she is in no way, lesser than her male counterpart.
In India a woman, irrespective of
the job she does or the position she holds, has an implied responsibility –
take care of family members and in laws equally. As such, the stress levels of
a woman who works and handles family, are on a higher side as compared to a
woman who is a spinster but working. While in many a cases, the salary earned
by a female teacher remains out of question, in a few cases, the liberty to
manage her own finances and spend gets trapped in the so called orthodox social
system thereby, creating new issues for her to address.
A man on the other hand, has his
own reasons to feel stressed. Starting from planning to arrange for earnings to
plan the earnings he has to take into consideration every aspect of his life
style and that of his dependents, targets to be achieved at office, peer
pressures and family issues at home.
A child and a retired person
might have a few similar stress factors and a few differing.
Irrespective of the gender, the
stress levels as have been pointed out in a study, “Aldwin (1990) argued that
most life event inventories sample problems which are more relevant to younger
age groups, such as marriage, divorce, starting new jobs, or having children”
(Aldwin, Sutton, Chiara and Spiro III, 1996). This observation by Aldwin is
true and relevant even today as has been mentioned in the lines prior to the
statement referred. However, to say that there is a clear demarcation of who
feels how much stressed would be a false claim as different studies have
concluded that there is no conclusive evidence with regards to it.
The school stress:
Teachers are under immense pressure
at any given point of time.
While a subject teacher who has
an excellent command over his/her subject feels less stressed while planning
his/her lessons, delivering it in the class and addressing student related
issues, a teacher who is a fresher/has lesser experience feels more stressed
with these basics.
Added to these basic tasks, a
teacher is also required to keep a track of every student holistically –
performance in academics, sports, fitness and the like. Such a tracking or
profiling requires a very close interaction with the students and a sharp eye
to observe and record their behavioral changes. This once again, becomes a bit
easy for a teacher who is seasoned and understands child psychology well but
for a teacher who does not, it is a stressful learning period which might make
or break him/her professionally.
It has also been noted that other
than the tasks mentioned above, a teacher is assigned tasks of examination
department, cultural activities and the like which for a few, adds stress.
It is worth noting here that a
teacher is assigned tasks which are supposedly his/her. The reason as to why it
so happens that a teacher is assigned such tasks lies in the fact that the
teacher is:
1. Connected
with students closely and understands them,
2. Has
a clear idea about their wellbeing/ their problem areas
3. Can
design strategies with ease to tackle issues and address challenges
4. Students
too, are comfortable sharing their ideas, problems and issues which they can
share with none
Teaching might be a static job
but the roles are not static any more. The duties are not limited to teaching
and completing a syllabus – not any more. A teacher, like any other
professional, has to have an ability to be considered as dynamic and smart,
ready to accept challenges and be mentally ready to accept tasks assigned which
might extend beyond teaching.
Stress areas:
When it comes to handling
students academically, even experience fails to address and sooth the stress
levels at times. There are a few areas where a teacher/ teachers might feel
stressed:
1. When
the mission and vision of a school isn’t clear and the instructions are not
clear
2. While
working to uplift a student from below average/ average levels to higher levels
3. While
working to enhance the overall percentage levels of the class in annual exams esp. board classes
4. While
handling kindergarten and primary sections
5. While
accepting new responsibilities with apprehension even after being capable to
handle
6. Excessively
overloaded with classes in school and
outside
7. While
trying to prove that he/she is trying to follow the path laid down by the
management and work as per expectations
8. While
weighing the work load with financial benefits
9. While
procrastinating the work or failing to plan for the day/week/month
10. When
teachers ignore the instructions given in writing and through orientation
programs conducted from time to time
11. When
in an informal circle which misguides
12. When
teaching as a profession is an option/ accidental.
What must be done to overcome
stress and be mentally healthy?
There are no tailor-made remedies
to overcome stress levels as it varies from teacher to teacher in terms of
their capacity to take stress and assumption as to what might be considered as
a reason for stress. While stress is necessary to excel in work and at work
place, anything in excess of what must be taken, damages the arrangement
incorrigibly.
Universally, it has been seen
that teachers who are subject to excessive regulatory norms from different
quarters, leave the job or take a break to rejuvenate them. In India, however,
unlike other countries, regulatory norms are not as stressful as the internal
environment of an educational institution is. This being said, it must be
understood that, the internal environmental stress also is subject to
historical facts.
For example, if a Principal of a
school/ Dean of a college sets rules and ensures their compliance, stress will
be temporary for new comers till the time they get used to the norms. With
classical conditioning, teachers will definitely fall into line with the
practices and feel less stressed. However, if the work environment under one
leadership is not effective and teachers have been allowed to call the shots
and then later, under the leadership of the next in line becomes absolutely
opposite, where rules are defined, limits set and reward punishment guidelines
get set, stress levels are bound to rise for both – teachers and the Principal
for reasons well known.
All said and done, tackling
stress isn’t easier and there are no tailor made remedies as was mentioned
earlier. However, there are a few suggestions which can ease the tensions and
reduce your burden of work and stress:
1. Understand
what the vision statement states
2. Don’t
miss meetings and orientation programs which clearly define the tasks,
responsibilities and expectations from you as a teacher. If you don’t
understand what is written, discuss with Principal and get a clear picture.
3. Plan
and design your activities according to the expectations
4. Discuss
with Principal if there are any bottlenecks
5. In
some situations, you may be feeling you are overburdened with additional tasks.
Instead of avoiding the tasks, do it/them in coordination with other team
members. If it does not work, discuss the problem and the suggestion with the
Principal. The more it lingers, the greater will be the chance that it will
lead to tension, stress and will be less productive.
6. Design
your lesson plans and teaching aids without waiting for instructions. These
tasks are implied and need no orders from Principal. Waiting for instructions
will add to burden and add to stress as well.
7. Take
leaves but in a planned manner so as to avoid penalty and burden for the
Principal and teacher in substitution. Leaves are necessary to refresh
yourself. If taken in a timed manner, you will return to your classrooms
rejuvenated and not with a burdened thought of extra and pending tasks.
8. Yoga,
meditation to keep yourself mentally fit and happy. Remember this – the first
few hours of the day (preferably 4 a.m. – 6 a.m.) are your own hours. Use these golden hours for your
self-development and improving mental health.
9. Positive
attitude and calmness – experience and exposure ages you to become a calm
person with a positive attitude to life and challenges it puts forth. Learn to
learn how to be maintain your demeanor in such situations and be a winner.
10. Avoid
assumptions, presumptions and reluctance – these are breeding grounds for
misunderstanding which leads to increase in stress. The more you indulge in
activities which are based on assumptions and not on directions from office,
greater are the chances that you will have to prepare your scripts to explain
why and why not’s of a work dishonored or done half-heartedly.
11. Accept
changes with an open mind – learning a new trick/ attending a webinar or
seminar etc are necessary parts of progressing as a teacher. They must never be
avoided or considered as a burden.
12. Work
as one unit and avoid informal huddles/ groups – teams which work as one win.
Teams which work as many, lose.
13. If
you feel you deserve a better pay and some other organization is ready to do
justice, follow the resignation process and leave on a cordial note and avoid
creating a hostile environment to bargain for a hike. Follow the same path if
there exists an organization which treats you better and allows you to follow
your methods without bothering you. This will ease tensions and apprehensions
of what the next move might be.
While these
points may not exactly be a direct suggestion to reduce stress, they, in some
manner will help the stakeholders to reduce stress and tensions thereby
enhancing the working age by a few more years.
Remember:
tension and stress is felt when there is a gap in what you expect and what the
school expects from you or when your acts fail to match with the actions
expected.
Desiraju Durga
Surya Sai Kumar
Principal
