Coping With Class

Teachers cannot resolve all the problems that lead to stress, but experts cite a variety of coping techniques:

* Recreation and exercise.

* Setting aside time at home in which job duties will not interfere.

* Expressing feelings, confiding troubles to others (including to other teachers) and asking for help.

* Saying no to unnecessary demands.

* Admitting personal limits.

* Seeking therapy.

* Pacing efforts to avoid fatigue.

* Trusting in one’s abilities.

* Breaking problems into manageable parts and resolving them one at a time.

* Designing classrooms and curricula to keep students occupied and busy.

* Having a school-wide discipline plan.

* More training to deal with troubling aspects of the job, such as student misbehavior.

* Engaging parents’ support and encouraging their presence on campus.

* Engaging the school administrators’ support.

* Trying year-round teaching schedule that spaces short vacations throughout the year.