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"Stress is rooted in the way teaching and schools are organised.” NUT
Work-related stress is the main health and safety concern in four out of five UK schools. If unnoticed, stress can lead progressively to a decrease in performance, health injury and long-term absence from work.
A report into the scale of occupational stress in 2000 found that the groups in the UK reporting high stress (in order) were teaching,
nursing, management, professionals, other education and welfare, road transport and security. In all these groups at least one in five reported high stress levels.
For teachers it was two in five.
Always tired? No energy?
This is one of the first symptoms of stress
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KEY CAUSES OF TEACHER STRESS
long working hours
excessive workload
pressures of school inspections
providing cover for teacher shortages and absences
poor management
disruptive pupil behaviour
unnecessary bureaucracy
low self esteem
criticism by politicians and media
(Tackling Stress, NUT 2000).
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COMMON SIGNS of TEACHER STRESS
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Physical:
- headache
- insomnia
- muscle tension
- heart palpitations
- chest pains
- abdominal cramps
- nausea
- trembling
- cold extremities
- flushing or sweating
- frequent colds
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Mental:
- decrease in concentration
- memory loss
- indecisiveness
- mind racing or going blank
- confusion
- loss of sense of humour
- weepy
- insecurity
- isolation
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Emotional:
- anxiety
- nervousness
- depression
- anger
- frustration
- worry
- fear
- irritability
- impatience
- panic
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Behavioural:
- pacing
- fidgeting
- nervous habits
- increased eating
- smoking
- drinking
- crying
- yelling
- swearing
- blaming
- throwing things or hitting
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RFC provides workshops to help teachers understand their stressors and how to deal with them as well as offering individual support.
Whatever the cause of stress, be it at work or home, it can be dealt with quickly, easily and effectively.
RFC teaches self help skills and strategies for those times of crisis and pressure
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