As a fresh week looms before us and a five day stretch begins to unfold, a sense of anxiety may hover along with the excitement that comes from plodding forward into new routines, implementing new teaching strategies, and connecting with students, families & your own children in their learning spaces.
In a recent study conducted by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and the Collaborative for Social Emotional and Academic Learning (CASEL), anxiety was the number one feeling reported in a survey which collected data from over 5,000 teachers in regards to their emotional well being during Covid-19. For educators, anxiety is undoubtedly on the rise with the expectations of managing virtual classrooms, while for many, also being expected to parent and manage the learning of their children at the same time. Additionally, parents who previously had children in school during the day, may be dealing with anxiety precipitated by a sense of disorientation and loss as they navigate what it means to manage the daily learning cycle of their children at home.
*For more insight into teacher-anxiety during this unprecedented season and a look at the potential role of Social Emotional Learning (SEL), here's a quick read from Ed Surge written by the Marc Brackett, Ph.D. and Christina Cipriano, Ph.D., Ed.M. --director and director of research at the Yale Center of Emotional Intelligence.
*For a basic understanding of social emotional learning as it pertains to classroom and in home learning, you can download the CASEL Wheel & Competencies here.
*For additional methods of self care please see the "Back to School Essentials"product collage I've created below. Each "Self Care" item is linked in the Shop above. :)
Whether you're teaching virtually from your classroom, participating in learning from an alternative setting, or at home with your children, practicing self-care is essential to your well-being and to the well being of those around you.
