EDU 605 - Self-Care for Educators to Thrive in the Classroom (3)

Have you lost your enthusiasm for teaching? Are you feeling as if you are just going through the motions in your classroom? Have you started to count the days until you can retire? If so, you are not alone. The demands placed on teachers’ time increases every year and if we do not pay attention, we can move into a state of apathy. Because the brain is adaptive, it soon accepts this as the “new normal” and we begin to operate on a survival level. This state negatively affects individual performance in all areas of our lives and that of our students. Basic needs of proper nutrition, hydration, sleep, exercise, and positive relationships all impact our stress levels and spill over to our classrooms and learning environments. This experiential class provides an opportunity to recapture the vision and passion that caused you to choose teaching as a career. We will discuss the latest brain research including ways to shift your neurotransmitter balance, explore existing models of thriving classrooms, and help you to develop strategies to transform your classroom from apathetic/low energy into one that is thriving. We will review the importance of self-care, healthy relationships, and cultivating hobbies and interests. We will review ways to maintain a calm classroom and a positive school climate. Let’s reignite our passion to change lives, take better care of ourselves, and in turn, love others well.