-by Susan Hitt
Superman. Wonder Woman. Spiderman. All to the rescue! Except, we as educators can’t rely on fictional characters to save the day. We are the superheroes of the classroom. As we hit the mid-year mark, it’s easy to fall into that post-holiday slump. The festivities have come and gone, and springtime’s long, warmer days seem forever away. So how can we speed past the disillusionment phase and soar on into rejuvenation and on into reflection?
For this post, I’ll be referencing the research by Ellen Moir from the New Teacher Center (illustrated below). Her research shows that while a new teacher begins the school year filled with anticipation, she/he quickly turns to survival mode. Survival mode turns into disillusionment, and then, just when things can’t seem to get worse, the trajectory changes and the teacher begins the journey back up to greet the end of the year with anticipation for the next.
I think it’s safe to say that it’s not just first-year teachers who experience this roller coaster of emotions. Am I right? I think this journey is one many teachers find themselves experiencing whether they’re in year one, ten, twenty, or thirty.
As I was studying the above image while working on this post, I decided to find a way to different way to capture each of those emotional stages. As I have recently learned how to easily embed gifs into documents using the chrome extension- GIPHY (#LifeLongLearner), I decided to have some fun. And what could possibly be more fun than scrolling through hundreds of cute doggie gifs trying to pick the perfect six? So, without further ado, here is my interpretation of the Teacher Emotional Rollercoaster via Gifs:
Anticipation:
It’s that beginning of the year feeling. Brand new school supplies.
The smell of freshly waxed floors. Clean whiteboards and fresh Expo markers. A world of potential awaits!
Survival:
October has hit. Midterms are around the corner.
Grading is piling up, and lesson plans need to be made.
Cold germs abound. Gotta keep up!
Disillusionment:
Planning period? What planning period?
Parent meetings. Emails. End-of-Semester grades. Phone calls. Cranky students. Holidays are over.
Driving to school in the dark, and leaving in the dark.
Rejuvenation:
The sun is out, the weather is getting better!
Going outside for class. Still lesson planning, but
the overwhelming feeling is dissipating!
A happier teacher, makes for happier students.
Reflection:
Whoa--the year’s almost over? Hmmm...What went well?
What would I have done differently? Hey colleague,
want to meet & collaborate?
Oh, that’s a great idea, let me add that to my to-try list!
Anticipation:
Summer, summer, summer!
Back-to-School sales? Lemme just go buy some supplies!
Bought a brand new planner? Well, let me just write out this quick idea I had. Oh, it’s going to be great!
Come on school year! Let’s go!
And so the cycle goes, year after year. I think the only difference between a new teacher and a veteran teacher, is that a veteran teacher knows the cycle. They are familiar with it. They know that eventually, disillusionment will turn to rejuvenation. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. A veteran teacher knows there will be those magical years in which they won’t even dip into the disillusionment stage. But for the first-year teacher, this roller coaster is so very hard, because it’s a ride no college course can prepare them for.
My point is that teachers need to remember on the hardest of days-- those long, dark, cold, February days--they are still superheroes. Your students need you. Your colleagues need you. Your administrators need you. As winter flounders and spring is still a long ways off, we veteran teachers need to be able to show newer teachers how to pull themselves out of the depths of disillusionment and start heading back up the track towards rejuvenation. For example, when things in my classroom started to feel out of control and I could feel the disillusionment set in, I for one, always relied on my organization skills to pull me out of a slump. If I could just keep my desk clear, clean, and organized, I felt like I could take on any problem that work could toss my way. Extra lunch duty? No problem! Stay later for a parent meeting? Okay, can do! Why? Because I wasn’t running around frazzled feeling like I didn’t have control over anything. So when disillusionment sets in, seek out the one thing that if you can control, and everything else runs smoother. Maybe it’s achieving inbox zero (if so, please send me your secret!) or maybe it’s packing lunch the night before. Whatever small task you can do that helps make your day run smoother--do it! Take over the wheel and speed your roller coaster up to higher land!
So I ask you, dear reader, fellow educator: What helps you navigate that roller coaster year after year? What advice do you have for your fellow educators who feel stuck in the depths of the disillusionment stage? Maybe you can’t fly or jump burning buildings, but you are the hero within your classroom. Remember: Teachers are superheroes! You, my friend, are a hero! So charge forward, and conquer the rest of the school year!
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