Resilience

"In order to succeed people need a sense of self-efficiency strung together with resilience to meet the inevitable obstacles and inequities of life." Albert Bandura

Every teacher has to be resilient to survive in the world of education. Approximately 22 percent of teachers leave the profession within their first year. Teaching is a stressful job, the pressures of personal goals, school, state, and national standards, difficult children, difficult parents, all of these things add up and can take a lot out of a teacher every day. The important thing is for teachers to push through those stresses and maintain stability. There are many things teachers can do to be resilient.

• Develop a network of support and resources
• Remember that you will learn more in the first year or so of teaching than ever in your own education
• Do not try to do everything, but do try to be involved in the community
• Plan ahead, but be flexible
• Do not be afraid to ask for help or advise
• Take time for yourself
• Keep a file of notes and things to brighten your day
• Remind yourself of what teaching is all about

The following are websites with more information on reducing teacher stress:
Advice for First-Year Teachers
Survival Strategies for New Teachers
Avoiding Teacher Burnout
What to Expect
15 Stress-Busting Tips From Teachers
Teacher Staff Survival Kits