|
A
|
Attitude
|
Nothing beats
a positive attitude. If you think you'll have a great year, you
will.
|
|
B
|
Balance
|
Equal parts
of work and play make for a better day.
|
|
C
|
Calm
|
Count to ten
before you act or speak. Take a slow, deep breath at the first sign
of tension.
|
|
D
|
Discipline
|
Enforcing discipline
doesn't mean you're a toughie. It means you care about all kids.
|
|
E
|
Escape
|
Take a five-minute
"mental escape" to an exotic place.
|
|
F
|
Flexibility
|
Plan, but don't
be so rigid that you can't change things if circumstances dictate
|
|
G
|
Grow
|
Do something
to expand your mind or tone your body.
|
|
H
|
Humor
|
Put something
that makes you smile in your plan book or top desk drawer.
|
|
I
|
Inoculate
|
Protect yourself
from "stress carriers" — people who gossip, breeding negativity.
|
|
J
|
Joy
|
Keep a joy
journal by recording at least one good thing that happens every
day.
|
|
K
|
Knowledge
|
Know yourself,
the kids you teach, and, most of all, your stress triggers.
|
|
L
|
Listen
|
Listen to yourself,
to your body, and to others.
|
|
M
|
Meditate
|
Take a few
minutes each day for quiet reflection.
|
|
N
|
Neutralize
|
If you can't
change the situation, change how you view or respond to it.
|
|
O
|
Organize
|
Use a planning
calendar to organize your activities.
|
|
P
|
Plan
|
. . . and have
a backup plan for when or if your primary plan doesn't work out.
|
|
Q
|
Question
|
If you're not
sure about school rules, procedures, or practices, ask someone who
is.
|
|
R
|
Read
|
Take time to
read for pleasure.
|
|
S
|
Socialize
|
All work and
no play makes for a dull day.
|
|
T
|
Time
|
Make the most
of the time you have. Ask colleagues to share timesaving tips.
|
|
U
|
Utilize
|
Take advantage
of prepared forms and teaching aids, like the ones in Instructor.
|
|
V
|
Voice
|
Express your
opinions. Pent-up thoughts and emotions create stress.
|
|
W
|
Walk
|
Get up and
move. Walk around the playground or the building. Organize a walkers'
club.
|
|
X
|
Exercise
|
Build in at
least five minutes of exercise a day. Use stairs whenever possible.
|
|
Y
|
Yoga
|
Learn or practice
relaxation techniques.
|
|
Z
|
ZZZs
|
Get plenty
of rest. Know how much sleep your body needs and give it that much.
|
