Stress and the On Campus Consideration

As a parent of three children who are enrolled in the K-12 public school system, I am torn about the issue of students returning to campus in the fall. 

Yes…it is imperative for kids to be in-school, in-person.  My wife and I noted a rapid regression in learning when education moved online in the spring.  There have also been social implications, especially for my rising first grader.

However, our inability as a country to effectively manage the current pandemic creates real and scary health and wellness issues for educators and students.  There are simply no easy answers for the current situation.

That’s why I found this blog post I penned six years ago to be relevant in today’s environment.

How the Grind of Stress Impacts Educators

Exceptional Educator Explores What Makes Us, Us

Each semester I have the opportunity to visit with high school students in Montgomery County, Maryland to talk about hypnosis.  During my informative (and entertaining) presentation I overview what hypnosis is, what it isn’t and popular applications – including stress management, self-confidence and athletic performance.

The kids are great and typically very engaged in the topic.  Equally impressive is the quality, professionalism and commitment of the educators who host me.

I’m a Montgomery County public school product myself and have three sons who will one day graduate from Whitman High School in Bethesda, MD.  As a parent, it is comforting to know the County has such a strong track record recruiting and retaining exceptional teachers.

One such educator is Dr. Joe Swope, who teaches AP psychology at Northwest High School in Germantown, Maryland.  After speaking in November to a group of Northwest students, I sat down with Dr. Swope for an exclusive Q&A.

Question:  You have quite an interesting background as a teacher, author and speaker.  Plus, you have earned a PhD.  Tell me about your advanced degree.

Dr. Swope

My doctorate pursuit was motivated by a desire to continue my own knowledge growth and study.  It took four years because I was working full-time as well.

I am intrigued by what makes “us, us.”  Is it background?  Culture?  I’ve come to realize there may be no answer to these questions.  

My thesis focused on the practice of self-hypnosis.  Could an average person learn hypnosis so they could make one hand warmer than the other?  Self hypnosis was such an interesting and helpful tool for my participants that many of them wanted to continue to use it in their lives.

Question:  How does the Montgomery County curriculum deal with the topic of hypnosis?

There is one class period dedicated to it as part of the discussion of altered states of consciousness.  I explore the differences between therapy and entertainment-oriented applications.  As part of the discussion with students, I also dispel myths about hypnosis, such as the notion that a person loses control.

Question:  Your biography states that you are a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.  Is your study of martial arts helpful in your role teaching psychology?

It sure is; on many levels.  I have studied and practiced martial arts for 25 years.  While every sport has the ‘zone’ you can get into as an athlete, martial arts has the zone as its goal.  

How the Grind of Stress Impacts Educators

The daily grind of a long school year creates a stressful environment for educators.  Photo source: telegraph.co.uk

Much is written in the press about the everyday stress faced by students and its impact on their success. What about teachers? Are they affected by the stress vice?

My conversation earlier this month with a first grade teacher who just navigated her initial year on the job provided a glimpse into the stresses that come with a career in education.

As she explains it, teachers typically roll-into the later part of summer and start of the semester on a high. It's a fresh beginning with the classroom to set up, lesson planning and the opportunity to connect with a new set of kids.

Within months though, the high is tempered by the reality of long and grueling academic year. Student behavior can grow boorish, as kids become more comfortable testing boundaries.

Plus, many parents ratchet up the pressure on everyone – administrators, teachers and their own children. The result is a more combustible and stressful environment. This can weigh on teachers impacting their performance, health and wellness.

“There are many nights that I lay in bed unable to sleep, thinking about the challenges I'll need to take on during the next day,” the young teacher explained.

This led me to ask how her study in college and experience as a student teacher prepared her to deal with the stresses inherent in education. Are there support groups of teachers to share best practices for stress mitigation? Does her principal encourage the staff to prioritize health and wellness?

It was surprising to learn that an overview of the tools to help manage stress and maintain a positive outlook was not part of either her training or current work environment. The sense I get is that most educators have to figure it out on their own.

We talked about the practice of self-hypnosis, and how a simple deep breath and visualization of a comfortable, soothing environment can re-charge a person emotionally and spiritually. Plus, the recharge can be accomplished in just a few moments, which is an ideal way to fill the brief time between classes.

She's going to give it a try with the goal of mitigating the grind.