Happy teachers know how to relax. Some people actually enjoy starting and ending the day with a complaint. These people will find any task debilitating.
Be warned that you will cut the song from your heart and years from your life if you do not learn to meet the demands of a teaching day without undue strain.
Happy teachers possess the right perspective. Problems will be with you all days of your life. You must learn to accept that fact. Do not fight, do not run away, but compromise with your problems. Yes, you wanted to help each pupil read well, but because of limitations of time and energy and class size and your own skill, you were not able to teach every pupil.
Be content and keep trying. Take satisfaction that there were those that you did help.
Happy teachers pace themselves. You and the class have an optimum time for certain kinds of performance. The time varies with the day and the time of day. Accept this fact.
Happy teachers control their voices. You may easily make the mistake of speaking too often and too loudly. Prove it to yourself Try letting the pupils do most of the talking. Keep your own voice down, controlled and pleasant. Avoid disciplining by shouting (incidentally you will only be adding to your own excitement). Then notice at the end of the day how much more rested you feel.
Happy teachers choose the right word. Certain words excite. Say to a pupil, “Your paper needs to be rewritten” rather that “Your paper is dirty.” Try to follow Thumper’s admonition, ”If you cannot say something nice, do not say anything at all,” and include children as the recipients of nice words.
Happy teachers use soothing words. In faculty discussion , ask questions rather than label or condemn. “Is there another fact we might consider? ”Keeps tempers much smoother than “I disagree with that statement.
Happy teachers keep personal troubles out of school. It is not fair to foist your troubles on pupils or colleagues. They have enough of their own. Lose yourself in work. You will be able to forget, for a little time at least, the problems about which you can do nothing anyhow.
Happy teachers do one thing at time. Have only a few aims for yourself and the class. Concentrate on those few which you can justify in terms of real life needs. Recognize that there are many other fine things you would like to do, but that the day has just so many hours in it. Have no fear that you will never enlarge your objectives. As your competence grows, focus your attention on one important thing. Trying to do too many things will only exhaust you.
Happy teachers make plans. In your plan book, in addition to the lessons, note briefly your aims and school responsibilities. Each day, check the activities from week to week, eliminating, if necessary, those which make the day too crowded. Plan carefully , so that you know exactly how to proceed. Knowing precisely what you wish to do, and checking achievement ,will give you a feeling of accomplishment.
By: Gerald B. Tayo | Teacher | Tomas Pinpin Memorial Elementary School | Ibayo, Abucay, Bataan