National Education Association (NEA) research shows that 55% of teachers in the United States plan to retire early or leave the profession.
To combat stress and emotions as a result of this pandemic, the CDC conducted a survey and found that 37% of teachers reported symptoms consistent with an anxiety disorder, 27% reported clinical depression, and 19% said they had started or increased their alcohol use.
Today, teachers across the country are overworked, underfunded, and exhausted. A global audience has been watching educators over the last two years as they’ve embraced empathy, patience, creativity, and ingenuity in order to better serve their students and fellow educators and their families in the classroom. If you’re a teacher who happens to be reading this, let me take this opportunity to thank you! Educators, thank you for all you do to inspire and support our nation’s youth.
Going to work every day is no longer just a job; it has now become your calling, something you do to better the lives of those around you. It’s true that you’ve encountered difficulties in the areas of instruction, learning, and equity.
Many of you have stepped up to fill in for colleagues who were unable to find substitutes, you’ve dealt with the criticism of those who haven’t been in your shoes, and you’ve remained calm in the face of ever-evolving COVID protocol changes. You overcame hardships and emerged victorious. You have what it takes, whether you know it or not, to help your students succeed in the face of adversity.
As someone who has worked in education for the majority of my life, I can attest to the validity of the NEA’s survey results. For our students and their families, as well as our colleagues and ourselves; I know that hope is essential.
We are educators and as educators, we are Ignitors of Hope, which is why I am writing to you. We are more likely to inspire, engage, and empower our students and their families if we focus on hope first and foremost.
Investing in our role as “Ignitors of Hope” not only revitalises our work purpose, but it also restores our ability to bounce back from adversity. For those who are currently facing adversity, here are five ways to inspire hope.
One of the first things we need to do is refocus our mission.
In his book, Start with Why (2009), Simon Sinek argues that even if we know how to do something, if we don’t know why we do it, there is no value in it. Why did we choose our professions in the first place? That is something we must never lose sight of. Even though it’s not always the case, many of us have.
Early on, educators expressed feelings of exhaustion and overwhelm. As a result, we can lose sight of the human beings we interact with every day, the young minds and hearts we serve, and the colleagues with whom we share time and talents, because of the responsibilities of keeping people safe, following new protocols, addressing interrupted learning, covering classes, or adjusting schedules at a moment’s notice.
Teachers, principals, school counsellors, and paraprofessionals all have the opportunity to inspire hope in the lives of their students and those they serve, regardless of their position. Even if we have a great deal of expertise in our subject matter, we will be less effective if we don’t have compassion for others and a passion for education.
Take a moment to reflect on why you decided to pursue a career in education, and then share that reason with a colleague, student, or loved one. When we reaffirm our purpose, we rekindle our passion, and we become more resilient in the face of adversity. What’s most important is that we’re getting ready so that we can light a spark of hope in the hearts of our students, guiding them toward discovering their own personal reasons for learning and living.
2: Make a deliberate effort to focus on the task at hand.
When you get to the end of the day, do you ever wonder how you got there in such a short time?
Educators, like most people, tend to put themselves on “go” mode and just get things done when they have a lot on their plates. But in the meantime, we’re going to miss out on some things. More importantly, we’re missing out on other people and the chance to build relationships with them.
The importance of believing consciously is one of many ways we can reawaken hope by being more deliberate. When it comes to believing in themselves, many of our students struggle. Students today, especially those who have had their education disrupted or who have experienced the death of a loved one or have lost their stability, are more likely than ever to have doubts about their own abilities or their ability to learn.
Because of this, it is critical that we put our faith into action. John Hattie’s Visible Learning research (Hattie, 2019) shows that teacher efficacy is the most important factor in student learning. When we as educators believe in our students’ ability to succeed and our ability to have an impact on their educational outcomes, we have collective efficacy. We’ve seen our students shine when their strengths are recognised, their potential is believed in, and their imaginations are nurtured.
One person can make a big difference, but the collective power of a school’s staff working together, supporting, and encouraging one another and our students has a lasting effect on the entire school community.
“Hope” is defined by Webster Dictionary as “the desire for some good, accompanied by the expectation of obtaining or the belief that it is achievable.” If our collective belief in students and in ourselves is the most important indicator of their success, then we are and must be Ignitor of Hope.
3. Make an effort to comprehend.
It was widely believed that COVID 19 was the great equaliser, and that we were all in the same storm at the beginning of the pandemic. While the storm may be the same, it’s important to remember that our means of transportation are often very different.
This pandemic has wreaked havoc on our students, their families, and our coworkers, and we can’t assume that we know what others are going through because of social unrest and racial injustice. Instead, we should try to figure things out. Human behaviour can be seen as an opportunity for hope for those who are called to be Ignitor of Hope. The anxiety that our students feel when they are tested on content that they haven’t been taught is something that we, as educators, are acutely aware of.
Because we know how stressful these assessments can be for us, Additionally, we are aware that our students across the country are experiencing an increase in mental health issues and situational trauma as a result of recent events. These experiences can lead to long-term absenteeism, disruptive behaviour in the classroom, and even suspension or expulsion.
In the beginning, our students are just children. All they want is to be loved and accepted for who they are, and to feel safe doing so. Some of them are fighting for their lives every single day.
Ask yourself whether or not your students are thriving or are simply surviving, according to David Osher of the American Institutes for Research. So that they can flourish, they require our presence in their often-chaotic worlds so that we can see them for who they are and meet them there.
The more we treat them as people rather than just students, the less anxious they will be, the better their behaviour will be, and the more hopeful they will be.
Love is a powerful motivator, so use it wisely.
While “love” may not be the most cutting-edge educational research or a brand-new educational initiative, it is critical that we consider it in light of student growth and achievement.
Learning and development occur in relationally rich environments, according to American Institutes for Research Vice-President and Fellow Dr. David Osher. “We know from a great deal of research in neurobiology, biology-developmental and cognitive, that learning and development occur in relationally rich environments,” he says.
[1] Thus, if educators choose to approach all students, their families, and their colleagues from a place of love, we will cultivate a sense of trust in ourselves and our ability to respond to high standards and accountability.Leadership with love requires us to refrain from making assumptions or judgments, and to reflect on our own potential implicit or explicit biases so that we can avoid making them. When we listen attentively, encourage others, express gratitude, set boundaries, and do so with love, we are leading with love. The past year has seen a lot of things that were out of our control, but making a decision to lead with love is one of them. Ignite hope when you lead from the heart.
The fifth step is to make a connection.
As educators, we are well aware of the value and influence of strong interpersonal connections. There are times when our busy schedules cause us to lose sight of the simple pleasure of being. Last but not least, we can ignite hope and find a way out of vocational discouragement by being connected to our students.
As educators, we have the power to positively impact the lives of students and staff members alike through the way we treat each other. By addressing our students and coworkers by their first names on a daily basis, we show them that we care about their well-being. Irrespective of where or how it occurs, the most important thing is that it does! Especially when wearing a mask, it’s critical to smile and express ourselves verbally as well as with our eyes.
The importance of emotional and social connections to our mental health cannot be overstated during a pandemic. As Shawn Achor points out, “When we make a positive social connection, the pleasure-inducing hormone, called oxytocin, is released into our bloodstream, immediately reducing anxiety and improving concentration and focus.” (The Happiness Advantage, 2010).)
As a result of authentic connection, both the person we are connecting with and ourselves benefit from the experience. Connection is essential to human well-being. Hope is sparked when we connect with one another!
Everyone in this field has a reason for doing what they do. The more we believe in our students and our impact on their learning, the more they will believe in us! When we lead with love, aiming to understand our students and their families, and make a conscientious effort to connect, we instil hope! And in the hope that we can rekindle the meaning and purpose of our vocation, we encourage and inspire our colleagues and students.
