Blended Learning Journey

As educators, we’re always trying to strike a balance between pushing our students to succeed and managing the stress that comes with it. Research indicates that a little stress can actually enhance focus and motivation, but too much can lead to burnout and anxiety. As educators, we often find ourselves in extremes – either too relaxed (hello, summer!) or too stressed (hello, school year!) to function optimally. Finding the right balance between stressed, but not too stressed is key. In this blog post, we’ll examine how stress impacts performance and discuss strategies for managing it effectively for both students and educators.

Teaching: When Passion Becomes Exhaustion

In the challenging world of teaching, burnout isn’t just a personal struggle—it can ripple through classrooms and schools, affecting both teachers and students in profound ways. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress. In teaching, burnout is a specific type of occupational stress, often intensified by the nature of the profession itself. Unlike many other jobs, teaching is not just an occupation but is often viewed as a calling—a vocation centered on caregiving and nurturing the growth of others. This dual nature of the profession can make teachers particularly vulnerable to burnout, as the emotional investment in students’ well-being and success is deeply personal. 

As the demands on educators continue to grow, so does the risk of burnout, impacting not only the well-being of our teachers but also the quality of education our students receive. According to Von der Embse et al. (2019), the impact of teacher burnout extends across multiple levels:

• Faculty Impact: Teachers experiencing high levels of stress and burnout often exhibit high absenteeism, emotional exhaustion, and a sense of depersonalization. They may struggle with maintaining a positive school climate and effective classroom management, leading to a lower sense of personal accomplishment.
• Student Outcomes: There is a significant link between teacher stress and student behavior. Stressed teachers may manage student behavior differently, sometimes less effectively, which can create a cycle where student misbehavior increases, further escalating teacher stress. 
• Organizational Impact: Burnout affects more than just individual teachers and students—it also has organizational consequences. Increased absenteeism, understaffing, and high teacher turnover are common in schools where burnout is prevalent. The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future estimates teacher turnover costs up to $17,862 per teacher, showing burnout’s heavy financial and operational impact on schools.

Supporting our teachers with the right resources and fostering their resilience is essential for their well-being and the success of our students.

Stress and Performance: From ‘I Got This!’ to ‘Why Did I Sign Up for This?’”

The Yerkes-Dodson (CED 4.6.A.1) model explains the relationship between arousal (or stress) and performance. It suggests that performance increases with arousal to a certain point, beyond which it begins to decline. This relationship is often illustrated as an inverted U-shaped curve.

Understanding this model is key to recognizing how different levels of arousal impact performance. Let’s break down each level of arousal and how it influences effectiveness in the classroom.

• Optimal Arousal: Energized and focused individuals are most likely to perform well at moderate levels of arousal. For teachers, this might translate into a level of challenge that feels engaging but not overwhelming, where we feel capable of meeting our students’ needs while maintaining our own well-being.
• Under-Arousal: When arousal levels are too low, motivation and performance suffer. In this state, students may become disengaged, and teachers may experience a lack of enthusiasm or creativity in their work.
• Over-Arousal: Conversely, when arousal levels are too high, stress can become debilitating, leading to anxiety, burnout, and a significant drop in performance. This state is particularly dangerous in education, where the demands of teaching can quickly escalate stress levels if not managed carefully.

Understanding this model helps us recognize that both too little and too much stress can be harmful, and finding the “sweet spot” of arousal is key.

Stress and Performance: Not Too Stressed, Not Too Chill, Just Right

The Window of Tolerance is a concept that complements the Yerkes-Dodson model by focusing on emotional and physiological regulation. Developed by Dr. Dan Siegel, it refers to the optimal zone of arousal within which individuals can function effectively. When within this window, we can process information, engage in meaningful learning, and respond to challenges with resilience.

Let’s explore the different zones within this framework and how they influence our ability to manage stress and maintain effective functioning.

• Within the Window: Inside this zone, both teachers and students can stay calm, focused, and emotionally balanced. This is where productive learning and teaching happen, challenges are manageable, and stress enhances rather than hinders performance.
• Outside the Window: When stress pushes individuals outside their Window of Tolerance, they may either become hyper-aroused (anxious, agitated) or hypo-aroused (numb, disengaged). For teachers, this can lead to ineffective classroom management, impaired decision-making, and increased feelings of frustration or helplessness.

When we’re stressed, our sympathetic nervous system activates, causing physical changes like a racing heartbeat, high blood pressure, rapid breathing, dilated pupils, muscle tension, and nausea. By recognizing these signs, we can identify when we or our students are pushing our limits and take action to restore balance.

Burnout Prevention: The Paradox of Adding More to Your Plate

I often feel like articles about preventing burnout can end up adding to it. Feeling stressed? The advice to “add this” to your routine can seem counterintuitive. When we’re overwhelmed, the goal is to address what’s causing the stress and incorporate things that help bring us back to a balanced state. But with only so many hours in the day, finding time for these changes can be tough. Here are some general tips that might help:

• Prioritize Self-Care: Regular exercise, mindfulness, getting enough sleep, and hobbies can help you unwind and keep stress in check. Finding time for yourself can be tough, but it’s worth it—I’m always more productive after making time for self-care.
• Time Management: Many people feel guilty for not always being productive. I have found the key is setting priorities and focusing on what’s important. I plan my day around my peak energy times. For example, I tackle the most challenging tasks in the morning. When I am feeling overwhelmed, I make a list of everything that I need to do. and then choose three “must-do” tasks to complete each day. If I’m still feeling energized after finishing those, I might tackle another task. But if I’m feeling overwhelmed, I give myself permission to relax and recharge.
• Work-Life Balance: Maintaining a healthy balance is crucial. Set clear boundaries between work and personal time to avoid burnout. This could mean leaving schoolwork at school or setting a firm cutoff for work tasks at home. I know it’s hard, but it is imperative.

Just as teachers need strategies to manage their stress, students also benefit from interventions that help them stay balanced. This can include creating a safe classroom space where students feel respected and valued through clear expectations, consistent routines, and positive reinforcement. It might also involve teaching students simple mindfulness practices like deep breathing or short meditations to help them manage stress and stay focused, or incorporating regular movement breaks to release energy and improve concentration. Additionally, sharing research on stress and performance with your students can empower them with knowledge and tools to better handle their own stress.

Takeaways

In the end, balancing stress and performance is a challenge we all face, whether we’re in the classroom or managing life outside of it. As educators, it’s crucial to find that sweet spot where we’re energized but not overwhelmed, and where our students feel supported yet challenged. By understanding the impact of stress and using practical strategies, we can create a healthier, more productive environment for both ourselves and our students. Remember, it’s not about doing more—it’s about doing what matters most.

Be Well,

Cori

References: 

Davis, M., Eshelman, E. R., & McKay, M. (2019). The relaxation and stress reduction workbook. New Harbinger Publications, Inc. 

von der Embse, N., Ryan, S. V., Gibbs, T., & Mankin, A. (2019). Teacher stress interventions: A systematic review. Psychology in the Schools, 56(8), 1328–1343. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22279