As this school year progresses, students’ anxiety can take center stage. Managing grades, homework, social dynamics and extracurricular activities all can exacerbate this stress. Often overlooked is the fact that teachers have an immense amount of stress as well, which often goes unnoticed.
It is easy to overlook teachers’ commitments and t
ake for granted everything they do for us. From meeting with students when they need help, spending all their time carefully grading assignments and even showing up for out of school events like games, musicals and Arts Chai Lights, they dedicate a lot of time and effort to their students. Before forming opinions about grading, giving gratitude is extremely important for our well-being and their mental health.
Education nonprofit Waterford says, teacher burnout is a form of chronic stress that many experience, as a quarter of teachers view their jobs as extremely anxiety-provoking.
According to NIH, stress occurs when a person perceives an external demand that exceeds their capability to deal with it. Teachers have multiple tasks that they need to balance at the same time. Not only do these educators grade assignments, but they also have to make lesson plans for each class, create tests and always have to be available to help students. Teachers do all of this, while also balancing their own families and lives outside of school. Teachers, especially at JDS, always find time in their schedule to meet students during lunch or free periods and answer emails quickly.
Helping students adds to teachers’ already busy workloads of 50-55 hours a week, which is seven more hours per week than the average adult. This is because even after the eight-hour school day, they still have to spend the night lesson planning and grading work while tending to their own children’s needs and themselves.
Students have a tendency to get upset over the amount of time teachers take to grade assignments. While it is perfectly normal for students to want to get their work graded fast, people underestimate how much work goes into grading. Teachers don’t only go over a checklist and see if the assignment is right or wrong, but they also undergo a thoughtful evaluation and personalized comments for each of their many students.
Eleventh grade Dean and math teacher Reuben Silberman likes to assess students but still give students a chance if/when they mess up. He says that there is a lot of performative effort trying really hard, or not trying really hard but students not accomplishing anything in the process. He likes grades that are based on what you know and then if you don’t do well, you can retake it. This shows how much each teacher cares for their students and shows how they want you to succeed.
Many teachers also teach more than 100 students, so delaying in their grading isn’t a lack of effort, it is a sign of care and determination towards each student. Teachers try to give each student equal attention to ensure that no student receives more or less support.
Silberman enjoys many things about his job. One of those things is that his work schedule usually lines up with his kids’ school schedule so they can get home around the same time and even do work side by side.
Even though teaching comes with homework too, Silberman feels balanced most of the school year. The majority of the JDS faculty teach more classes in the fall than they do in the spring because the seniors graduate mid-year. This lowers their stress levels in the spring.
“In the spring, when I have fewer classes than normal, I can usually get my work done in school. Then in the fall, I would say it’s a few hours a week [after school],” Silberman said. “In the more intense times it’s a lot more hours a week.”
In addition to showing grace, teachers deserve gratitude. According to neaToday, teacher burnout rates are rising rapidly. Giving gratitude to teachers can give them an extra boost that they need in their day. According to Penn State University, only 24.5% of teachers feel valued in their school community and society overall. Some things that I try to do and encourage others to do as well is saying something as simple as “thank you” after class or wishing them a nice day while walking out of the room.
Some things to do that can make teachers feel more appreciated are writing a card at the end of the year to show appreciation for everything they did this year, asking them about their weekend or day and offering to help by volunteering to set up their classroom before the school year starts.
Teachers also enjoy their jobs and do what they do for a reason, so hyping them up when they’re having a bad day can really make a difference. Silberman says that teaching is the best job in the world.
“I really like working with teenagers, I think they’re funny,” Silberman said. “Something I really like about my job is [that it is] cyclical. Each year starts over, and it’s like a fresh start. I get excited every year for school to start, like the first day of school,”
Teachers do so much more than just teach lessons; they dedicate time, energy and care to students’ academic and emotional lives. Teachers love and care for us, so we should love and care for them. Outside of school hours, they are grading work, putting effort into planning and trying to support each of their students equally. Teachers play a vital role in our future and we are lucky to have each and every one of them.
