10 Golden Survival Tips Every Teacher Should Know

by

Moqheeta Mehboob
 

Have you often heard people talking about the importance of good teachers? They call it the mother of all professions. Indeed, a very highly respected and noble title.

We have also seen the government, NGOs, school managements, and other private organisations tirelessly working towards teachers’ professional development. This is definitely required — and Edutop works extensively on bringing quality to educational organisations. But it firmly and equally believes in the importance of a healthy teacher.
Edutop has this mantra: Healthy teacher = Healthy teaching.

In this little article, I have focused mainly on the human side of the teacher, and not the professional side. There are plenty of helpful articles by Edutop that talk about classroom management, lesson planning, student engagement… but this article is only about having a healthy and happy teacher.

Read it and apply it in your life. It will surely bring a considerable difference to your health.

Healthy Teacher

How many times have you skipped your breakfast or didn’t have time to pack your lunch?

You — out of all people in the school — should be the one who has a full meal, sometimes more than a full meal. You burn so much energy!

Remember two things from me:

1. Never skip your food
   
   

2. Always stay hydrated
   
   

Always carry an extra energy-boosting snack — roasted peanuts, energy bars, almonds, bananas, cucumber…

The Almighty has made a wondrous human machine. It needs to be taken care of. It won’t shut down immediately, but it will show signs of neglect over time.

We always hear people asking mums to look after themselves so they can look after the family.

I say — Teachers, kindly look after your health so you can raise a strong future community.

Good Footwear

Are you the one who can carry high heels very well — and they even suit you?

You still should not wear them.

The whole day, a teacher is up and about. Be kind to your legs, hips, and back. Wear flat, plush footwear. And please — sit as much as you can during the day. If you have good classroom management, you can still sit and manage the decorum of the class.
You do not need to stand stiff or hover over the students all the time.

Good Bag — On Wheels

Bags are not just for students. It is more important for teachers — because you carry every student’s book.

I remember the load I used to carry home — and bring it back the next day. This was an everyday phenomenon, and more so over the weekends. So as teachers, we also need a good and strong bag. Please buy a wide bag with broad straps. If you can buy something on wheels, that’s even better. Invest in small things to make life easy.

Find Helpers

You all need to get good at finding little helpers. Bribe them, treat them, praise them — but for sure, train them to do your work. At home and at school, every teacher should have little helpers. You don’t have to feel guilty about it — you will make the students do the kind of work that helps them in their learning.

You can ask some children to make flashcards for you, some to create wall displays, some to make models for your teaching. You can even ask a few to prepare your PowerPoint presentations. And all this will fall under learning, so don’t let anyone tell you that you are misusing your students.

Label Everything

Why do we ask children to label their books and bags? Are labels just for students?

As teachers, we have so much stationery that keeps exchanging hands — and it helps both the owner and the borrower if things have a name on them. It comes straight back to you. I’ve always labelled everything of mine, and it saves time. I also firmly believe that it helps avoid doubts and blame games. Imagine having a similar stapler — and everyone claims it to be theirs!

Keep a Hobby

What would you have done in your spare time? A certain activity that makes you happy and energises you. Is it sketching, gardening, baking, walking, window shopping…?
You should consciously keep your hobby active. Even if you do it once every 15 days, it’s still okay. But you should not lose yourself to work.

Life doesn’t start and end with school. Do things that make you feel alive.

Power-Ups

Sore back, throbbing head, aching legs, tired eyes, and zero energy — these are all common daily signs of a teacher.

What can you do? Keep a gel eye mask. Put on a timer and rest in the staff room for just 5 minutes. No talking, no music. Just close your eyes and power up for the rest of the day. Try it for a week and see the results.

Joke Book

You might think — what kind of suggestion is this?

But you will thank me for it later. A teacher’s life is very draining. She/he deals with so many personalities, challenges, workload, and stress. Reading a good joke in between teaching times takes off the steam. You can even start the next class with the joke that you read during the break.

And remember — it has to be a book, not on your phone. The feel of a book is far more fulfilling than a gadget.

Accessories - Keep it simple

You step out every day, and you might be someone who likes to dress up and look good. Please do so. But some teachers overdo it. Pastel colours and subtle prints, without too many flashy accessories or layers of makeup, will make you stand out as a professional teacher.

But don’t go completely bland either — and don’t stop taking any interest in your looks. Children are always watching you and learning from you. We as teachers teach so many things without even teaching. And how to dress according to the place is one life lesson they can learn from you — and follow lifelong.

Learn

Be a lifelong learner. Learn from good teachers. Learn from bad teachers. Learn from students. Learn from helper staff. Learn from school leaders.

There is so much to learn from all.

A bad teacher gives out alarm bells — and makes us conscious of how not to be. Be resilient like students. Be far-sighted and wise like leaders. No educational degree prepares us for the real school life.

We have to learn many things while in the thick of it.

Dear Teachers, your students matter — but so do YOU. Let’s start taking care of ourselves while we take care of others.