The Stretched Counselor
  • Home
  • SELFCARE
    • Physical SelfCare
    • Mental SelfCare >
      • Mindfulness
    • Emotional SelfCare >
      • Your Brain & Stress
    • Spiritual SelfCare
    • Energizing SelfCare
  • Mental Health
    • MHFA & Youth MHFA
    • Presentations & Aids >
      • Staying Sane
      • Teacher Stress & Mental Health
  • Messages
    • ACEs >
      • 2010 ACEs Study
    • Resilence
    • Stress and Self Care
    • Suicide Prevention
    • Full Plate-Teachers
    • LBGTQIA+ >
      • LGBTQ+ Online Safety
    • Facebook Posts
  • School Counselor
    • Counselor Blog
    • Guidance >
      • Curriculum >
        • PreK - K
        • Grades 1 - 2
        • Grades 3 - 4
        • Grades 5 - 6 >
          • Your Amazing Brain
        • 8th Grade >
          • Multiple Intelligence
          • College Tours
      • ACP >
        • Career Cruising
      • SEL
    • Mental Health in Schools >
      • TeleMental Health
      • Suicide Prevention for Teens
      • MH Video Clips
      • Staff Support >
        • Compassion Resilience
        • Support in the classroom
        • Book Discussions >
          • Drive Book Discussion
          • Quiet Book Discussion
    • Links
  • About
    • Contact
    • Radicals & Rebels

Full Plate

For Teachers

The phrase is defined as "a schedule or workload that is filled to capacity with obligations, tasks, or problems."  But what's on that plate?  And how high are you stacking it? 

This exercise will take a look at the demands on your life-- work and life-- and how are they affecting your mental health. 
Careers in education have many, and varied, demands and expectations. And over time that list keeps growing!
At what point does our list infringe on our effectiveness, and cause stress that interferes with our ability to 
"live, work, and carry on meaningful relationships"-- what is used in identifying a mental health concern.
 


Let's begin!

Grab a paper plate, three colored markers, and a highlighter.

Step 1 

In the center of the plate, write down your job title (5th grade teacher) and your core teaching responsibilities, those things that were listed in the job description.  Draw a box around this. 
Picture

Step 2

With the same marker, go to the outer ring-- the ruffled part of the plate-- and write your outside of school time demands and concerns (children, husband, church, 4H, Lions, family health, family finances, drive to work, outside job, etc.). Things that take your energy and time. 
Picture

Step 3

Grab a different colored marker and on the rest of the plate start writing in other school related responsibilities-- things that are assigned, you're expected to do, or that you've created or volunteered to do.  Try not to write into the outer ring unless you have to.  This could include PBIS, UDL, PLC, DAC, ACP, Youth Apprenticeship, class advisor, Forensics, creating a new class, taking a class, pep band, coaching... you get the idea. 
Picture

Step 4

Look at your plate.  With your marker, circle the three school additional responsibilities most important to you right now-- those things that you feel are the most important to you as an educator.  They may vary from year to year, but what are the most important for you to work on this year. 
Picture

Step 5

Not all stress is bad.  Eustress, a psychological term, is the good form of stress-- it helps you grow and remain healthy, and gives the feeling of fulfillment. Characteristics of eustress: 
  • it motivates
  • is usually short term
  • is perceived as being within our coping ability
  • it feels exciting
  • it improves performance.
Look at your plate, and with a red marker, star the items--either school or out of school-- that "fuel" you or give you energy.  They may take time but they give back positive energy and keep you motivated. 
Picture

Step 6

Last step, again look at your plate.  With the highlighter, put an X on three things that drain you-- tasks and expectations that consume energy and time without giving much in return.
​In economics, these would be referred to  with the Law of Diminishing Returns. 

Discussion... let's talk about your plate.
Are you comfortable with your life-work balance?
If not, what effect is it having on you?

How much control of your plate do you have? How is that impacting your stress level?


Picture

What is your current stress level?

Stress levels and
​your mental health

We identify a mental health concern when factors are affecting a person's ability to work, live, and carry on satisfying relationships. 

The Teacher Stress Inventory asked you to look at factors that might be affecting your mental health.

​​​

The extra pressure you feel isn't your imagination...

Teacher responsibilities ten years ago...           compared to responsibilities today.

Picture
Picture


​And you're not alone, nationwide teachers are feeling the stress.

Picture
https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/worklifesurveyresults2015.pdf
​
Picture
​https://www.cep-dc.org//displayDocument.cfm?DocumentID=1456

Even the Nation's leaders know there is a problem.

"Policymakers in Washington are trying to brainstorm long-term, systemic solutions. Teachers have been tapped for their insights as well. Their advice? 'Stop sucking the joy out of education'."     Education Week, September 2017

So let's talk...
What's next? What would you like to see happen? How can we effect that change?