Yes, Teachers Need Mental Health Breaks

To say that teachers deal with a lot of stress during the school year is an understatement.

Stress from managing curriculum, managing unruly students, and managing pressure from politicians, school boards, and administrators. Then there’s the extra they do but don’t get paid for: tutoring a struggling student after class, looking for a child who comes out of the classroom hungry, or lending an ear to a child whose home life unstable.

Annaise Oge, a science teacher at North Miami High School, has been in the classroom for more than 10 years and says that while she is doing well, others around her are not.

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“Work is changing,” he says. I think that contributes to the teacher shortage that we have now everywhere.”

In 2022, the Black teacher retention rate was 22%. The 2024 State of the American Teachers survey said that black teachers are more likely than white teachers to say they plan to leave their jobs at the end of the year.

With such stress, it’s no wonder teachers look to the holidays as an opportunity to relax and unwind. Experts say it’s a good time for educators to take a breather, take stock of their mental health, and prioritize self-care while enjoying the holidays.

Rest and recovery are especially important for Black teachers, experts say.

Are Our Teachers Right?

Studies have shown that having a Black teacher in the classroom can have a significant impact on students. White children learn to deal with diversity, while Black children find a teacher who understands their experience and can confirm how they define their Blackness.

Yet research shows that Black teachers make up only about 7% of that work, which is dominated by white women. As a result, Black teachers deal with the burden of being a minority in a predominantly white workplace at a time when many teachers are burning out and leaving the school.

“There are fewer teachers – fewer teachers,” Oge tells Word In Black. “What does that mean or look like in your classroom? Does it mean you can have more children? Could it mean that you teach more than one subject in your course? I think, in general, the children are happy. I think teachers are more frustrated. ”

Practicing Good Manners

Gregory Scott Brown, mental health expert and author of The Self-Healing Mind, says teachers who struggle with depression, burnout or loneliness should prioritize self-care. That includes setting limits for themselves and others by limiting the commitments they may be tempted to make during the holidays.

“Self-care is something that should be planned into our lives, ideally every day,” says Brown. “You don’t need to spend an hour in a fancy club getting a massage. You can walk for 15 minutes if the weather is nice outside or take 10 minutes to meditate.”

She says even changing the way you walk when socializing or Christmas shopping can help.

“That’s something that can stress a lot of people during the holidays — this pressure we put on ourselves to give the right gifts,” says Brown. .“One thing I’ve personally done over the past few years that has been really helpful for me is to try to limit the amount of gifts I give and instead send cards or notes that very good for people.”

In addition to putting your attention first, Oge recommends using small, inexpensive ways to breathe. That can mean exercise, hobbies like knitting or yoga, and volunteering.

“I’m going to be doing things in the community outside of work, so I think that helps as well,” says Brown.

One of Oge’s biggest recommendations is to take a break when you need it, no matter what. And leave homework at school — avoid working during breaks, he says.

Brown says it’s also helpful for teachers to get involved in their own creativity and document what they’re doing it won’t do it in your spare time – and stick to it.

“The last thing, which I’ve recommended over the years, is to make a list of things you shouldn’t do,” says Brown. “I think teachers especially have a knack for making to-do lists, so if you’re a good to-do list person, people often find that checking off things they haven’t done is give more time to do things. such as self-care. ”