Presentation Transcript

1. Presented By: Nevada Benton Special Programs Teacher, Haines High School

   Burn-Out Prevention: Ten Tips On How to Support Individual Student Need, Without Losing Yourself

2. What’s My Story Interned at CSU, Chico Taught 14 years of experiential education English at Pueblo Community College Fourth Grade in Metlakatla Haines High School
3. Commit The students we serve need the best and brightest teachers, and they need us to stick around. For ourselves, and for our students, we need to be creative, positive problem solvers who take action. Participants will leave with tips and resources on burnout prevention.
4. Determination & Focus
5. More Online Resources nevadabenton.com Transitions, a blog in support of the special education teacher Being a special education teacher is a challenging and rewarding job. On this blog you will find solutions and tips to best support your individual student needs, without losing yourself. Resources tab ASSEC 2013
6. Why is this topic important to you? My first week on the job Parents, husband, son
7. Ten Tips: Live a Balanced Life 1. Acknowledge it’s a difficult job 2. Identify relationship with work Identify greatest risk factors of burn out 3. Take care of physical self 4. Spiritual renewal 5. Refocusing on the rewards & successes 6. Use the four steps to take action Identify problem Set objectives Take action Track progress 7. Positive relationships 8. Setting boundaries with clear goals 9. Healthy escapes 10. Seek outside resources / experts
8. Tip 1Acknowledge it is a difficult job
9. Why do people leave the profession? Middle Management Administration Para-Educators Parents Students Stress Continual exposure to trauma / severe behavior
10. The List: Too Many, Too Much Admin out of town Lack of teacher back up Personality conflicts Co-workers not sped friendly Too big of a caseload Takes too much time to complete the job Too many overtime hours Not seeing your efforts paying off Constantly failing Students dropping out Student unexpected behavior Teen moms with inadequate skills OCS calls Identifying with the students hurt and not being able to do much about it Not having clear roles, not knowing what the job is or how to prioritize it Finding curriculum to meet individual student needs—failing, and try try try again Lack of resources, technology, updated curriculum, adaptive devices Homelessness Parents / students in denial about the capabilities of the student in the future Students involved with the law Students on drugs Students suicidal Wanting to teach but dealing with emergencies instead Inconsistent discipline among staff Managing staff when all is not well Documentation Inappropriate placements of students in classes that are too high Para’s who haven’t been placed where they can use their strengths Students who need supports that simply aren’t locally available such as full time OT or an institutional setting Transfer students See a problem that is so big that it is out of your control such as federal funding of schools No Child Left Behind. Is somebody getting left behind…..
11. Lions & Tigers and Bears! Oh No!
12. Take the first step, & know you aren’t alone!
13. Tip 1Acknowledge it is a difficult job Action Activity #1: Identify the most difficult thing about your job. Activity #2: Imagine a person you work with whom you have a difficult relationship with (parent, student, co-worker, admin) and imagine for a moment what it would be like to be them. Walk in their shoes for a moment. Activity#3: Take a self-assessment either on your handout or online at Mind Tools: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_08.htm
14. Score Interpretation MindTools
15. Tip 2:Identify Relationship with Work What is the area posing the greatest risk of wearing you out? Workload Control Reward Community
16. Tip 2:Identify Relationship with Work Workload Amount Intensity Demands Deadlines Unexpected events
17. Positive Steps Taken at HBSD Workload Adjust caseloads for equity Small caseloads Paperwork days Para-educator training Administrative & structural support for unexpected behaviors (PBIS) Say in what we teach & scheduling of students and staff
18. Tip 2:Identify Relationship with Work Control Amount of group decision making Shared authority Participation in organizational decision making Quality of leadership from administration / employees Freedom to follow professional judgment
19. Positive Steps Taken at HBSD Control The Guiding Coalition (Robert Marzano) Professional Learning Communities Support & freedom to implement new ideas / problem solve Involvement in para-educator evaluation tool revision Use own evaluations as a self- reflective tool
20. Tip 2:Identify Relationship with Work Reward Salary Recognition for achievements Perks – conferences, etc. Opportunity for promotion Amount of time doing tasks at work that you enjoy
21. Positive Steps Taken at HBSD Reward Stipend for continuing education and extra duties Allow to expand on duties that we love Provide freedom to set up systems to minimize portions of the job we are not so in love with Support of conference attendance Friday rolls and coffee
22. Community Open, honest communication Personal friendships at work Shared sense of purpose Tip 2:Identify Relationship with Work
23. Positive Steps Taken at HBSD Community Child Study Teams Underlying premise of everything we do and every decision we make: How can we serve each individual student need? Students receiving services in SPED as our collective caseload.
24. Tip 2Identify Relationship with Work Action Take a couple of minutes to write the greatest area of need improvement in one or all of these areas. Now be the solution. Imagine where you want to be, how do you want this to look? Be specific.
25. Tip 3:Take care of your physical self Eat nourishing foods Remind your self of the My Plate guidelines Plan ahead and prepare Finals week Progress monitoring IEP deadlines Drink water Recommendations from the Institute of Medicine Men drink 3 liters Women 2.2 liters Dehydrated just 2% results in feeling tired & weak Exercise Minimum of 20 minutes a day
26. Join a Community On-line In-Person Create your own Well & Fit http://wellfitcommunitychallenge.blogspot.com/
27. Tip 3:Take care of your physical self Action Plan ahead and prepare for stressful events: List times of the year when you tend to neglect your self care. During those times, try to have some healthy meals pre-cooked, your water bottle on hand and a date with a friend to exercise.
28. Tip 4: Spiritual Renewal Identify the sources of meaning & fulfillment in your own life. What is your sense of mission? What fuels your spirit?
29. Tip 4: Spiritual Renewal Action Create a collage and keep it on your desk or computer screen to remind and refresh your vision.
30. Vision “Why not go out on a limb? That's where the fruit is.” – Mark Twain Be present! Make a difference one step at a time.
31. Tip 5: Refocus on the Rewards & Successes Marzano Report Card Institute a gratitude journal
32. Marzano Report Card: Charting Growth
33. Tip 5: Refocus on the Rewards & Successes Action Turn to the person next to you and list every single benefit to your position, don’t hold back, any little positive thing, share.
34. Tip 6:Use the four steps to take action Identify Problem Set Objectives Take Action Track Progress
35. 4 Steps in Action:Personal Problem: Winter = Lack of exercise Objective: Set a minimum of 20 min. a day Take Action: Walk to work instead of drive Take your lunch break and use the weight room or walk around the school or stretch Track Progress: Log your exercise on loseit or 42goals or other online program Write in a journal Keep a list in a notebook
36. 4 Steps in Action: Professional Problem: Paperwork taking time away from teaching students Objective: Create system to expedite paperwork Standardize progress monitoring district wide Paperwork day – HIDE Create cheat sheet template Delegate photocopying, mailing, filing Training Take Action: Ask permission for a paperwork day Standardize your own progress monitoring Track Progress: Log your time spent on paperwork as opposed to teaching students.
37. Tip 6Use the four steps to take action Action Pick one of the problems you outlined in the areas of workload, control, reward or community to expand upon. Also create one personal goal. Consider the areas of exercise, nutrition or personal growth. Take a few minutes to plan putting the four steps into action:
38. Tip 7:Positive Relationships Complaint department is CLOSED Nurture your family relationships and make time to be fully present with them Likewise with the students, families and colleagues you work with
39. Tip 7:Positive Relationships Action Who are the positive people in your life? How can you be that positive person?
40. Tip 8:Setting Boundaries with Clear Goals Know what you want to accomplish, cut out anything that doesn’t directly contribute Limit overtime hours An emergency on your part doesn’t constitute an emergency on mine Be more efficient with time spent at work
41. Tip 8:Boundaries with Clear Goals “Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels Looking back at the years gone by….I don't know where I'm running now, I'm just running on Running on-running on empty Running on-running blind Running on-running into the sun But I'm running behind Gotta do what you can” - Jackson Brown 1977
42. Tip 9:Healthy Escapes Create a “Winter Bucket-List” Little celebrations
43. Tip 10:Seek outside sources / experts Don’t be afraid to use the outside experts Books Colleagues Administration Counseling Online communities Local community resources
44. Contribute Your Opinion:Special Education Burn-Out Prevention Survey To get the survey link: nevadabenton.com Email me: nbenton@hbsd.net The focus of the survey is to collect problem solving ideas to recruit and retain the best and the brightest teachers in SPED. The results will be posted on my blog by March 1, 2013. http://transitions.nevadabenton.com/ Take the survey to help pinpoint some of the burn out factors specific to Alaskan Special Education Teachers and, most importantly, collect great ideas which are already in place in some of our districts.
45. You Are the Change Thank you for all that you do.
46. References American Cancer Society. (2013, 01 19). 28th annual polar bear jump off. Retrieved from http://community.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=53339&pg=entry Browne, J. (1977). elyrics.net. Retrieved from http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/jackson-browne-lyrics/running-on-empty-lyrics.html Browne, J. (1977). Running on empty. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJYRtOPUonA DuFour, R., & Marzano, R. (2011). Leaders of learning: How district, school, and classroom leaders improve student achievement. Bloomington,IN: Solution Tree Press. Hanh, T. N., & Cheung, L. (2011). Savor, mindful eating, mindful life. HarperOne. Hill, D. (2011, November 26). Spedxpress:a resource for parents and teachers. Retrieved from http://www.spedxpress.com/2011/11/avoiding-teacher-burnout-in-special-education Leiter, M., & Maslach, C. (2005). Banishing burnout: Six strategies for improving your relationship with work. San Francisco, California: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Leiter, M., & Maslach, C. (2000). Preventing burnout and building engagement. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass Inc. Mind Tools Ltd. (n.d.). Burnout self-test checking yourself for burnout. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_08.htm N.M.(2011). The yellow brick road. (2011). [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://jodene.co.za/projectme/still-on-the-yellow-brick-road-project-me-day-447/ Norcross, J., & Guy, J. (2007). Leaving it at the office: A guide to psychotherapist self-care. New York: Guilford Publications. Top 10 challenges of special education teachers [Web log message]. (2012, February 1). Retrieved from http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2012/02/01/the-top-10-challenges-of-special-education-teachers/ The Earth Institute at Columbia University. (2009, 07 17). [Asian Chemical Connections]. Retrieved from http://www.icis.com/blogs/asian-chemical-connections/2009/07/ Tornado facts. (2011, november 25). Retrieved from http://tornado-facts.com/ WB movies online. (Producer). (1939). The wizard of oz: Lions and tigers and bears. [Web Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NecK4MwOfeI