Year End Stress – and How to Survive it…
It happens every year – and I still get caught off guard by it. Year End Stress Syndrome. Everyone with in a school is affected. You can’t avoid it. For teachers and staff it’s the extra pressure of government exams, celebrations, awards, reportcards/IPPs, cleaning up/packing up for summer, doing inventory, basic planning for September, saying good bye to some colleges and students, and trying to deal with these now irrational beings you’re trapped in a cage with.
For students it’s a result of the holidays about to arrive (who wants to think about school when you can think about the time off!) , pressure of the looming final exams and report cards, hormones, the impending loss of structure in their lives, and the huge change that will be hitting them next year as they enter a new grade (and some times school).
It is an odd phenomenon – filled with moments of sorrow and morning, a long with cheer and celebration. It’s like adding a wedding to a funeral. And the whole school population has to attend. No wonder it feels like a month long full moon…
So the question is how do you survive it? Just like you would any stressful situation. First you need to recognize it. Figure out that you’re stressed to the max, as are everyone around you. This will help you forgive both yourself and others for the month of mistakes you’re about to make. I can’t tell you the number of arguments I’ve seen (and possibly had) between staff and students of the most minor of things….
Next in this, the craziest time of year – filled with the most work we have you need to find time for yourself. Preferably every day. Even for 30 minuets. Read a book. Watch a movie. Spend time with your friends and family. Personally I’m hosting a party where a bunch of us will eat meat, drink fermented grains, and watch grown adults battle it out to see who is the most superior athlete. Just a chance to blow off some steam, and get our heads back into the game.
Finally – you need to hold on tight with both hands and weather the storm. Don’t be afraid to apologize when you mess up, and remember – when people are as stressed as they are during Year End they may forget to apologize to you. It happens. You can either internalize it and add the weight to the mountain that’s already threatening to bury you, or choose to let it slide (yes I know, easier said then done) and keep your head above water and in the game. Just remember – no matter what it’ll all be over soon, and you can take some much needed and earned holidays.
Enjoy your summer everyone! If you make it that far… 
Excellent post Dr. Shane,
I typically spend some time with a couple of my buddies, Mr. Jim Bean and Mr. Jack Daniels. Occasionally I head south to Corona to visit Mr. Jose Cuervo as well
(Just kidding).
Seriously though, I’ve found a couple strategies that are in my own control which often help me out during the school year when I’m stressed. What I’ve realized is that when I’M stressed, the kids seem ‘worse’, and I haven’t quite figured out if they’re not actually worse and it’s actually my perception only that’s changed, or whether they can sense my shorter-than-normal fuse and become more unglued themselves as a result. Therefore, I try to start with myself and work my way outward – stress is only stress if you choose to feel it. Of course it’s not always that easy, but it does help reminding myself of that sometimes. Anyhow, on to the strategies:
1) Fool myself. The whole mind-body-emotions connection is amazing, and I’ve read that when a person physically moves their mouth into a smile, endorphins are released. So when I’m in a lousy, tired mood first thing in the morning before th kids walk in the classroom door, I put the biggest fake grin on my face and hold it for at least 60 seconds. At the same time, I tell myself “I feel great! I love my job! I’m in a great mood!” (you get the idea). Honestly Mr. G, this really works. Sometimes the emotion can affect the mind and the physical response, and other times I need to kick start those emotions first with the physical response and the mind. If you look in the mirror while you’re doing this, just the fact that you’re watching yourself smile a huge fake smile in the mirror should, if nothing else, give you a chuckle.
2) Enter report card marks/comments during the term, not the weekend before they’re due. I’ve only managed to do this a few times in my career, but the results have been great. I’ll mark a math assignment/test and immediately put in an achievement level and at least one sentence of a comment into the report card. Do this enough throughout the term, and when it comes to doing the final report cards you realize that 30% of your work is done! It’s a beautiful thing! Finding time to force yourself to do this on the fly is another thing…
Anyhow, those are two things that work for calming myself down. As far as helping students deal with their own fatigue/excitement with year end, I find that keeping them in their routines and even doing project work is nice. I find myself reading a novel to students a lot as they work (quietly) or doing other things with them that by design involve ‘peaceful concentration’ if you will. In my experience, the half-day movies in class and the soccer baseball games usually have the opposite effect. If you expect them to not work and be crazy, they will be. Keeping them busy with interesting but ‘peaceful’ (read: quiet) work is something that not only the teacher likes, but the kids also like it too.