Return to School Anxiety? You’re Not Alone
The return to school is very much on teachers’ minds now. With just over a week of August left, it is almost inevitable that the new school year dread is coming into fruition.
It shows itself in different ways. For you, it may show itself in stomach churning, a weak bladder (that needs to be under control once term starts!), a racing mind, sleepless nights or even heart palpitations.
This article is here solely to tell you that you’re not alone.
This anxiety was something from which I did not escape. Each year, I’d fret and worry that I hadn’t done enough to prepare. I’d compare myself to others and wonder how much more I should have done. Over the years, I began to feel resentful of the prospect of school reappearing and taking over my life after the slow pace of the summer holidays.
Photo by Deleece Cook on Unsplash
In my final September start, I felt particularly sick at the thought of returning to school. My last full week of school had been back in June when I suddenly began having panic attacks and was signed off work for the remainder of the school year.
Although I had spent my first week of the summer holidays in school getting to grips with the classroom I hadn’t seen in a month (the carnage!), getting all of my resources together and trying to give myself a feeling of being on top of everything, I still felt the anxiety.
Would I cope with the workload?
How would my mental health stand up to the challenge?
What if I have forgotten how to teach??
And the anxiety doesn’t have to just come from the pressure that you put on yourself.
Social media is a source of inspiration, community…and comparison-itis.
There are teachers sharing their amazing holidays on social media.
There are teachers sharing their beautiful classrooms.
There are teachers sharing the work they have already done to preparation for September.
Seeing this may make you feel even more overwhelmed and anxious at the prospect of returning to school. It can make you feel small, ashamed and fearful of what others may think of you.
So, let me say this: you are not alone.
And anxiety doesn’t have to be your base state either. There are ways to reduce the anxiety you feel. Here’s three tips:
1) Be present
Anxiety can occur when your mind races and your thoughts spiral. You can feel lost. Slowing down your thoughts can make a huge difference. Focussing on your breathing and returning to the present moment helps to reduce that feeling of anxiety.
2) When ready, face the stress
Action may not seem like something you want to do in the moment of anxiety but if it addresses the cause of the anxiety or stress, it is often the next right thing to do. Start small and acknowledge your achievements, no matter their size.
3) Speak it out
When anxiety strikes, make sure that you speak to someone you trust and is a good listener. Often, you don’t need advice from someone; you just need to be heard. This is a great way to process and move forward.
If you’d like further tools and techniques that will help you to reduce the anxiety and return to school this September calm, confident and excited, join me on Wednesday 23rd August at 8pm BST for a Back to School Calm Masterclass. These tips are ones that I use myself (and wish I had known about when I was in the classroom!)