In the world of education, it is so easy to find ourselves replaying moments and experiences in our heads over and over. I am constantly overthinking and reflecting on what I have seen, said, heard, or did throughout the day. If I have a negative situation sometime during my day (or before/after), I will take it home with me and think and think and think about it and what I could've done or said to make it better.
That's when I got to thinking....how do I reframe these negative situations? I did a little research for a podcast that discuses this, and I came across Angela Watson's podcast. What stuck out to me the most was that she validated feelings and experiences that I, and many other educators, have, and she provided strategies and skills to help for when it may happen again.
Watson provided scenarios with examples for how to reframe the situation. This is so incredibly helpful for those, including myself, who just don't know how to break that downward spiral. The situations include:
- A Parent yells at you on the phone and says you're calling their child a liar by accusing them of something they didn't do.
- I have a couple of students whose emotions are volatile. I find myself anxious whenever I know their class is coming. Sometimes they are completely fine, but other days they are totally disruptive.
- I'm so overwhelmed with class size, students with IEPs that need so much extra support but get little, etc. that I end up snapping at various students during the day. Often they are sweet kids who just want me to look at what they made, and so on but I snap at them. Then I feel sorry, ashamed, guilty, and beat myself up the rest of the day.
- The state in which I live and teach had a teacher strike 2 years in a row. It was a very emotional journey. Support from family, friends, and the community was mixed. I still feel like my profession is under attack and it has caused a lot of anxiety.
Check out her podcast for some great advice and support in reframing negative situations!
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