Teachers of Reddit, I’m a college student taking classes to finish up my education degree and one of my assignments ask me to have an interview with a practicing teacher about self-care and reflection. While I would like to ask local teachers, I know quite a few of them on a personal level and don’t want to get off topic with them. So please, I will take as many answers as possible, while this information will be shared with my teacher and classmates, your names will not be added nor will the teacher know that this is a reddit conversation, unless she had reddit herself.
1. When did you first realize self-care was important in your role as a teacher?
2. How do you decompress after a challenging day in the classroom?
3. How would define self-care in the context of teaching?
4. What are some everyday habits you use to manage stress during the school day?
5. How do you set boundaries between your professional and personal life?
6. What are the biggest stressors you face, and how do you cope with them?
7. How do you recognize when you’re feeling burned out and overwhelmed
8. How often to you take time to reflect on teaching practices?
Can you describe a time when reflection led you to change your approach in the classroom?
How do you use feedback (from students, peers, or administrators) as part of your reflection process?
Are there any school policies or cultures that make self-care easier or more difficult
What kind of support from administration, colleagues, or community help you maintain self-care?
What self-care strategies would you recommend to new teachers just entering the profession?
What is one mistake you made early on regarding self-care or reflections, and what did you learn from it?
If you could change one thing about how teachers approach self-care, what would it be?