Optimizing Special Educator Wellness and Job Performance Through Stress Management

Jennifer has been a high school special education teacher of students with high-incidence disabilities for 5 years. She entered the profession because she was passionate about helping students. Early in her career, Jennifer was known as a talented instructor who easily bonded with her students and their parents. However, the stress of her job has gotten out of control. In addition to heavy instructional duties, she has a large caseload. Jennifer teaches two resource classes and four co-taught classes with three different general education teachers, who all have different classroom management styles and expectations for her role as a special educator. Due to the range of responsibilities, Jennifer feels she cannot fulfill the expectations of her position. She often struggles to keep up with the activities in her co-taught classes, as there is no common planning time. As a result, Jennifer spends most evenings and weekends planning and preparing lessons and updating caseload paperwork. She has a scarcity of leisure time and often declines invitations to spend time with family and friends. Despite her efforts, Jennifer feels her performance is subpar and disappointing. During the school day, Jennifer is fatigued and unfocused, a drastic contrast from the bright, enthusiastic educator she was when she entered the profession. Until last year, she never missed a day of work. This school year, however, Jennifer has used all of her available sick leave. She frequently complains of stomachaches and headaches. Jennifer's physician has been unable to determine the source of her symptoms and has suggested these were the result of chronic stress. She has advised Jennifer to learn some ways to manage her stress more effectively and therefore improve her wellness. Eric has been a teacher of students with behavioral and learning disabilities for the past 2 years at an urban middle school with many at-risk youth (e. g., economic disadvantages, high-crime neighborhoods). He chose to work at this particular school after having rewarding experiences as a mentor to adolescent males. He works with a team of content-area teachers who rely on him to co-teach math, language arts, science, and social studies. In addition to instruction and casework, Eric also is the only male teacher on his team. Other teachers rely on him to address many issues specific to adolescent males. Eric generally has excellent rapport with his students, but lately he feels overburdened. He is discouraged by some of his students' chronic behavior problems, struggles outside of school, and repeated academic failures. Eric believes that despite his efforts, he has made little difference in his students' outcomes. Lately, Eric's otherwise fun-loving and easygoing personality has been replaced by one with unpredictable mood swings and extreme irritability. Though a proponent of health and fitness, he has stopped exercising, has high blood pressure, and has less patience with his students as the school year progresses. Nightly, he sleeps less than 5 hours, because in addition to staying up late to prepare for the next day of classes, Eric's sleep is often interrupted as he tosses and turns all night. His doctor has warned him that he must make lifestyle changes and learn effective coping skills, if he wants to restore his health. Eric's physical and mental struggles started during his first year of teaching but improved after some time off during the summer break. That is when he resumed exercising, started sleeping better, and had stable moods. However, Eric's pattern of irritability and sleepless nights returned with the next school year. Halfway through the year, Eric is considering obtaining a general education content area certificate, as this would allow him to focus his instruction rather than divide energy across four subjects. In addition, despite his great relationships with his students, he wonders if he might reduce his stress by working at a different school. He enjoys serving as a male mentor but feels overwhelmed in his current setting and wonders if it is time to move on.