07 Dec Top Ten Tips for Teachers this Christmas
The Festive Season – a time that can be as manic as it is relaxing. Teachers, of course, will be looking forward to a well-earned rest this Christmas. But it can be tough to switch off from – and avoid catching up on – work. It might be good for you to shun your marking and instead plan for a proper break this year though…
The team at Academia have spoken to our clients and customers in Education and have come up with the definitive guide to helping our fabulous teachers relax and enjoy the holidays:
TIP 1: SLEEP IN FOR A FEW DAYS
The temptation is always to get up and not waste a moment of the holidays. This is even truer when you have worked hard up to the very end; it is hard to switch off. Force yourself to – switch off the alarm clock, do a deal with your loved ones, and sleep long, long into the first few days of the holiday – your mind and body will thank you.
TIP 6: DO NOT FEEL GUILTY
And do not feel guilty about it. You already feel guilty about your days off, when you know you will be doing nothing. You feel guilty that you are going away for Christmas Day itself – surely you could do some secret marking in the shed during the Queen’s Speech.
TIP 7: IN THE NICEST POSSIBLE WAY – AVOID YOUR COLLEAGUES
We love our colleagues at Academia and during work time we have a great time out sometimes. But… we always end up talking about work. So, holiday periods… sanitise your life and keep a space where colleagues do not enter. Before you start… refer to Tip 6.
TIP 8: TREAT YOURSELF TO SOMETHING
You do deserve a treat. You know you do. You work ridiculously hard and no, you do not get too many holidays. Buy something ridiculous that you have always wanted as a reward…you certainly deserve it.
TIP 9: DO SOMETHING FRIVOLOUS AND SILLY
There is nothing better for our well-being than doing something silly, frivolous – we would go so far as to say childish. Bounce off your bed whilst having a sword fight with empty wrapping paper tubes. Visit Santa at his grotto and get a present from an elf. Drink some eggnog and actually enjoy it. The festive frivolous actions start now
TIP 10: PRACTISE SMILING IN THE MIRROR
It is easy to forget to be grumpy. Turn off the teacher voice – partners don’t like it – We find making silly smile faces in the mirror for a while makes us take ourselves less seriously.
TIP 2: PUT THE WORK AWAY
The temptation is always to get up and not waste a moment of the holidays. This is even truer when you have worked hard up to the very end; it is hard to switch off. Force yourself to – switch off the alarm clock, do a deal with your loved ones, and sleep long, long into the first few days of the holiday – your mind and body will thank you.
TIP 3: FORGET YOU ARE A TEACHER FOR A WHILE
Be a human being again and stop trying to control everything. The Christmas preparations do not need a medium-term plan, with a short-term plan for the day itself. No one wants to be told to sit in the corner on Christmas Day.
TIP 4: FORGET YOU ARE A TEACHER FOR A WHILE PART 2
Don’t talk about Student X in Class A who does behaviour B, C and D. Put a swear tub in your house. When the names start popping out, your money starts disappearing. Donate the swear tub money to charity – maybe to a charity that works with people who can’t help but talk about their job?!
TIP 5: DO NOT CHECK YOUR EMAIL
Do you have your school email on your phone? Does it ping at regular intervals? Switch. It. Off. Go to settings. Got to Mail, etc. Click on your school email. Swipe the on/ off button to off. Put the phone down. Walk away until you forget you have switched the email off.
All in all… stop being a teacher, lavish treats on yourself and be a human being again. Maybe, just maybe, if you do this, you may just be recovered in time to start the Spring Term.
Whatever you do, make sure you have a great Christmas and a very Happy New Year
Season’s Greetings from all the team at Academia
