Burnout

Arch-Enemy

Standard

Merriam-Webster defines “arch-enemy” as “a principal enemy.”  The Online Etymology Dictionary provides more of a historical background for the term, which arose in the 1540s.

“Arch-” refers to “chief” or “first.”  “Enemy”  comes from Latin inimicus, which literally means “an unfriend.”

 

Every good superhero has an equally evil arch-enemy.  Superman has Lex Luthor. Batman and Joker.  It’s commonly held that a hero is only as good as his or her villain.  Check out this keen artwork picked up at Deviant Art!

First there’s DC:

dc archenemies deviant art

And then there’s Marvel:

marvel archenemies deviantart

Spiffy visuals, eh?

There’s even a fun quiz to see how many heroes and arch-enemies you can match.

Teachers also face arch-enemies, but who (or what) are they?

Depends on whom you ask.

For some, it’s the unprofessional treatment of professional educators.

For others, it’s “bad theory” and “convenient untruths” like learning styles and multiple intelligences.

We’ve talked before about both issues (click HERE and HERE for the former; or HERE and HERE for the latter). But this time let’s turn the focus on ourselves.

 

Sometimes a teacher’s worst enemy is himself or herself.

This past year, the Marvel Comics Universe featured a “Secret Empire” story in which Captain America was a sleeper agent for the nefarious Hydra. Say it ain’t so!

captain-americas-hydra-suit-revealed-on-the-cover-of-marvel-comics-secret-empire-01

It was all due to a personified Cosmic Cube girl messing with Cap’s mind. (Just go with it.)  Things all turned out okay and Captain America is back to his super-heroics, having punched himself in the teeth with Thor’s Mjolnir hammer.  Comic books – yay!

secret-empire-10-b

 

Steve Rogers is not the only iconic hero to face himself in battle. The film Superman III, despite all of its faults, has a nifty Superman vs. Clark Kent battle thanks to Richard Pryor’s home-brewed kryptonite.

Here’s a clip:

 

Hopefully, teachers don’t get so violent in confronting themselves. But we should be brutally honest in our self-evaluations.  Are we losing our passion? Are we giving our best? Are we informing our instructional decisions on sound research as opposed to the latest fad?

Let’s not get too down on ourselves. Everyone has a bad day. An “off week.” A challenging class of students – the kind that makes you earn your paycheck. Burnout is common, but treatable.

Regardless of setbacks or success, the best teachers are always getting better. Let’s look into the mirror to recognize strengths, pinpoint weaknesses, and grow the heroic abilities necessary to “fight the good fight” of educating kids.

 

 

 

 

Flame On

Standard

 

While Marvel Movies are chugging along with critical and commercial success, Marvel Comics have stumbled as of late.  The most glaring issue is “event fatigue,” with too many major event stories tripping over each other in attempts to be bigger and bolder than ever before!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here is a list of recent crossover mini-series/maxi-series.  Keep in mind that each of these involve 4-12 special issues, in addition to numerous tie-in issues happening throughout regular series.

  • Siege (2010)
  • Realm of Kings (2010)
  • Second Coming (2010)
  • Age of X (2011)
  • Fear Itself (2011)
  • Schism (2011)
  • Spider-Island (2011)
  • Avengers vs. X-Men (2012)
  • Age of Ultron (2013)
  • Infinity (2013)
  • Battle of the Atom (2013)
  • Original Sin (2014)
  • AXIS (2014)
  • Spider-Verse (2014-15)
  • Secret Wars (2015-16)
  • Avengers: Standoff! (2016)
  • Civil War II (2016)
  • Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy (2016-17)
  • Death of X (2016-17)

As one comic book store owner observes, “There are quite a few Marvel loyalists that have begun branching out and trying DC titles . . . possibly from Marvel event burnout.”

burnout

“Burnout” is a common issue faced by teachers, too, popping up in those loooong middle months or near the end of the semester.  Teachers may find themselves overwhelmed, frustrated, and missing a certain spark in the classroom.

Teacher burnout is frequently linked to stress, which can arise from many factors, summarized by Kyriacou (2001):

  • Teaching pupils who lack motivation;
  • Maintaining discipline;
  • Time pressures and workload;
  • Coping with change;
  • Being evaluated by others;
  • Dealings with colleagues;
  • Self-esteem and status;
  • Administration and management;
  • Role conflict and ambiguity;
  • Poor working conditions.

Stressors are specific to each individual teacher in his or her unique context.  Likewise, successful ways to deal with stress and potential burnout differ from teacher to teacher.  Even so, here are some strategies Kyriacou suggests:

  • Try to keep problems in perspective;
  • Avoid confrontations;
  • Try to relax after work;
  • Take action to deal with problems;
  • Keeping feelings under control;
  • Devote more time to particular tasks;
  • Discuss problems and express feelings to others;
  • Have a healthy home life;
  • Plan ahead and prioritize;
  • Recognize ones own limitations.

You can find plenty more burnout tips and tools everywhere–from research literature to cyberspace to your closest loving relative. Here are a few resources I’ve uncovered, with some of my favorite highlights (and comments):

4 Warning Signs of Teacher Burnout – “Teacher Burnout is a dark place, and only complaints can live there.”  (Sort of like the Negative Zone–tread lightly.)

3209433-negativezone

 

Reboot: 5 Resources for Teacher Inspiration – Read, share and create Ryan Gosling memes.  (A few of my favorites below.)

Ryan Gosling attending the ‘Blue Valentine’ Photocall during the 63rd Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France on May 18, 2010. Photo by Hahn-Nebinger-Orban/ABACAUSA.COM (Pictured: Ryan Gosling) 63rd cannes film festival – blue valentine photocall

 

Stop, Drop, and Roll With It: Teacher Burnout Prevention – “Finding a hobby that allows you to get away from education-related stuff is important.”  (This author even suggests playing video games – BONUS!)

videogame-chalkboard

 

And for all of you new teachers . . .

10 Tips for Surviving and Thriving in Your First Year Teaching – “7. Don’t Neglect Your Body: Sleep. Rest. Eat well. Exercise.”  and  “9. Catalogue Every Single Success in the Classroom: Write them down. Make lists of what’s going well.” (One of my mentors calls these “attaboys” or “attagirls,” and you should keep these in a box somewhere.  Or turkey.)

julia_turkey_tx800

Finally, here’s an inspirational quote I came across recently from master chef Julia Child, which reveals the right attitude:

“Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.”

Teachers, hopefully you are already passionate about teaching and learning.  And “keep that fire burning,” so to speak, by fueling your educator’s engine.

As my mother used to say, “In order to burn out you must first be on fire.”

And so as the Human Torch says, “Flame On!”

human-torch-kirby-flameon

 

Kyriacou, C. (2001). Teacher stress: Directions for future research. Educational Review, 53, 28- 35.