Categories
Articles

Table of Contents

Introduction

Objectives of this Resource Guide

Background

Organization of this Guide

Letter from Bob Chase, President, National Education Association

Section I – Stress 101: A Primer on Stress for School Employees

Why Should We Concern Ourselves about Employee Stress in Schools?

What is Stress?

What are the Symptoms of Stress?

Section II – Violence and Schools: Separating Myth from Fact

Statistics on School Violence

Violence Against Teachers: Are Schools Safe Places to Work?

Statistics on Violence Directed at Teachers

School Practices/Policies Related to Safety

Section III – Reducing Violence-Related Stress in Schools

Violence-Related Stress for School Staff: 4 Most Critical Stressors

What Can School Employees Do as Individuals to Reduce Stress?

Stress Busters

What Can School Systems Do to Reduce Stress?

Stressor 1: Feeling isolated and/or powerless.

 

    • Build/sustain peer connections by providing intern programs, providing mentoring programs; designating teacher leaders; and organizing teaching teams.
    • Involve teachers in decision-making.
    • Provide recognition.
    • Provide performance incentives that increase cooperation rather than foster competition.
    • Build/support effective community involvement in schools.

     

    Stressor 2: Lack of training and/or skills needed to identify and address students’ behavior that is potentially problematic.

     

      • Build and maintain partnerships between schools and post-secondary schools of education and other post-secondary education institutions for pre-service and in-service training.
      • Provide experiential learning and classroom simulation in pre-service and in-service training.
      • Recognize and utilize existing expertise among school staff for in-service training and workshops.
      • Develop and maintain school/community partnerships for access to community-based training and consultation resources.

       

      Stressor 3: Lack of clear expectations and lack of classroom and school-wide management to meet those expectations.

       

        • Develop clear, concrete, school-wide (i.e., for all classrooms and for all non-classroom school settings) expectations for student behavior.
        • Effectively communicate expectations regarding discipline and student behavior to everyone in the school community.
        • School leaders and administration must support school staff whenever they take action that is within school guidelines and/or policy to respond to student behavior or discipline problems.
        • Identify/research best practices for your (i.e., the teacher’s or the school’s) particular needs.

         

        Stressor 4: Fear of verbal, emotional or physical intimidation.

         

          • Training/participation in violence prevention programs.
          • Provide a realistic assessment of risk and facilitate adequate, accurate communication among school personnel, parents and others.
          • Maintain school safety and crisis response plans and procedures.
          • Create/maintain partnerships with law enforcement, mental health and other community-based agencies and personnel.

           

          Section IV – Recommended Resources

          School Violence Prevention Resources

          Resources for Developing School Policies

          Resources for Building Parental Involvement and Community Partnerships

          Classroom Management/Student Discipline Resources

          Resources for Mental Health Following a Crisis

          School Violence and School Mental Health Information/Technical Assistance Centers

          Relevant Resources from the NEA Professional Library

          References

          Project Advisory Group