Teaching is a profession that requires constant consideration for, and monitoring of, others’ emotional well-being. Educators are often tasked with assisting students in acknowledging, validating, and regulating their emotions. When faced with a myriad of challenges every day themselves, educators may begin to experience intense emotions, feeling frustrated or drained by commonplace situations such as a parent who comes in to talk five minutes before class starts or the student who constantly talks back. These everyday occurrences can act as triggers that may lead individuals to act in ways in which they otherwise may not. The good news is that there are strategies educators can implement to help them in these trying situations.
Here are six tips to help educators identify their triggers, manage their emotions, and respond in more appropriate ways when confronted with challenges in the classroom.
What is a trigger?
A trigger is anything from a memory, experience, or event that leads to a heightened emotional state. Triggers can be people, places, things, smells, words, or even colors that cause an automatic emotional or behavioral response. Common situations that trigger intense responses that might occur in the classroom include unjust treatment, challenged beliefs, loss of control, disapproval, or criticism.
What are some typical responses to triggers?
When triggered, someone might feel a range of emotions including anger, disappointment, frustration, embarrassment, or sadness. These feelings might prompt individuals to act in ways in which they otherwise would not, including engaging in a debate or argument, saying things they might later regret, freezing up in fear, or leaving the situation altogether. These typical reactions can be categorized as freeze, fight, or flight responses. It is important to know how to identify triggers and manage responses. Consider the following tips to support you in this work.