Keeping Teachers Healthy!

The life of a teacher is a unique mix of lesson plans, departmental meetings, teaching, grading, parent-teacher meetings, classroom management, club advising, coaching, and competitions. When school is in session, it’s go, go, go! Throughout the chaotic school year, many teachers make their students a priority – sometimes at their own expense.

As do some in other professions, teachers often neglect their health during the hectic school day and throughout the school year. One difficult-to-deal-with consequence of that neglect may be unwanted weight gain.

Unlike other professions, teaching provides a summer break, a time for rest and rejuvenation. While teachers may pick up summer teaching, alternative employment, or work to maintain their accreditation, summer also is a time for teachers to refocus their energies on physical and mental health and well-being.

An oft-heard complaint from teachers is that the syllabi and lesson plans sometimes create more work than actually teaching the course. Creating a detailed course-curriculum is actually a boon for teachers looking to develop their own health, wellness, or weight-loss plan – and summer is the optimum time to do it!

As with any course, it begins with setting up objectives and goals. Some of these may be vague, but as you develop your personal “weight loss course,” you can begin to focus on some specifics.

With some achievable objectives in place, you can begin to look at activities to help you achieve those goals as well as creating a realistic timeframe in which to accomplish them.

You don’t have to do it alone, either. Weight loss experts can help you create a personalized “syllabus and lesson plan” for your weight loss goals. 

Now it’s time for your personal health education. With fewer duties and responsibilities, summer is a great time to ease into your “course.” Then you can adapt your syllabus and lesson plan to help you stay on track throughout the school year.

During the teacher workdays prior to the start of the school year, you can adjust to being back in the classroom and adapt your weight loss plan within the school building.

For example, you may be able to keep a small refrigerator in your office versus visiting the teachers' lounge. You can also evaluate the offerings of the vending machine, and examine the weekly and monthly breakfast and lunch menus for the school cafeteria. 

Just as you adapt your lessons to the learning speed of the children, or plan fewer classes due to natural disasters, you will also be able to adapt weight loss activities, goals and timelines when the unexpected occurs. The unexpected could be as simple as a teacher appreciation luncheon or a colleague who shares her birthday cake. 

As variable as your daily schedule can be, your weight loss lesson plan can be designed for these kinds of fluctuations.  

Regardless of the challenges within your school day, it is important to keep your health as a priority. When you do that, you are better prepared to handle any classroom situation that comes your way.