Shining Brighter than Burnout Tosca Grimm

Shining Brighter than Burnout! Tosca Grimm - tgrimm@stpetersedina. org Amy Solie – asolie@stpetersedina. org 1

Objectives • Identify positive strengths and sources that fuel passion as an effective educator • Identify sources that can lead to educator burnout and disengagement with the field • Create an action plan for continued focus on identified strengths and passions, to promote longevity and satisfaction as a quality educator 2

Burnout is. . . • burnout [bern´out]: emotional and physical exhaustion resulting from a combination of exposure to environmental and internal stressors and inadequate coping and adaptive skills. In addition to signs of exhaustion, the person with burnout exhibits an increasingly negative attitude toward his or her job, low self-esteem, and personal devaluation. • Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. 3

Average rate of turnover in early care & education programming in the US = 25 -40% ANNUALLY! Porter, N. (2012, August 17). High turnover among early childhood educators in the United States. Retrieved from 4 http: //www. childresearch. net/projects/ecec/2012_04. html

Experience is also a key factor of retention. Past studies suggested that ECE & SAC practitioners who had more experience working in the field were more likely to stay in the field (Holochwost et al. , 2009; Whitebook & Sakai, 2003). Motivation for ECE and SAC work, such as their perception of the work as a career, profession, or a personal calling, also served as an important predictor of intention to stay (Torquati et al. , 2007). Their view of their job as emotionally and ideologically rewarding sometimes contributes to their decision to stay in spite of the socially low status of the profession (Murray, 2000). Porter, N. (2012, August 17). High turnover among early childhood educators in the United States. Retrieved from http: //www. childresearch. net/projects/ecec/2012_04. html 5

Burnout’s Reason Our early childhood program opens at 6 a. m. and closes at 6 p. m. One day, everything went wrong. A child tried to put underpants down the toilet. The keys to the kitchen were lost. The milk was sour. The sprinklers went off while the children were playing on the lawn, and there weren’t enough dry clothes for everyone. Two children vomited on the carpet later in the day and had to be sent home. It was just a rotten day. One mother called and said she would be late. The teacher who usually closed was ill, so the director had to stay. It had been a crazy-packed 12 -hour day, and she was tired. She held the child in her lap in a rocking chair to wait. When the mother finally arrived, she looked at the director and said, “Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a job like yours where I could sit all day and rock, relaxing with the children. ” —Docia Zavitkovsky, Listen to the Children • http: //www. naeyc. org/files/tyc/file/How_to_Reduce_ Stress_and_Beat_Burnout. pdf 6

Why is our Passion Important? “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. ” ~Maya Angelou https: //www. mentalhelp. net/articles/early-childhood -emotional-and-social-development-identity-and-selfesteem/ https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=p 9 Pjrtc. HJPo 7

ACTIVITY #1: Think of yourself as the cup. Decorate it to represent yourself. https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=K 7 KMRBoq. QUg https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=3 f. Uv. YUp. ICW 4 8

What Fills You? Perhaps, things that: • Make you excited • Make you happy • Make you energized • Seem clear and focused • Feel relaxed • Feel productive 9

What Empties You? Perhaps, things that: • Make you tired • Make you sad • Make you angry or frustrated • Seem confusing/misunderstood • Feel stressful • Waste your time 10

Fillers and Emptiers Share with your partner or table mates: What is a specific example of a filler and an emptier in your work as an educator? 11

Fillers & Emptiers • “Fill my cup” identifiers – put on slips of paper and put into the cup (as many as you can think of!) • “Empty my cup” identifiers – for each one put on a slip of paper and also take out one “positive fill” paper from your cup. Put both of those slips in your plastic bag (symbolizes your “baggage” – and, everyone can see your baggage through the clear plastic!) • Share with your partner/group what you are discovering – share your 3 biggest “fillers” and your 2 most influential “emptiers”. Do you have any that match each other’s? 12

ACTIVITY #2: Journal Page – Webbing to unpack the fillers and emptiers 13

Filler Web • Write in 1 to 3 of your biggest filler in the web center – “web out” to show the positive benefits, results, and subsequent fillers from focusing on those positive elements. • If you have additional “positive results” that are fillers you didn’t think of before, please write those onto more slips of paper and fill your cup! Empty Web • • Write in 1 to 3 of your biggest emptiers in the web center – “web out” to show the negative effects, results, and subsequent emptiers from focusing on those negative elements – resulting in additional challenges or burnout symptoms. Place any last emptier slips in your plastic bag. You want them OUT OF YOUR CUP’S WAY! 14

Emptier Web Example Dr copays Less sleep Sick kids Miss work Emotional toll 15

Filler Web Example Enjoy children’s reactions Can share about book with parents Reading with toddlers Creates a calm classroom Makes me smile 16

ACTIVITY #3: Journal Page ACTION PLAN – Create three action steps to move your focus toward the fillers – actions you can pursue at work, self-care, creative strategies, etc. 17

ACTION PLAN Write down IMPORTANT TASKS toward filling your cup – and keeping it full! 1. Action steps description 2. How close are you today to achieving this? 3. Are there items needed or a cost to accomplish your goals? 4. Timeframe/Due date and what are your desired results? BE SPECIFIC & REALISTIC! https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ZP 95 wwp. Om 9 s 18

Shiny Playlist • Britt Nicole: Gold https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=p 9 Pjrtc. HJPo • Owl City: Shooting Star https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=K 7 KMRBoq. QUg • Echosmith: Bright https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=3 f. Uv. YUp. ICW 4 • Owl City: Verge https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ZP 95 wwp. Om 9 s 19

Shining Brighter than Burnout Tosca Grimm — tgrimm stpetersedina