Back teaching after stress leave?

Question

Hello vacuumland,
Next week I'm going to be up in front of the class again after being off on stress leave and other medical problems. I've been back at the daily salt mine for a month now and am quite comfortable with being back. However, I'm not looking forward to delivering my first lecture on Tuesday. BTW I teach technical subjects to adults.

Anyone out there in vacuumland have any words of incouragement or any coping stratiges, the one I was given for the first day back helped quite a lot.

Answer 1

I also teach adults (ESL methodology). Any teaching job is difficult but also rewarding beyond just money.

Take the time you need to be healthy. Get plenty of exercise, plenty of sleep and eat well. Teaching requires a lot of energy but if done right you can get it all back again but you have to give it away before you get it back (and you don't always get it back right away or from the same people you give to, but you DO get rewards beyond money if you do give it away)

People don't always like being pushed towards learning (even adults, and even adults who have paid a lot of money for a course) but if you can do it with compassion, insight and humour then most people respond positively after the fact - and the few that don't will probably leave the biggest impression on you but you have to let that go and know in your heart that you did the best job you could and there is no better feeling.