Coping with Tensions

Education is a profession filled with tension. Pressures to help students achieve their potential come from all directions: political, parents, students, teachers, administrators, interpersonal, and intra-personal. The tensions experienced can result in two distinct paths. The first path may take teachers and administrators toward feelings of bewilderment, exhaustion, frustration, and ultimately burnout. The second path can result in rejuvenation. When on this path, tension can serve as a catalyst for change, improved communication, and improved student engagement and achievement. Coping with Tensions: A Catalyst for Transformative Change for Teachers and Administrators explores why some teachers, school leaders, and school organizations walk the path of bewilderment and disillusionment, while others choose the path of engagement.