The Teacher's Guide to Self-Care: Build Resilience, Avoid Burnout, and Bring a Happier and Healthier You to the Classroom

by Sarah Forst

Practical Self-Care Solutions for the Busy Teacher
Do you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and stressed-out much of the time? You’re not alone! But teaching doesn’t have to be this way. Practicing self-care is critical to building resilience and creating a sustainable career as a teacher. In this book, you’ll learn what self-care is and why it’s so important for teachers. Whether you’re a brand-new teacher preparing for your first year in the classroom or a veteran educator realizing you need to take better care of yourself, The Teacher’s Guide to Self-Care will help you create the self-care routines you need for a sustainable career. Plus, learn how to practice self-care while navigating additional responsibilities, such as parenting, graduate school, and a second job.

Leave the teacher-martyr complex behind and embrace a lifestyle that includes taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually while continuing to make a difference in the world.

The Teacher's Guide to Self-Care will help
•Assess your current self-care status
•Create a self-care plan
•Set boundaries
•Learn powerful affirmations
•Reflect and set concrete self-care goals
•Learn strategies for physical, emotional, spiritual, social, intellectual, vocational, and environmental self-care

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction

147 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2020

Reviews

[Kendra Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has something for everyone! It’s an easy read. Lots of practical tips for practicing consistent and sustainable self care! Really gave me many ideas of how I can better take care of myself. I highly recommend this for anyone in teaching or care profession! This would make a great Christmas gift for any and all teacher friends:)

[annabel johnstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in a day! I’m a UK teacher but was able to take away so many valuable lessons from this book. I think one of the biggest things was learning what self-care was not, and the things we do that we think is helping our mental state. Going into a new academic year it has given me plenty to think about and I will definitely be using the helpful reflection sections and scheduling templates to build more effective self-care into my life! Thank you Sarah Forst for writing this book!

[pia laplaca · Rating 1 out of 5]

i could’ve just googled self care

[Amanda Gilles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could give a 2.5/5 star ratting to be more accurate.

Forst only seems to have taught for a short time frame (less than 5 years) before her burnout, so I took some of her ideas with a grain of salt as I am gearing up for year 13 and felt she didn't quite have the experience to claim "burnout" as some of us who have been in the classroom longer. I found this book to be similar to others I have read, in that former/current teachers take an idea or a source of help and share it with others but in exchange for a buck-knowing full well current teachers are not banking buck.

I did find ideas sprinkled throughout her chapters to consider to try to help curb my burnout such as the "gratitude jar" or the way she broke down self-care into different categories making it easier to compartmentalize.

[DaisyAM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found one of the overall messages to be really helpful - ask yourself what are you giving up by giving so much to your job. However, a lot of it felt very repetitive. There were also specific issues I felt that were left out. Overall, I am thankful to have picked this up and picked up some new habits from it.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am glad I read this book over the summer and plan to dip in and out of it again and again throughout the school year. Sarah provides great ideas and ways to build self-care practices into schedules to support teacher mental health. I so appreciate the time she took to research and write this book and know it will prove helpful to me this school year.

[Rebecca Lloyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve slowly read this book over one semester of teaching. As a seasoned teacher, I found it to be a good reminder of taking care of yourself and not becoming a workaholic. Multiple times I thought this book would make a good gift for new teachers. Finding balance between work life and personal life is extremely important.

[Cheryl Fennewald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read of awareness for teachers! While not everything is reasonable for every individual, this book is packed with permission to both love yourself and be a great teacher, and offers suggestions for doing so!

[Janice McQuaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was easy to read and the author was open as and honest about her struggle to balance teaching and her life. Everything in this book you’ve heard before, but it is organized in a very friendly approachable format. A perfect gift for any teacher whether it’s their first year or tenth.

[Candace Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I underlined many spots in this book for how it affirming different kinds of struggles and options for healing. My one critique would be that the end of the book felt quite sudden rather than a conclusion or set of implications for the book.

[ikhia Moore]

Great for new/student teachers.

[Steffi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good ideas in there, but I found it a bit too US-focused and repetitive.

[Ashley Lynn O-K · Rating 5 out of 5]

My anti-depressant, before my anti-depressant.

[Hope Watkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was helpful. It basically emphasized the importance of self care. However, the author doesn’t even teach anymore so that put me off a bit..

[Sam Spero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was extremely helpful and realistic. Good for first year teachers

[Charlotte Gutierrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in a day! Very easy to read and digest. Helpful practical tips to help teachers maintain their sanity throughout the school year.

[John Bray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A godsend for any working woman

This book is thoroughly researched and full of practical tips
I love the authors honest open approach to this important subject
It’s a must read for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed .

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think every teacher/educator should read this book. It helps you to better understand that self-care is not being selfish.

[Deja Gautreaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great read for ALL teachers! It was an easy read and had awesome and realistic tips for building self care in the crazy teaching world! Highly Recommend!!

[Andrea Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that teachers need. If you are anything like me, you need it multiple times! Great reminder that we too are human and our health and families should always come first.