There is something about teaching that seems to bring out my inner sloth. Especially in the winter: the days are long, the workload is heavy and the kids are exhausting. Added to that, classrooms tend to either be arctic in their climate with ineffective heating and wind howling through gaps in the windows, leaving you longing for your duvet, or they contain giant radiators that lull everyone into a soporific haze of oppressive heat and child sweat. Either way, I leave the building at the end of the day dreaming of blankets and wine and maybe a bit of Netflix to jolly the marking along.
It’s not exactly conducive to keeping active, which is a shame because the more active you are, the more energy you seem to have, and an energetic teacher tends to inspire enthusiasm in their class.
But there are a few ways for teachers to up their activity without too much effort. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, wanting to improve your fitness levels or just trying to haul yourself out of a slump, these could be worth a try.
Think about your movement at work
Could you stand instead of sitting for whole class teaching? You couldn’t pay me to stop cosily sharing a book with my class on the carpet at the end of the day, but standing to read can be fun, especially if you act out the story and encourage your pupils to join in. Could you move around the classroom instead of asking children to come to you? Walk around the playground during break duty instead of shivering in your anorak and hugging your coffee as footballs whistle past your ears like missiles? The tiny changes all add up.
Run an active club
Some schools ask their staff to run an extra-curricular activity. Your heart may belong to the cosy tranquillity of colouring club, but something a bit more lively will improve your energy levels. Circuit training, running, dance…the possibilities are endless.
Join in
Schools promote health by encouraging pupils to be active, so join in with the kids. If you’re teaching PE, get stuck in and demonstrate or join in yourself. If your school has a “walk a mile” scheme in the playground, make sure you walk that mile with your class. If you don’t mind giving up 15 minutes of your lunch break, join the children in the playground for a kick about. They love it when teachers join in so it will improve your pupil relationships as well as your fitness.
Investigate the gym
This is a bigger lifestyle change but can still fit into your working day with a bit of planning. Check out local leisure centres and gyms and see what they can offer you - some do cheaper memberships for teachers and others have special prices for swimming or classes taken during off peak times. If you don’t have any meetings and prefer to work from home when you’re not teaching your class, you can avoid the 6pm gym crowds by getting there a couple of hours before office workers finish work. Or perhaps you could fit in an early morning swim before you start work.
Know when to rest
Teaching is hard work and it’s just as important to know when to give yourself a break. When I was an NQT, I ended up off work with pneumonia for six weeks because I was ill, tired and a total gym addict. Making yourself unwell or exhausted is counter productive, so don’t abandon the duvet and Netflix sessions completely. Everything in moderation.
Lisa Jarmin is a freelance writer
