TeacherGoal #27: How to Tackle Teacher Guilt without Quietly Quitting with Caitlin Smith

Learn to be so graceful and compassionate with yourself, just the same way that you're with everybody else. In this episode, Caitlin Smith breaks down amazing strategies for removing guilt and stress from the teaching process. She encourages educators to talk about their mental health struggles with others to normalize the conversation and destigmatize professional help. Caitlin shares tips to identify all the stressors that are piling up and how to work on them to prioritize your own wellness and self-care. Let's dive in!Caitlin is a former teacher with over ten years of experience in North Carolina. She is the owner of How To Get Away With Teaching, LLC, a self-care brand that disrupts society’s expectations of teachers by prioritizing teacher mental health and wellness. How To Get Away With Teaching also provides mental health resources, mood-boosting wellness goodies, speaking engagements, and a subscription box curated as a reminder for teachers to prioritize themselves.Key Highlights: [00:01 - 08:34] Opening Segment• Why Caitlin created How to Get Away With Teaching• Strategies for prioritizing self-care and avoiding burnout in the classroom• The importance of setting boundaries and adhering to them[08:35 - 16:27] Take Care of Yourself• What you can do to maintain a healthy work/life balance• How burnout and demoralization are common experiences for educatorsPutting oneself first, gathering community, and challenging the teacher narrative is key[16:28 - 24:39] Strategies for Overcoming Teacher Guilt• What do you need to get rid of in order to be a good teacher? Always send yourself reminders about what is best for you and the kids• Prioritize your own needs and remove things from your plate that aren't beneficial• Naming and talking about what you're feeling guilty about can help you to move on from it[24:39 - 32:49] How to Combat Teacher Guilt• Teacher guilt is a common feeling caused by pressures we put on ourselves• There are several ways to combat teacher guiltJournaling and reframing the source of the guiltComplimenting oneself, and challenging one part of the routine[32:50 - 36:43] Closing Segment• How to get away with teachingHelping educators remove guilt and stress from their work livesLet’s Connect! Want to connect with Caitlin? Follow her on LinkedIn & Instagram. Head to How to Get Away with Teaching, and put yourself first!You can connect with our host Erica Terry on Instagram and LinkedIn. Be sure to check out her website https://www.ericanterry.comYou can connect with the TeacherGoals community on Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube, Instagram, and Twitter. If you'd like to engage in Q&A with our guests during the live interview or interact with a rockstar community of educators, then you definitely want to join the TeacherGoals Facebook group.