INTRODUCTION
©️2022 by Solution Tree Press
Mrs. Newbacker needed a large coffee today. As she climbed out of bed and got ready for work, she was fighting off the tethers from a late night of grading papers. The crisp air nipped gently as she stepped outside and opened her car door. She felt a slight sting on her face, but it was nothing compared to the stress and anxiety she felt as she thought about her classroom. She was seeing a range of issues from her students, and she was struggling with how best to support them. There was Martin, who was always exhausted in the mornings because of having to stay up late tending to his baby sibling. There was Carly, a bright, overachieving perfectionist who, if she made one little mistake, would repeat negative self-talk to herself about her abilities. There was Matty, who lived in a hotel, and whose favorite pastime was making rude comments to his peers, and also Josie, who struggled with learning disabilities and who was mocked by her classmates, despite Mrs. Newbacker’s efforts to stop the bullying. Each day, it was a toss-up regarding when, not if, students would argue or yell at each other. Drama among students constantly interrupted her teaching, and all of it was creating a chaotic classroom and making teaching difficult. Sometimes, she was elated if she finished just one lesson plan. Mrs. Newbacker knew she needed stronger classroom management, but it was hard to enforce rules when students came to school beleaguered by their home lives. It was difficult to develop structure while also helping students navigate the stressors they faced. She had worked out a flowchart that reflected best practices in classroom management, but she often found it hard to discipline a student who she knew was dealing with significant life trauma. Sometimes she let it go, and other times she felt like she was being harsh. It was exhausting, and Mrs. Newbacker wasn’t alone. Lunch in the staff lounge was often filled with fatigued teachers sharing their frustrations and strategies. 1
