Overwhelmed?
I am hearing this word used more and MORE these days to answer the question, “How are you doing?”
I get it, especially for teachers!
The word “overwhelm” comes from a combination of the Old English word ofer meaning “beyond, past or more than” and the Middle English word whelmen meaning “to turn upside down”. (etymonline.com)
In the 15th Century, the word “overwhelm” came to be used to mean “to submerge completely” and probably was used to describe boats and other sea-going vessels that were “washed over and overset by a big wave”. (etymonline.com)
As always, word origins and etymology helps us gain insights and make connections that can possibly help us with solving problems and finding solutions!
Yay for the power of language!
But here is also a graphic, “picture”, that will help use see how the feelings and subsequent use of the word “overwhelmed” to describe these feelings has grown over time.
Amazing, huh, but not surprising given our current culture of technology, the internet, social media, etc.
Another way to help people understand a concept is to use a metaphor or analogy to which people can relate.
So, using the imagery of a boat sailing along on calm seas, and all of a sudden, a big wave comes and washes over it and the boat is now submerged, off course and struggling to “right itself” can be a powerful metaphor for the teacher to understand how they are feeling and, subsequently, how to manage the “vast ocean and rough seas” of teaching.
On any given day of the school year, teachers feel submerged and like they are drowning in an ocean of paperwork, emails, parent and admin demands, challenges of not having enough resources or support to do their jobs, not being appreciated enough and being criticized too much (sometimes quite viciously and inhumanely by parents).
Every day becomes an emotional roller coaster ride for teachers in the classroom.
And as in the real world, these roller coasters are becoming higher, more complicated and more scary to endure for more than a few minutes.
This submerged, drowning feeling like they are all alone in a little boat in a vast ocean of rough weather, rough seas and no help in sight is causing many teachers to send up an S.O.S. signal of despair, disappointment and disillusionment.
Other teachers are just jumping ship altogether.
So. what can we do to help teachers “right their boats” (a boating expression used to describe the process/action of turning the boat right side up after it has capsized)?
But more importantly, what can teachers do to not get overwhelmed and capsize? How can they navigate the rough seas of teaching for more “smooth sailing” ahead?
Warning: there is a big wave of sailing metaphors ahead, but don’t jump ship yet! Read on… (more…)
