Sports, fun and love keep teachers in shape
How do you stay strong and energetic later in your career, as the body ages? Two in their sixties and one in their late fifties share their secret.
image: Fred van Diem
He retired last summer at 66 years and three months. But when his school board asked him to do another few weeks of disease replacement, he didn't hesitate for a second. Jaap Scholtens from Lelystad worked for 42 years as a teacher of geography, social studies and religion in secondary education and enjoyed teaching all that time. This job satisfaction was not always at the highest level, says Scholtens. "But when I started a counseling course on my own initiative fifteen years ago, it gave me a lot of energy and I also started teaching differently." Counseling is an accessible way of providing care in which the care provider works non-directive and lets the client discover for himself how to solve his problems. Scholtens: “As a teacher you can transfer knowledge, but you can also teach students to look for that knowledge themselves. Students will then see you more as a co-player and not as an opponent who tries to force something on them. Because you don't have to compete with students, you can last much longer as a teacher. ”
Jaap Scholtens (67), teacher of geography, social studies and religion: "If you don't have to compete with students, you can last much longer."
Powerlifting
Willie Heuser (63), teacher at the JF Kennedy School in Dordrecht, also feels that she can handle her job well. Her sport could be to blame for that, she thinks. Ten years ago she came into contact with powerlifting and eventually bodybuilding through the gym. "People often think that bodybuilding is all about strength and muscle mass, but it is much more about elegance, training and the right body-muscle mass ratio."
I am actually constantly working on my health
Heuser is top Dutch in her age category, but she is also working hard worldwide. In November last year, she came first in the 60+ class and third in the 50+ class at the World Bodybuilding Championships in Las Vegas. To reach that level, she had to train hard and often, almost daily. “In addition, I am actually constantly working on my health. I watch my diet, take enough rest and watch out that I don't get sick. ” And mentally? “I have the feeling that my sport allows me to put things into perspective. In addition, I can clear my head well when I am powerlifting at the end of the day. You are then doing something completely different. ”
Stir
While Willie Heuser and Jaap Scholtens have both been teaching the class for over forty years, Karin Kops-Dupuits (57) is a relative newcomer to education. For the first half of her career she was a flight attendant in Switzerland, she did reception work at the new age center Oibibio in Amsterdam and worked as a manager at D-Reizen and ABN Amro. “Until I saw the WTC towers collapse on September 11, 2001. That terrible event opened my eyes; I didn't want to sell hot air anymore, but I wanted to do something that really mattered. Given my study in translation studies, an English teacher seemed a feasible step. ”
I deliberately no longer dive into all kinds of committees that can cause me stress
Kops-Dupuits did a master's in English, followed by teacher training and then worked at a school community in Huizen and later in Hilversum. Three years ago she got burned out after three people close to her died shortly after each other. “Besides, I worked way too hard during that period. Eventually I got facial paralysis and ended up on sickness benefit. I always thought that I could do anything, but now I noticed that I could also 'break'. ” For Kops-Dupuits, that was the time to change course. “Since then I have been doing fewer projects and have reduced the number of classes. And, more importantly, I made more time for my parents' informal care and for my faith in God and the American-born Celebration Church of which I am a member and for which I also volunteer to translate. ”
English teacher Karin Kops-Dupuits (57): "My faith strengthens the love for my students."
Love
Faith, she says, gives her strength and thanks to the church she feels more love and connection with the world around her. “I have such a Bible app on my phone. Every morning I get to read a meditation. For example Psalm 1: 3 that God has planted us like trees by running water and those trees bear fruit and do not wither. When I 'take' such a reflection to work, I notice that I am a lot calmer and more confident in front of the class, and the students often feel that, which makes teaching easier. I don't always manage it and then a lesson in a busy class can be quite tough. But my faith strengthens the love for my students, so that I always find the strength and inspiration to keep going for it with pleasure. ”
After September 11, 2001, I no longer wanted to sell hot air
Scholtens agrees that students feel whether a teacher is teaching inspired and motivated. “That is precisely why it is so important that you look for your sources of inspiration. Why are you in the classroom? That prevents you from becoming a teacher and running your lessons on a routine, while the distance to the students only increases. " Together with career agency MV coaching, Scholtens has developed a training, vital teaching position. “This training responds to the individual needs of teachers. You know, teachers are highly educated people who can easily discover what they need for themselves. They often only need a little help and guidance and we give that to them in this course. ”
Disease
The fact that older teachers are retained for education is good for all parties, Scholtens believes. Of course for the teacher himself and for society for which the teacher shortage is becoming an increasingly pressing problem, but certainly also for students. “As an older teacher you have more experience with old age, illness and death and you may deal with them more easily than younger colleagues. For a student who loses a loved one, it is so important that he can talk about it at school. ”
Avoid becoming a teacher and repeating your lessons on a routine basis
During her career, Kops-Dupuits has seen many colleagues struggle with a burn or bore-out. “But I also have colleagues who really enjoy their work because they have a career besides school. For example, I know a geography teacher who is also a gardener and a German teacher who makes beautiful cakes to order. I think such a hybrid teaching position is something that you can maintain for a very long time. ”
Heuser advises colleagues to do things in the autumn of their careers that give them energy. “For me that is having fun with the children. I consciously no longer dive into all kinds of committees that can cause me a lot of stress. I also set clear boundaries. For me, the day ends at some point. Then I say to myself: Until here and no further, tomorrow is another day. ”
Read here more about arrangements that help you keep teaching up to retirement
