Enjoy A Results Day Reset

Welcome to The Flourishing Teacher’s Field Guide.

It might still be the summer holiday, but here in the UK it’s A-level and BTEC results day, with GCSE results just around the corner.

It’s a stressful day for students, but it can be easy for us teachers to let these days take a chunk out of our holiday peace too, especially if we’re responsible for managing courses or tutor groups.

So, although we’re still very much enjoying the holiday vibe here at Marigold Central, we’ve put together a short, fun resource to help you remember the crucial 3-step process for taking the anxiety out of results day, whatever the outcomes.

It’s time for a Results Day Reset…

I still find it hard to stay relaxed leading up to results days, and I know that other teachers can often feel the same.

Sometimes it’s because I want the best for my learners and I’m stressing about their happiness, hoping they get what they deserve.

But more often than not, the root of my anxiety comes from worrying about my own reputation, capability and outcomes. I’m prone to working myself into a state of stress about how I’ve let everyone down, even though it never works out that way in reality.

The 3-Step Results Day Reset

To combat this, we’ve built a fun, interactive resource that takes you through these three vital steps to wellbeing. Here’s the logic behind it…

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings

Most importantly, you’ve got to take a moment or two on the day to acknowledge your emotions and to express how you’re honestly feeling. There’s no point hiding your emotions from yourself, and the sooner you admit how you’re feeling, the sooner you’ll start to reflect and gain some perspective.

If you’re feeling thrilled, fab. If you’re disappointed, let it come out. If you’re plain old worried, then that’s totally legitimate too - we’re all somewhere between those extremes. 

Our favoured means of self-expression in this situation? Find a GIF that matches your mood and own it!

2. Reflect On What You’re Proud Of

Whatever the day holds, your job is to focus on what you’re most proud of. For some of us, there’s lots of successes to celebrate, and for others, less so. But either way, identify the positives and write a short list of what you’re proud of, either in yourself, your learners or your community.

When we place our focus on the positive, we’re not ignoring the negative. We’re simply allowing the positives to be our focus, and working from a place of pride. 

It’s much easier to meet challenges if that’s our results day default.

3. Take Steps To Switch Off

Last of all, you need to shut down the computer and walk away. 

Results days bring a pressure to be available and to analyse and justify decisions that can leave us exhausted. So, when you’re done, make a clean cut, turn off the laptop and come back to those emails tomorrow. 

And as you do, acknowledge the need for your own wellbeing by doing things that bring you peace and pleasure.

The resource that you can download below takes you through this process in a fun way, and while we usually suggest you print our resources, you’re probably better off saving this one to your phone and then playing around with it on the social media platform of your choosing.

Here’s how Rebecca turned this resource into a great online story…

Here’s the free download for you. We’d love to see you share your GIFs, sentences and ticks with us on social media and find out how you took care of yourself on results day!

In next week’s special summer issue, we’ll share another unique resource to help you make the most of the last few days of your summer break - the holidays aren’t over ‘til the school bell rings!

Until then, remember, you’re more than your marking, your lesson observations and your planning.

You’re you. And that’s all you need to be.