Have Patience Rabbi

As my children and current students grow, new students enroll and guess what? Everything changes... constantly.

That's right for teachers, patience is more than a virtue, it is a necessity for the job. Like most people, teachers especially Rabbis will have pet peeves and annoyances, probably more so than in most career choices. What I have observed is that individuals that are impatient can be seen as insensitive, arrogant, and hard to approach. They may also appear disinterested and have bad tempers. These are not the types of personalities teachers especially Rabbis would want to project when dealing with children, parents, and even converts.

I have also observed that calmer, more relaxed individuals are easier to approach and are more likely to be trusted. Below I have listed a few tips on how teachers especially Rabbis can develop patience.

This concept is found in Pirkei Avoth the words הֱווּ מְתוּנִים
"be patient" are a fundamental to the words found in the rest of the section which read "raise up many students"

How does a teacher especially a Rabbi exercise patience?

Make notes.

As a teacher when you find yourself feeling impatient, note down what it is that caused it. This in turn will help you note how often you are impatient as well as figure out the cause.

Go back and examine those notes that you made ask yourself questions such as Do I find that there are other symptoms that trigger impatience such as thirst or hunger?

If you are more impatient with a particular student or class period, try to determine the root cause. If the class period is at a difficult time, such as the end of the day, determine how you can add in a pleasurable experience that will cause you to look forward to that class rather than dread it. If you can’t figure out what the cause is, speak to retired teachers when you experience the feeling.

I've found that it is easier to overcome impatience easier when you know what triggers it and how others have dealt with similar issues.

Slow down.

When you find yourself wanting to rush through everything you do, this can cause impatience. Take a break, stand up and stretch, take a few deep breaths, calm down and take things a little slower. Vary the way in which you are doing the lesson, activity, or task. This may help ease the impatience.

Change your mindset.

Examine the causes of your impatience and figure out why these things make you impatient. Examine the reaction and what consequence there would be, if any, for taking things a bit slower. Can you ameliorate the situation by rescheduling a meeting or a call?

Relax your body.

Practice mindfulness. You may find that you tense your muscles and even develop a headache when impatient. Take slow, deep breaths, and do a 10 count in and out (in through the nose, out through the mouth). Concentrate on relaxing your muscles from your toes, right through all your muscles, and right up to your head.

Conclusion:These are only a few tips. The real answer to how teachers especially Rabbis can develop patience is by learning to accept that things change daily and not everything will go your way any of the time. Develop coping skills and above all, practice, practice, practice. Hard work pays off!