I teach high school. For the most part, my bipolar disorder doesn't impact my classroom. I'm very good at compartmentalizing and keeping my personal stuff out of the room when I'm with my students.

Now once the kids are out of the room, that is when it comes more into play. When depressed, I have to really push myself to stay on top of grading particularly. I teach AP English, so the grading load is huge, and depression makes focusing on reading essays very difficult.

I rarely get manic, and in a way, it is my grading and planning load that can push me into mania if I don't manage my spurts of grading energy. I've been known to grade 10 or more hours at a sitting which will send me into a manic episode almost without fail. I've become very disciplined about only allowing myself to sit and grade about an hour at a time. Breaks are vital for me and very effective in reducing episodes. Kind of like sleep hygiene is important for preventing bipolar episodes -- grading/planning hygiene is equally important for me.