The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of yoga as a mindfulness practice on music educators’ stress and stress management. We designed this multiple-case study through the conceptual framework of practicing yoga to reduce teachers’ stress because yoga reduces stress in some populations. Participants attended a weekly virtual yoga class for 45 min and answered weekly reflection questions from the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale. Findings indicated that yoga positively impacted participants in terms of improving mood, reducing stress, feeling more relaxed, remembering to breathe, and maintaining more focus while teaching. Participants also indicated that they were bringing yoga and mindfulness practices into their teaching and focusing on their breath to help with stress management.

Stress can affect teachers’ mental and physical health, student-teacher relationships, and energy levels. During the COVID-19 pandemic, educators around the world experienced stress in terms of worry for their students and for their own well-being in terms of energy levels, sleep and anxiety. The purpose of this study was to examine female music educators’ stress, stressors, and well-being during 1 year in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined these factors with participants, approximately 1 year into the pandemic in spring 2021 and this study explored the same educators’ stressors 1 year later in spring 2022. Through this comparative case study, eight self-identified female music educators completed a questionnaire and participated in focus groups. We approached data collection through the theory of wellbeing and uncovered four themes; (a) self-care and mental health; (b) pressure and frustration; (c) scheduling and reprioritization; and (d) accommodation. Results suggest female participants experienced personal and professional stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted their well-being, with feelings of burnout, anxiety, and desires to possibly leave the teaching profession.