Practical Applications for Building Teacher WellBeing in Education

Abstract

UNESCO states the world must recruit 69 million new teachers to reach the 2030 educational goals, but unfortunately, 80% of the current teachers are considering leaving the profession. Teachers are the greatest resource in education and therefore, must be given opportunities to learn skills in resilience to ensure the profession's sustainability. This chapter will highlight the threats to teacher wellbeing and resilience and suggest skills, strategies and practices to support the wellbeing of teachers in schools. Given the increasing burnout and attrition rates of teachers, it seems reasonable to suggest that the same careful planning that goes into developing student wellbeing programmes should be applied in the development of teacher wellbeing programmes. Through the research of Positive Psychology, this chapter explores evidence-based interventions teachers can learn to develop protective factors to buffer against excessive stress. We explore the application of positive psychology in the workplace and the need for professional learning to focus on the development of the Psychological Capital of our teachers. This includes building their inner HERO with hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism.

Well-Being and Mental Health in Teachers: The Life Impact of COVID-19

“…Additionally, teachers belonging to COVID-19 risk groups experienced the greatest deterioration in their mental health [ 10 ]. Evidence shows that how teachers feel on a daily basis and their satisfaction can profoundly affect their classroom practices and, among other things, be decisive in both the learning and well-being of their students [ 11 , 12 ]. Meanwhile, poorer teacher mental health and well-being is associated with the risks of experiencing a burnout, which has negative consequences on student achievement as well as student motivation [ 13 ] Consequently, teachers’ mental health and well-being should not be seen as an individual concern, but as an organizational one, given their key social role [ 11 ].…”

“…Evidence shows that how teachers feel on a daily basis and their satisfaction can profoundly affect their classroom practices and, among other things, be decisive in both the learning and well-being of their students [ 11 , 12 ]. Meanwhile, poorer teacher mental health and well-being is associated with the risks of experiencing a burnout, which has negative consequences on student achievement as well as student motivation [ 13 ] Consequently, teachers’ mental health and well-being should not be seen as an individual concern, but as an organizational one, given their key social role [ 11 ]. In addition, no reform or restructuring of the educational system can succeed without the commitment and active contribution of teachers, which is one more reason to safeguard their well-being [ 14 ].…”

Self-Efficacy, Job Satisfaction and Teacher Well-Being in the K-12 Educational System

“…In this context, the work of Pithers warns against generalizations about stress-related issues among teachers that may not have been tested for validity and reliability [ 62 ]. Teacher self-confidence, the sense of personal agency and resilience [ 63 ], plays an important part in developing well-being in the school environment by reducing stress and attrition through development and well-being programs designed for the teaching profession [ 64 ].…”

The differences in the implications of participative decision-making and paternalistic leadership for teachers' perceived stress in the education system of the Israeli Arab minority

“…Conversely, despite high job demands, individuals with high personal control feel far less stressed, and as a result experience the working process more actively (Cigala et al, 2019). Personal control also engenders high levels of employee adjustment, enabling employees to develop new behavioral patterns both on and off the job (Falecki and Mann, 2020).…”