Teacher Well-being
YOU MATTER.
In a survey of 30,000 teachers, 89% said that they had been enthusiastic about teaching when they originally started the profession; however, only 15% reported that they were still enthusiastic at the time of completing the survey.
1
Teachers can usually recall the excitement and energy experienced during pre-service teaching. Fear and uncertainty most likely accompanied these feelings as diplomas were received and teaching certificates were issued. The role of the teacher and the ownership of the classroom finally becomes a long-anticipated reality. Teachers head into their new spaces with eagerness and vision— what their classroom will look like or feel like, how their students will learn and grow, how the teacher will be impacted by this entire journey. The school year begins, and as teachers continue this responsibility of being an educator, a disconnect occurs. With years down the line of teaching experience, statistics begin to shine light on the drastic shift in teacher fuel and energy.
46%
of teachers in K-12 settings report high levels of daily stress during the school year
2013 Gallup-Health-ways Well-Being Index
78%
of teachers reported feeling physically and emotionally exhausted at the end of the day
2015 American Federation of Teachers
10%
of teachers leave after one year
(Gray & Taie, 2015 as cited in Lever, Mathis, & Mayworm, 2017)
17%
of teachers leave within five years
(Gray & Taie, 2015 as cited in Lever, Mathis, & Mayworm, 2017)
Compared to 12 different occupational groups, teachers are the least likely to state that they agree with the statement:
“At work, my opinions seem to count.”
2012 Gallup Daily Tracking Poll
How does teacher well-being affect the classroom?
When teachers are victims of the “burnout cascade” due to insufficient resources to improve well-being, research indicates a direct correlation with student engagement, behavior, and academic outcomes. This cycle continues to contribute to teacher exhaustion and increased stress levels as well as a deteriorating classroom climate.
​
​
​
Research has shown that teachers and school staff members who demonstrate positive well-being portrayed deeper commitment to the school as well as more satisfaction with their occupation. With that being said, the students who had teachers with high well-being levels measured by self-efficacy beliefs and job contentment also received higher grades. When teachers are socially and emotionally competent (SEC), the classroom has greater opportunities to create supportive relationships and classroom community. Evidence of an encouraging learning environment includes developing intrinsic motivation among students, student-focused lesson planning, peer cooperation, prosocial behavior modeling, and demonstrating conflict resolutions through coaching.
2
3
2
Case Study #1: Teacher Well-being in Australia
3
In an academic research study on the importance of teacher well-being and usage of positive psychology, five Australian teachers, four of which were primary school teachers, participated in a qualitative approach to address the following questions:​
-
What are teachers’ experiences of consciously using positive psychology strategies to improve their well-being?
-
What are teachers’ experiences of the effects on their teaching practice and student learning when they consciously use positive psychology strategies to improve their well-being?
Using the PERMA Framework (see Core Wellness Components and Standards slideshow below for more information on PERMA), the teachers were interviewed a total of three times to explain the effects of PERMA strategies implemented in the classroom for fifteen consecutive days. Teachers in the study stated that they felt less stressed and more relaxed in the classroom when they intentionally focused on well-being. Other results included feeling more engaged with teaching and having better relationships with students since they focused more on one-on-one time with their students, initiated more positive feedback, and created more student-focused lessons or student-led activities. This also led to improvements in student work and confidence as well as positive changes in student behavior and engagement.
A Possible Solution: Workplace Well-being and Wellness Programs
1
Although the criticism with wellness programs or teacher coaching aligns with the financial costs of implementing these initiatives, coaching models and emotional intelligence training can reduce work-related stress and improve teacher well-being.
3 categories of workplace wellness programs:
-
Screening activities: identify health risks through questionnaires
-
Preventive interventions: programs that promote positive changes in health behaviors
-
Health promotion activities: promote healthy lifestyles such as gym memberships or healthy meals
CALL FOR CULTIVATION
"CULTIVATING MEANING"
After reading about the devastating effects of burnout and stress on teachers, it’s clear that teachers are often faced with the challenges of finding purpose or meaning in their work. Teachers are often questioning if the field of education is their calling, or how they ended up feeling disconnected or detached from what was originally a passion. As part of developing teacher well-being, there is a call for cultivation, or the process of refinement, nurturing, and growth. In this call for cultivation, teachers must begin once again with cultivating meaning in their work.
This process of cultivation begins with recognizing the gifts and talents we possess as unique individuals and as educators. Using these gifts and talents, meaningful work is produced through deep commitment and dedication. Along with these positive elements, meaningful work can be threatened by self-doubt, “supposed to”, and “enoughness”. When we undermine our gifts and talents and fall into the trap of people-pleasing or perfectionism, the meaning of our work becomes questionable and clouded. We wonder if we are fit for the job, if we have the qualities that make a “good teacher”, if we are enough. Rather than allowing these thoughts to loom over our heads, write them out instead and take ownership. To fully understand and advocate for well-being in the classroom, teachers must begin with knowing themselves and cultivating meaning, including the fears, the doubts, the gifts, and the talents.
4
What are your gifts and talents? What doubts do you have? What do you feel is expected of you? Who has the say and why? What has inspired and continues to inspire you? What is your testimony?
Footnotes
Level, N., Mathis, E., & Mayworm, A. (2017). School mental health is not just for students: Why teacher and school staff wellness matters. Rep Emot Behav Disord Youth, 17(1), pp. 6-12.
Jennings, P. A. & Greenberg, M. T. (2009). The prosocial classroom: Teacher social and emotional competence in relation to student and classroom outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 79(1), pp. 491-525.
Turner, K. & Theilking, M. (2019). Teacher wellbeing: Its effects on teaching practice and student learning. Issues in Educational Research, 29(3), pp. 938-960.
​
Brown, B. (2010). The gifts of imperfection: Let go of who you think you’re supposed to be and embrace who you are. Hazelden Publishing.
1
2
3
4