Wellness is a hot topic these days. Educators are under more stress than ever before. It seems like every time we turn around, schools are in the news for all the wrong reasons: abuse, poor performance, scandals, violence and crime. Unfortunately, this list goes on and on. Working under such conditions can be very stressful on a teaching staff, as they have been tasked with curing our society’s ills by reaching out to one child at a time. These stressful conditions have led to teachers getting sick more often, taking leaves of absence for stress, and for some, even quitting the profession altogether.
What then, are senior leaders to do in order to help teachers combat this stress? Here are five ways they can help increase the wellness of teachers so that they can remain happy, healthy and willing to do this important work of educating our future.
Recognise Their Efforts
I often hear teachers say that they don’t need an award or recognition for doing their job. I believe, however, that it is vitally important to honor teachers by recognising their efforts publicly. Having staff members nominate a “Teacher of the Month” to recognise one another will put smiles on faces and allow them to celebrate one of their own. These awards should be shared via the school’s website, social media accounts and newsletter.
Cover Classroom for Sick Teachers
No one likes to work when they are sick. However, people who work in fields where they don’t have to interface with others can get by with some cold medicine and tea. Teachers do not have that luxury. They are constantly on a stage, performing for their students. Senior Leaders need to let their teachers know that it is acceptable to go home when they are sick. Covering a sick teacher’s classroom for any amount of time, so that the teacher can get home and rest will not only allow them to feel better sooner, but it also demonstrates that building leaders care about the health of their teachers.
Get To Know Teachers As Individuals
Teachers are not superheroes. They are human. They have good days and bad days. Sometimes, they have really bad days that turn into really bad weeks and months. Senior Leaders need to connect with their teachers on a personal level in order to understand what is going on in their lives. It is hard to get up and have to teach in front of a classroom full of students when your personal life is in disarray. Knowing that
your building leader cares and supports you won’t solve the problem, but it will make you feel better and give you the peace of mind that you are not alone.
Make It Safe For Teachers To Take Risks
Teachers are creative people by nature. They like to try out new concepts, tools and ideas in their classroom. They understand that education, teaching and learning are always evolving and that they need to evolve with them, too. However, teachers will remain stagnant if they feel pressure to maintain the status quo or feel that they are not allowed to fail. Just as with students, senior leaders must create and maintain a
risk-taking environment in order to harness the creativity of teachers while keeping them excited about their profession.
Focus On Progress, Not Just Scores
In today’s high stakes world of educational testing, teachers feel immense pressure to have their students perform at certain levels each and every year. As a profession, we need to look at progress towards our goals and celebrate any forward momentum. If we don’t, teachers may easily become discouraged and fearful that they will be replaced. Celebrating small wins and steps of progress will lead to more wins. Teachers need to be able to celebrate the fruits of their labor. After all, if students are more than just a test score, so are the teachers that work with them.