3 ways to support teacher well-being

It’s no secret that teachers have a challenging job and that work-related stress can be a problem. Now more than ever, it’s vital that schools and teachers have strategies in place to maintain teacher well-being and mental health.

In this article, we discuss the areas that schools should focus on to safeguard teacher well-being when they reopen. We also introduce some apps for iPads that might help support teacher well-being in these unpredictable times.

Issues impacting teacher well-being

When schools resume after summer, it’s likely that there will be some common areas that teachers need help with – regardless of school size or location. COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on all of us, and continues to do so. This might manifest itself as:

Grief

Corona virus has seen us mourn the death of loved ones as well as our former way of life.

Teachers will need time to readjust to being in a classroom setting when schools reopen. They may also have suffered a personal loss in recent months which school leaders will need to take into account.

Being mindful of these very personal and individual experiences will be crucial in supporting teacher well-being.

Isolation

The work of teachers is inherently social. Student-teacher relationships are at the heart of education. School life is likely to look very different to how it once did. The reduced contact combined with a long period away from the classroom may be confusing and disorientating for staff and students.

Health-related anxiety

Teaching is a front line profession and as such many teachers will have fears about their health and will feel particularly vulnerable. They may have an underlying health condition that puts them at greater risk or they might worry about passing the virus on to family members. School leaders will need to be aware of this and do all they can to ensure the school environment is as safe as it can be.

3 ways to support teacher well-being

So, in the face of the considerable challenges that teachers are facing, what can be done to support teacher well-being?

An awareness of good mental health is essential right now. At a basic level, teachers should ensure they’re sleeping well, eating well and exercising as these are all key factors in supporting well-being.

1) Sleeping well

Getting a good night’s sleep and a developing a consistent bedtime routine is crucial to maintaining well-being.

• SleepCycle: This free app analyses your sleep patterns and wakens you up when you’re in your lightest sleep phase.

2) Mindfulness and meditation

Mindfulness and meditation are useful techniques for reducing stress.

• Calm: This free app helps counter feelings of anxiety with a range of guided meditations, breathing exercises and relaxing music. It has something for everyone and can be used by beginners, intermediate or advanced users.

3) Exercise

Regular exercise has been proven to have a positive effect on well-being.

• 7-minute workout: This free app enables you to “become your own personal trainer to lose weight and get fit fast with simple daily workouts”.

By schools and teachers focusing on a few key areas, the return to the classroom will hopefully seem less daunting. At Utility Rentals, we also offer a range of hygiene-promoting equipment (such as mobile hand washing stations and air purifiers) which may help reduce some of the health and safety concerns.

If your school would like to learn more about equipment to support a safe return to school life, please contact our friendly team.

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