Mental health is integral to living a healthy, balanced life. Our mental health encompasses our psychological, emotional, and social well-being. This means it impacts how we think, feel, and behave each day. Our mental health also contributes to our decision- making process, how we cope with stress and relationships in our lives. Being healthy emotionally can promote productivity and effectiveness both in school and at home. It allows us to adapt to changes in our life and cope with adversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since COVID, the teachers in our schools have had to adapt to many changes while managing their own stress and anxiety, as well as the mental health of the children in their care. Each year, \u2018Education Support\u2019 produce a Teacher Well-Being Index. Over the past five years, the report has shown that teachers\u2019 levels of stress and anxiety remain unsustainably high, and a consistently high percentage of staff consider leaving the profession each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a response in May 2021, organisations, including the Department for Education and the education unions produced \u2018The Education Staff Wellbeing Charter.\u2019 The charter is a declaration of support for, and set of commitments to, the wellbeing and mental health of everyone working in education. All state funded schools and colleges in England are invited to sign up to the charter, as a shared commitment to protect, promote and enhance the wellbeing of their staff. Through my work with head teachers and school governors, it is also becoming clear that staff well- being is an ever-increasing important agenda item, just as it is with our pupils. Schools are now encouraged to have staff well-being policies and to keep mental health as an agenda item at both staff and governing body meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Consequently, our schools are finding an increasing number of ways to support their staff. For example, encouraging staff to support each other in reflective practice and problem-solving school-based challenges as part of a buddy system. Schools are also providing food to say thank you, creating a sense of belonging and offering mindfulness, relaxation and managing stress sessions. In order for our teachers to maintain good mental health, school leaders should encourage them to engage in hobbies they enjoy, keep active, maintain a healthy diet, stay hydrated, talk about their feelings and ask for help when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is important to remember that teachers that look after their heart and soul reduce their risk of \u201cburnout\u201d ensuring their ability to work at full capacity. A psychologically healthy teacher produces better outcomes in the classroom for all their students, as a direct result of being happier and more motivated. Impactful wellbeing strategies will mitigate the difficult aspects of teaching and allow them to focus more of their energies towards educating their pupils. By implementing these initiatives, teachers will be empowered to look after their own wellbeing creating happier staff and happier students. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jillian Dunstan, Primary Programme Manager<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Mental health is integral to living a healthy, balanced life. Our mental health encompasses our psychological, emotional, and social well-being. This means it impacts how we think, feel, and behave each day. Our mental health also contributes to our decision- making process, how we cope with stress and relationships in our lives. Being healthy emotionally […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1971,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,31,3],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n