contributed by John MillerPh.D. & Sharon HastingsEd.D, TeachThought Staff Addendum
How about some mental health tips for teachers?
Today, the role of teachers is expanding to include more duties and responsibilities than ever before, including developing emotionally strong and healthy students.
However, society often neglects to address, or even discuss, the mental and emotional well-being of teachers themselves. This neglect has led to two major problems: teacher burnout and, consequently, the lack of qualified teachers.
See also 5 Mistakes I Made as a New Teacher
Given their expanded tasks, a growing number of educators are struggling to keep up with the changing demands of their profession. According to a recent American Federation of Teachers survey of more than 30,000 teachers, more than 75 percent say they don’t have enough staff to get the job done, and 78 percent say they are often physically and emotionally exhausted at the end of the day.
The most commonly cited reason for three-quarters of teachers feeling overworked and burned out was adopting new initiatives without adequate training and professional development.
When it comes to the workforce, not only did teacher training enrollments fall by 240,000 (a 35 percent decrease) between 2009 and 2014, but about eight percent of teachers, many of whom are well below the average retirement age, leave the workforce each year.
One way to curb this exodus and keep our nation’s best teachers in classrooms is to ensure they have the personal support and development they need to stay healthy and happy in their personal and professional lives.
How to support teachers’ mental health
According to a recent University of Phoenix mental health survey, nearly a third (31%) of U.S. adults surveyed cited social stigma as a barrier to accessing mental health care. This is a relevant and discouraging statistic for the education sector, as many teachers may also share the feeling that seeking advice is a sign of weakness or inability to manage their workload.
The reality is that the majority of high-performing teachers struggle to cope with the demands of their job; in fact, this struggle causes more than 50 percent of them to burn out in less than five years. This is further evidence that our industry professionals have a vested interest in encouraging teachers to seek the help they need so they can be happier and more effective in their roles.
To provide our nation’s educators with the support they need, mental health resources such as specialized counseling, continuing education programs, and community efforts focused on wellness should be prioritized.
By making mental health care more easily accessible to educators, we can help them grow as professionals and individuals while making strides to eliminate the stigma often associated with seeking mental health treatment.
Some other mental health tips for teachers?
15 Mental Health Tips for Teachers
1. Make it a priority when it comes to mental health
Above all, best practices in mental health and well-being must be integrated into training programs from the start of teacher training. It is up to state commissions of higher education and certification to take the lead in implementing these programs, ensuring that mental health becomes a priority in our schools and that all teachers have the resources they need to succeed and stay healthy.
There is a reason good teachers give up.
2. Research or develop resources, programs and policies
District leaders also have a role to play in establishing cultures of mental health and well-being in schools across the country. Second, school systems must invest in the mental, physical and social health of their most valuable asset: their teachers. By recognizing and rewarding teachers for everything they do (even the “little” things), encouraging the use of small groups and counseling, and prioritizing mental well-being, administrators can make a significant, positive impact on the lives of their teachers.
3. Consider “mental health” in your mind in a healthy way
Don’t call it “mental health” if a phrase like “well-being” makes more sense.
4. Develop a healthy PLN
A strong professional learning network– both inside and outside the school building.
5. Be in the right place
A placement that they feel comfortable with, i.e. the “right” solution for the teacher in terms of position, grade level, school policies, etc. Not every job is right for everyone. Well-meaning people may tell you that “the kids need you,” but you have to take care of yourself or your teaching just isn’t sustainable.
6. Set boundaries
Where possible, clear boundaries between school life and family life.
7. Avoid Toxicity
Avoid things (people, departments, committees, events, etc.) that are “toxic” while developing strategies for dealing with other non-toxic but nonetheless difficult teaching situations.
8. Emphasize your goal
Remember your purpose as a teacher and why you became a teacher. If you cannot achieve this vision, see if you can reconcile this vision with your immediate situation. If not, it gives you an idea of what might come next.
9. Develop a growth mindset as a teacher
Growth mindsets matter for students and they matter for teachers too.
10. Teach with gratitude
Teach with gratitude whenever possible.
11. If you can, start small
Focus on the good things and each day try to have more good things than bad. (It’s a start.)
12. Take care of your body too
Take care of yourself physically: exercise, meditate, do yoga, get enough sleep, etc. Everything you need to make your body feel good.
13. If you need help, get help
Don’t be a hero. If you need formal mental health support (in the form of therapy or medication), there’s no reason to hesitate. Get it. Why wait until you’re truly unhappy?
14. Have a life outside of teaching
Have a life outside of teaching, a life full of creativity, hope, people and possibilities. No matter how noble teaching is, it is not worth your well-being.
15. Don’t feel stuck
If possible, never get “stuck” where you feel like you “have to” teach or “can’t stop.” There is always a way to move forward. Any time someone feels “stuck,” it can convince you that your situation is worse than it really is.
Teachers work every day to develop emotionally strong and healthy children, shaping the next generation of leaders and changemakers. As educators’ responsibilities continue to grow at a rapid pace, we must do everything we can to support their mental well-being. We need to support the “whole teacher.”
By providing the emotional support our teachers desperately need and deserve, we can help them grow professionally and live happier lives while combating America’s teacher shortage that is straining the entire education system.
Dr. Jean Miller is president of the University’s Denver Campus College and Dr. Sharon Hastings is the clinical director and supervisor of the University of Phoenix Counseling Clinic; Developing the Whole Teacher: Mental Health in Education; 13 Mental Health Tips for Teachers
