The well-being of educators and teachers

When Roffey (2012) suggested the importance of teacher well-being as not only a critical component of the whole school’s well-being but also essential for students by creating a stable learning environment, it highlights just how interconnected a teacher’s well-being can positively impact students’ well-being too.

In the ECEC sector relationships with children are prevalent; the National Quality Standard outlines the key standards and elements of why these relationships are integral, as well as the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) that guides our principles, practices and learning outcomes for children. When we support children and create secure respectful relationships, children are able to develop the confidence to feel safe, supported and valued, resulting in children’s optimal learning, development and well-being (AGDE, 2022).

Person-centred teaching practices are observed as beneficial to improving learning content; however, if a teacher’s psychological well-being is impacted this limits their ability to provide effective person-centred teaching practice (Hwang, et al., 2019). Although little research is available, the focus on teacher well-being is evident in the media, with the current workforce shortages and attrition of quality teachers being noted. Between 2012 and 2013 Seligman introduced his model of well-being across the state of South Australia to lead, measure and build well-being across communities?(Lovett & Lovett, 2016). The model focused on five measurable: positive emotion, engagement, positive relationships, meaning and accomplishment – when teachers are actively working and aware of their own mental health and well-being within this model they are able to take accountability and make the required adjustments to not just support themselves, but their students?(Lovett & Lovett, 2016).

Evidence suggests chronic work stress for teachers impacts their well-being, and over time can lead to a degradation of the hippocampus (Roffey, 2012). Due to this, student outcomes can be affected as teachers with poor recall in their memory cannot fully access their knowledge base – these teachers may even be resistant to growing their own knowledge and understanding to better influence their teaching practice (Roffey, 2012).

References

Australian Government Department of Education [AGDE]. (2022). Belonging, Being and Becoming. The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, 2.0. Australian Government Department of Education for the Ministerial Council. Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/EYLF-2022-V2.0.pdf

Hwang, Y.-S., Noh, J.-E., Medvedev, O. N., & Singh, N. N. (2019). Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Program for Teachers on Teacher Well-being and Person-Centered Teaching Practices. Mindfulness, 2385-2403. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01236-1

Lovett, N., & Lovett, T. (2016). Well-being in Education: Staff Matter. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 6(2), 107-112. doi:10.7763/IJSSH.2016.V6.628

Roffey, S. (2012). Pupil well-being - Teacher well-being: Two sides of the same coin? Educational & Child Psychology, 29(4), 8-18. Retrieved from https://www.sueroffey.com/wp-content/uploads/import/32-Roffey%20ECP29-4.pdf

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