“When I present myself to students in a positive emotional state, I can increase students’ cognition, effort, and long-term retention of information, Dr. Timothy Kanold shares with enthusiasm. “The brain research “Emotional intelligence in relation to student learning is clear.”
As Kanold explains, the mental and emotional well-being of teachers and administrators is an essential component of student learning. Research indicates that educators' well-being directly impacts quality of education, Student achievement and school climate. With Alarming rates of teacher burnout and dropoutMaking educator well-being a priority is critical to the sustainability and success of our education system.
Recently, EdSurge spoke with Kanold and Dr. Tina Boogrenanother leading expert on educator well-being. Kanold, an award-winning educator, author, and national thought leader in mathematics and professional learning communities (PLCs), has co-authored numerous best-selling books and has conducted professional development seminars around the world. Boogren, an award-winning educator and best-selling author, has been recognized in The 30 most important world gurus of education and appeared in the Wall Street Journal as a Who's Who Among Distinguished Leaders.
During the pandemic, Kanold and Boogren combined their expertise to develop Solution Tree Wellbeing solutions for educatorsa comprehensive approach to supporting educators’ physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. Their collaboration has resulted in practical strategies and actionable measures designed to help educators avoid burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
EdSurge: What is Educator Wellbeing?
Dr. Tim Kanold: We define educator wellbeing as an ongoing process. It is not an event, it is something we are constantly working on. It is an active process to achieve a positive state of good health and greater physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing – four dimensions.
Dr. Tina Boogren: When we think of the four dimensions, we imagine them as a circular shape to represent that ongoing process. If we had to choose a place to start, we would recommend starting with physical well-being Because when we feel better, we perform better. We simply approach all other dimensions from a better place when our physical well-being is strong. Consider Maslow's hierarchy of needs:Level one is physiological needs, which includes the physical routines of eating, moving, and sleeping. We are not advocating a specific diet and we want to stop thinking of exercise as a way to “punish” ourselves for something we've eaten. Instead, we need to think about the following: We deserve to eat lunch. We deserve to rest. And there is an important distinction between sleep and rest. We just need to treat ourselves like we would houseplants or puppies. Think of what houseplants or puppies need: love, water, movement, constant feeding, sleep, and sunlight.
I have this fun motto that I tell myself: Just drink that stupid water! Often when I’m not feeling well, I stop and think that I haven’t been drinking enough water. I think of drinking water as “low hanging fruit.” It’s such a small thing, but it can have a huge impact on how we feel. Sometimes the smallest changes have the biggest impacts: drinking water, going for a walk around the block, leaving your phone in a different room when you go to sleep at night.
Channel: When we first started working on fitness routines, I didn't quite understand the difference between sleep and rest as clearly as Tina did. Now, I think of sleep as avoiding physical exhaustion, while rest is more about avoiding daily psychological exhaustion. Our three fitness routines of eating, moving, and sleeping directly impact the dimension of mental well-being.
At first, we had a hard time getting the discussion going about mental wellbeing because people weren't talking about it. It was treated almost like a mental illness. And then the World Health Organization published a definition of mental well-being: “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with life’s stresses, develop their capabilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community.” The definition helped us develop our three routines around mental well-being: decisiveness, balance, and self-efficacy.
Self-efficacy is our confidence and competence to meet the expectations of our daily work life. As educators, we have the best jobs in the world because we contribute to our community. But to do that job well, these (self-care) routines need to be in place.
Boogren: In the third dimension, emotional well-beingRoutines complement each other: awareness, understanding, and mindfulness. We need to be aware of our emotions, understand where those emotions come from, and have the mindfulness to respond rather than react.
Channel: The fourth dimension of the well-being framework is social welfareDeveloping our social skills is critical to collaborating and communicating with colleagues, parents, and students. Our profession is about being excellent at relationships through active listening. However, social well-being is more than that; it also involves our purpose.
To be fully engaged in the successful relationships needed in the workplace and not get lost in the daily grind, it is helpful to remember: Ah, that's right, that's why I'm here! I can see myself contributing to a collaborative purpose bigger than myself. When you can do that, when you exist in a workplace that connects you to your greater purpose, then everyone thrives. When you really lose your because and getting caught up in the difficulties and nuances of daily work, burnout begins to set in.
What advice can you offer teachers for starting a wellness routine?
Channel: Intentionality is a key factor and it is an ongoing daily effort. Some days require us to give ourselves a break, but we must remain intentional. For example, on Sundays, my wife and I sit down with our calendars and set aside time for our movement routines, for exercise. Then, we support each other to make sure it happens. When we are not intentional, we allow that routine to be hijacked. Being intentional sometimes means asking others for help so we can complete our wellness routines.
Boogren: Different strategies work for different people, but the important thing is to take the first step, no matter how small. Start with your physical well-being. Once you start feeling better physically, you can move more easily into the other dimensions. So that small first step ends up being a big one, because it creates the momentum to continue working on well-being in other dimensions.
What can school leaders do to support educator well-being in their buildings?
Channel: One of the first things administrators can do is commit to the idea of a professional wellbeing plan for all teachers in their sphere of influence. They should provide a forum for teachers to discuss what they need to achieve wellbeing and they should understand that it won’t be a one-size-fits-all solution.
As a school leader, I need to ask questions: How can I help you with your wellness goals? What does that look like for you? What can I do to support you and provide structures that protect that time and opportunity?
Boogren: We sometimes hear leaders suggest providing wellbeing support in the form of wearing jeans or having a coffee cart. That’s great, but that’s not wellbeing. It’s a stopgap solution. Don’t get me wrong, we love coffee carts and wearing jeans, but that’s not the true wellbeing we’re proposing. Instead, we want leaders to consider how they can support staff (and themselves) across the four dimensions of educator wellbeing: physical, mental, emotional and social.
Leaders can start by asking what could change structurally, such as setting boundaries at school. What is the school-wide expectation for parents being able to communicate with teachers? That was a boundary that was lost, perhaps rightly so, during COVID. But if schools haven’t redefined those boundaries, it could destroy teachers. I hear stories of parents calling teachers at home on weekends. School leaders can help set stricter boundaries to protect teachers.
Channel: It’s important to remember that administrators are still teachers. They are the teacher leaders in their buildings. And they can teach wellness if they first model their own wellness goals. By prioritizing wellness—providing structures that protect teachers’ time from the noise of work in their schools—administrators can create an improved culture in which teachers are better able to achieve their wellness goals.
