The Importance of Educator Well-Being

The start of a new school year conjures feelings of excitement and rejuvenation. Each fall is a fresh opportunity for educators to shape a new set of minds and prepare new classes of students for future success. At the heart of this autumn renewal is the well-being of educators, a critically important key to classroom success.

The Importance of Educator Well-Being

Teacher mental well-being has been directly associated with higher student engagement, better teacher retention rates , and fewer student behavioral difficulties. If educators are taken care of, they can effectively take care of their students. And they’re more likely to stay for the long term. According to Gallup research , teachers who feel valued and supported by their school administration are more likely to stay with their school.

Educator well-being is a major component of administrative support because it directly impacts students. The following analogy aptly illustrates the importance of teacher well-being:

If you’ve ever taken a trip on an airplane, you’re likely aware of the safety instructions the flight attendants recite for passengers—including those associated with oxygen masks. “In the event of an emergency, place your own oxygen mask on your face before you assist others.” In other words, you can’t help others if you don’t help yourself first.

This also applies to the mental well-being of educators. Teacher wellness must be addressed first so educators are in the right mindset to effectively educate students and set them up for classroom success.

How Professional Learning Can Help Educator Wellness

Teachers, like those in any other profession, need to know their opinions matter, that they are valued for their abilities, and that they are supported by leadership and colleagues. When teachers are part of a supportive, safe environment, they’re often more comfortable delivering and receiving feedback, working collaboratively, and performing at a high level.

Similarly, if teachers are feeling positive about their lives outside of school, they’re much more likely to walk through the school doors every day confident, content, and ready to make a difference. An educator’s mental health is of critical importance as it relates to their overall effectiveness and performance in the classroom.

Educator Professional Development Is Worth the Investment

Professional development focusing on the well-being of teachers and educators is a very effective way to re-engage educators with their love of the profession, inspire them to embrace new instructional methods, and help them better communicate with their students so they experience classroom success.

Along with well-being, educators want the opportunity to learn new best practices, attend workshops and seminars, and have other professional learning resources at their disposal so they can develop their skills. Giving them access to these tools through focused professional development makes educators feel invested in and valued and boosts their motivation and self-confidence.

Investing in professional development programs that emphasize educator well-being and address classroom best practices demonstrates to teachers and staff that their wellness is a top priority. In turn, educators are positioned to excel in the classroom, which directly correlates to student success.

If student success and wellness are top priorities for districts (which they undoubtedly are), teacher wellness must be an equally important priority.

For more information on Catapult Learning’s Educator Well-Being program, or any of our professional development solutions designed to address non-academic barriers to learning, increase academic outcomes, and develop leadership for school transformation, please visit our website.

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