The Importance Of A Happy Teacher!

The well-being of students is recognized as a crucial aspect of their academic success and the fact that it is not just the responsibility of the parents but also the responsibility of schools to ensure that their students are healthy, happy, and thriving. But whilst most schools are investing heavily in student well being programs not many are investing as much of their time and resources towards developing robust staff and teacher well being programs.

A survey of over 3,000 education staff in UK found that in 2021, 77% of teachers experienced poor mental health due to their work and 72% were stressed. If overlooked, these symptoms of stress lead to burnout in teachers, causing many to leave their jobs entirely (Source: Education Support, UK). The mental health and well-being of teachers is, therefore, crucial to the overall success of a school. Teachers are responsible for shaping the minds of our future generations, but often at the expense of their own mental and emotional health. I would, therefore, delve deeper into the importance of, and actions to be taken by, schools to promote the well-being of their staff.

Having been a teacher myself, I can vouch for the fact that teaching is one of the most rewarding professions, particularly if one has been there long enough and seen their students grow up and make meaningful contributions to shape society. However if you have have been there long enough it also reflects on your resilience, as teaching can be a very demanding profession, and the stress of the job can take a toll on a teacher's mental health. According to a survey by the American Federation of Teachers, 61% of teachers reported that their work was always or often stressful. An Australian study published in the Journal of Social Psychology of Education last year conducted an 18-month study prior to the COVID pandemic surveyed 749 Australian teachers to explore their experience of work-related stress and burnout. Results showed over half of the sample reported being very or extremely stressed and were considering leaving the profession, with early career teachers & primary teachers reporting the highest stress and burnout levels.

Looking at a teacher in the UAE, there is emphasis on professional development requirements and keeping up with latest research and teaching strategies like using principles of universal design in their classroom planning and teaching.  Whilst this is undoubtedly brilliant for the education system,  the constant pressure (at least for the transition phase of a few years) can lead to anxiety and burnout.

Whilst teacher competence and their professional development positively impacts students, research also shows that teacher well-being has a direct impact on student achievement. A study by the University of British Columbia found that when teachers were experiencing high levels of stress, their students were less likely to perform well academically. In contrast, when teachers had high levels of well-being, their students were more likely to be engaged in learning and achieve higher grades. Therefore, promoting the mental health and well-being of teachers is not only important for the individual teacher but also for the success of the school and its students.  I must reiterate that continuous professional development of not just the direct teaching staff but the entire education community is imperative for a meaningful education system. We should as educationists attempt to counter Mark Twain’s famous words “I don’t let my schooling interfere with my education”.  Schools have now shifted focus to a wholesome development of their students and must in such a pursuit not forget to ensure that teachers feel supported by the management throughout their ongoing journey of professional development and improvement.