COVID-19 crisis continues to escalate and many countries have entered prolonged periods of restrictions due to the lockdown. In the UK, we are living through our third lockdown which has required many Teachers to work remotely whilst simultaneously juggling homeschooling. Parents and Carers are homeschooling with limited resources and time whilst Headteachers and head of departments are managing teams remotely which brings with it additional stressors. Finally the increased use of and dependence on technology and artificial intelligence has been both a help and hindrance to many in the education sector. It’s apparent that the aforementioned experiences and changes require adaptability, grit and resilience for all. A mindset shift is required which includes a perspective shift from living through to living with which can facilitate adaptability which is a key ingredient for resilience and success within the Education Sector.
Uncertainty and change has become the norm during the pandemic due to the novelty of COVID 19 and societal impact. Consequently stress experienced amongst teachers is on the rise as evidenced by The Teacher Wellbeing Index (2020) which suggests that 84% of teachers are very or somewhat stressed and this rises to 89% for Senior Leaders which is unsurprising. Multiple factors have contributed to elevated stress levels including homeworking, preparing working for children to complete at home, Organising/maintaining ‘bubbles’ of pupils for social distancing, Pupils’ learning loss and behavioural issues, teaching remotely using technology and concerns regarding exposure to COVID-19 for vulnerable colleagues.
SecEd Report ( 2020) suggests that insomnia, tearfulness and difficulties concentrating at work is on the rise due to working remotely and the impact this is having upon teachers’ mental health.
The aforementioned findings highlight the need for resilience building training and hacks amongst Education professionals as resilience is a protective factor against stress, anxiety and depression. Research suggests that 50% of employees are struggling with their mental health ( Mind 2018) however I suspect this has risen during COVID 19 due to multiple stressors both personally and professionally .
Resilience can be described as your ability to bounce back emotionally, adapt , recover and grow during or after difficult and stressful times ( Rutter 2008). Resilience is also the process of continual development of personal competence, while navigating and negotiating with available resources, in the face of adversity.
1. Resilient Mindset
2. Community & Connectedness
3.Promotion of a culture of help-seeking
4. Learning Opportunities
5. Tolerate and accept uncertainty
To discuss how we can help with Staff Wellbeing drop us an email at info@raphatherapyservices.com and book your complimentary consultation
Please see the link below for our Founder Martina Witter’s complete feature in Sec Ed : The Voice for Secondary Education