Professional development for educators is often focused on how educators can meet the needs of their students and the community they serve. Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions, but it’s also one of the most stressful occupations in the U.S., tied with nurses. In March 2020, most schools shut their doors due to COVID-19. Educators had to shift from in-person instruction to virtual instruction literally overnight. Educators have reported heightened stress levels during the pandemic, and the stress the educators feel also affects their students. Studies carried out with education professionals during the pandemic have reported an increase in headaches, muscle contractures, fatigue, anxiety, anguish, dizziness, lightheadedness, nervousness, and sleeping and eating disorders (Frontiers, 2021).
The mental health and well-being of teachers have a major impact on the mental health and well-being of the students and the community they serve. We are at a point where professional development must also focus on the mental health and well-being of educators. If educators are stressed, they are of little help to the students and community they serve. Research shows that when teachers are stressed out, the quality of their instruction, classroom management, and relationships with students all suffer. And students tend to be more stressed when their teachers are stressed, which could negatively affect their academic performance and engagement (Education Week September 14, 2021).
The following educator wellness series is available in-person or virtually. In-person sessions are full-day up to six hours of instruction. Virtual sessions can be scheduled for 1-3 hour sessions. Quote proposals provided upon request. Sessions are custom-designed to meet the individual school/district/organization needs.
Sessions are immersive, engaging, and thought-provoking. Time is provided for discourse with peers, and self-reflection. Not only will educators benefit from their participation in these sessions, but their students will also as well. Wellness and self-care strategies experienced during the sessions can be incorporated into the classroom and daily lives. All sessions include a manual outlining the session explorations, references, further reading, and resources.
Refresh and Restore Through Playful Learning
Spend the day exploring the benefits of playful learning to refresh and restore your joy and passion for teaching. Playful learning is an educational approach in which a state of being is facilitated that is creative, explorative, experimental, active, and immersive. We will spend the day actively engaged in playful experiences to awaken and restore our childhood mindset. From designing, creating, building, engineering, exploring, collaborating, and communicating with one another. The session will close with time to reflect, and discuss how strategies and explorations experienced during the session can be incorporated within the classroom. This educator wellness professional development session is best suited for early childhood- Grade 5 educators. Sessions are custom-designed accordingly.
Spend the day exploring the benefits of practicing mindfulness techniques using the foundational principles of the Theory of Loose Parts. Engage in using an endless array of loose parts materials to practice and experience mindfulness. Explore mindfulness art activities, sensory explorations, observational practices, breathing techniques, creating self-portraits, and more using loose parts. The session will close with time to reflect, and discuss how strategies and explorations experienced during the session can be incorporated within the classroom. This educator wellness professional development session is best suited for early childhood – Grade 4 educators. Sessions are custom-designed accordingly.
Boosting Resilience in Educators Through STEM Challenges
Educators will boost their emotional resilience during this engaging and impactful session as they undertake a wide array of fun and challenging STEM challenges with their peers. From undertaking mini engineering design challenges with readily and affordable materials from towers to bridges, and more. Participants will observe firsthand how the philosophical practices of STEM education embrace failure as part of the learning journey as they experience failures and successes throughout the session. Expect a day of fun, and renewing your resiliency and grit! The session will close with time to reflect, and discuss how strategies and explorations experienced during the session can be incorporated within the classroom. This educator wellness professional development session is best suited for early childhood – Grade 6. Sessions are custom-designed accordingly.