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Teacher wellbeing, part 2
The notion of wellbeing no longer remote and intangible, as the last schoolmanager bulletin on the issue explored. Having looked at the meaning of wellbeing and the triggers of negative stress in schools, this bulletin covers the issue of retention and whole school approaches to wellbeing.
Retention - what works?
Staff turnover can cost schools around £40,000 or more, especially when least cost-effective methods of recruitment are used. Yet anecdotal evidence suggests that aside from the expected movement of staff out of the area or for promotions etc, retention can be positively impacted by the following:
- Respect. It's near-impossible to control the level of respect levelled at teachers generally, but is relatively easy to ensure that teachers feel respected within their own working environments.
- Recognition. Everyone needs to know that what they do during the course of their day is recognised and appreciated. The moment that staff feel taken for granted, resentment develops and the wellbeing of the school and its staff members plummets.
- New experiences. Stagnation is the enemy of the vibrant and developing learning environment. Creative opportunities for continuing personal and professional development should take priority in a school seeking to ensure the wellbeing of all members of its community.
- Dialogue. While the staffroom should remain the bolt-hole for teachers seeking a little rest and relaxation, schools should also facilitate the time and space for teachers to talk to each other about what they do in the classroom, how they achieve success, what they are working on, and so on. Collaborative planning, teaching, observation and monitoring all help to guard against the isolation that can so often develop.
Whole school approaches
Although each person is affected by their work differently, if there are whole-school causes of 'dis-ease' in the workplace, personal approaches such as counselling will only have limited success, although will certainly help. As Patrick Nash, Chief Executive of the Teacher Support Network said recently, 'Education is about people - the way relationships are managed is central to transforming the culture and ethos of our schools'.
We know from research that teachers remain in schools for a variety of reasons, but in particular because of:
- Management
- Ethos
- Morale amongst staff members
- opportunities for personal and professional development
Only the leaders and staff of a school will know what, specifically, is needed to improve wellbeing within the community, but these ideas may inspire. Even relatively small changes can help:
- If you can't ban working lunches, provide sandwiches and fruit for staff.
- Adopt policies that support staff with families wherever possible.
- Create a sanctuary or retreat within your school - no telephone, no children, no hassles!
- · Invite local practitioners in to give sample relaxation treatments at the end of the day. Reflexology, massage, head massage, yoga and meditation have been particularly successful in some schools.
The ideas are endless, but rely on schools sharing best practise. Visit the Wellbeing section of the Eteach Staffroom to discuss what you're doing.
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