Educator well-being has become front and center in recent policy and practice discussions. Policymakers, school leaders, community members, and educators have recognized the increased burden and stress facing teachers, particularly since the pandemic, while at the same time, many districts are facing historic levels of teacher shortages (Darling-Hammond et al., 2023; Kraft & Lyon, 2022).
A study from the American Federation of Teachers indicated that nearly two-thirds of educators report significant stress at work. Research has demonstrated links between high levels of teacher stress and several detrimental proximal and distal outcomes, such as less effective instructional practices, poor educator mental health, lower teacher-student relationships, and eventually higher rates of teacher burnout and attrition (Mennes et al., 2023; von der Embse et al., 2016). Teacher stress stems from several factors, including individual characteristics (e.g., coping skills), specific work-related skills (e.g., classroom management), and systems-level supports (e.g., time for professional development).
Teacher well-being, on the other hand, is defined by how an educator may feel and function within their job, which is evidenced by their affect, relationships, and overall satisfaction. Recent studies have highlighted the multifaceted nature of teacher well-being, with a clear need to address individual and systemic factors (Madigan & Kim, 2021). As such, a comprehensive approach to supporting educator well-being includes both the reduction of stress-related factors and the promotion of well-being-related indicators. School leaders are now grappling with how best to support their teachers with many other competing priorities.
Given the substantial impact of stress and burnout on educators, there has been an increase in strategies, programs, and policies to improve educator “self-care.” Self-care strategies may include deep breathing techniques, calm corners, yoga, and mindfulness. While it is important to provide evidence-based strategies to help with stress management, the effectiveness of these approaches is somewhat limited and shifts the responsibility to the individual educator (von der Embse et al., 2019). Conversely, systems-level interventions involve applying a universal program or intervention across the school (or staff); this could include a focus on school practices that may contribute to a positive school climate or changing work-related routines or policies intended to promote well-being (e.g., open office hours, time restrictions on email communication amongst school staff).
Systems-level interventions hold promise, particularly those integrated within a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS). However, most are a one-size-fits-all approach that does not include teacher voice and choice within the intervention process. There has been recent pushback from educators that school-wide well-being interventions have added additional responsibilities without removing others, thus inadvertently increasing the burden and corresponding stress.
Although several interventions have demonstrated preliminary evidence in reducing teacher stress (see von der Embse et al., 2019 for review), nearly all have significant limitations, including (a) inadequate evidence of feasibility and usability (e.g., cumbersome and lengthy), (b) a singular focus on stress reduction or wellness promotion, (c) few options that address positive indicators of mental health, and (d) lack of educator input in selecting treatments.
In this practice brief, learn about an adaptive systems approach to supporting educators' well-being holistically with practical and evidence-based strategies that include teacher involvement at all stages.
Read and download the full practice brief