To Promote Success in Schools, Focus on Teacher Wellness

For 15 years, I worked in community mental health, public schools, and hospitals. One thing I learned during my time in education is that teaching is so much more than a 6-hour day for 10 months per year. I have yet to meet an educator who has it easy, and none of them only do work during the time they are in front of students. Between grading, lesson preparation, emails, meetings, “volunteer” opportunities, open houses, committees, and parent phone calls, most easily work 10-12 hours a day. They are often continuing with their work while at home, between making dinner, helping their own children with homework, and attempting to do some form of “self-care.” Unfortunately, the words “self-care” has been weaponized to place unfair and unrealistic expectations on educators. It has transformed wellness into an individual responsibility, even though the system often fails to provide the support they need to maintain it.

The problem is, you can’t “self-care” your way out of:

• Unmanageable workloads

• Lack of planning time

• Toxic workplace culture

• Poor administrative support

• Inadequate access to mental health services

True wellness isn’t about adding one more thing to a teacher’s to-do list; it’s about redesigning systems to care for the caregivers.

Why Educator Wellness Matters for Students

Educator well-being isn’t separate from student outcomes; it’s foundational to them. Research shows that teacher stress and burnout have a direct effect on classroom climate, student engagement, and even academic achievement (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009). When teachers feel emotionally supported, they model regulation, empathy, and optimism. These are all core components of social-emotional learning.

A well-regulated adult helps students feel safe enough to learn. A burned-out adult, no matter how caring, struggles to sustain that consistency.

Put simply: Student wellness and educator wellness rise and fall together.

Teacher shortages, burnout, and mental health struggles have become more than individual challenges. They’re symptoms of a larger system in distress. While self-care reminders and gratitude mugs still circulate widely, educators are asking for something deeper: systemic wellness, not surface-level fixes.

The well-being of educators is no longer a personal issue; it’s a public one. When teachers thrive, students thrive. When educators burn out, school systems fracture. It’s time to reimagine how we care for the people at the heart of learning.

The Reality: Teaching in a Time of Chronic Stress

Recent data shows sobering results. A 2024 RAND study found that teacher stress levels remain nearly twice as high as those of other working adults, with nearly half of educators reporting frequent job-related stress and symptoms of depression (Steiner & Woo, 2024).

Similarly, the National Education Association reported that more than 55% of educators have considered leaving the profession earlier than planned due to workload, student behavior challenges, and lack of mental health support (NEA, 2023).

Educators are navigating an increasingly challenging professional landscape, marked by a constant need to manage increasing student mental health needs, the operational strain of persistent staffing shortages and larger class sizes, the pressure from high-stakes testing and accountability measures, and a school environment still grappling with post-pandemic collective trauma. These factors contribute to high levels of stress and burnout across the profession.

In this environment, even the most passionate teachers find themselves running on empty.

Systemic Solutions: What Schools Can Do

The shift toward educator wellness requires intentional, structural change. Here are emerging approaches I recommend that districts and schools can successfully implement:

1. Build a Culture of Psychological Safety

Create staff environments where vulnerability and honesty are welcome. Normalize conversations about stress and mental health without stigma or judgment.

Try: Weekly check-ins during staff meetings or confidential wellness surveys to gauge morale and needs.

2. Prioritize Restorative and Relational Practices for Adults

Restorative practices aren’t just for students. When used with staff, circles and affective communication strengthen trust, build empathy, and reduce workplace tension (Evans & Vaandering, 2016).

Try: Monthly staff restorative circles or community-building sessions where teachers connect beyond logistics. For more information on these practices, visit our Restorative Practices page. 

3. Integrate Mental Health Supports into HR and Leadership

Some districts are now hiring in-house mental health clinicians or partnering with external therapists for confidential, no-cost counseling sessions for educators. Others include wellness days in contracts or provide mindfulness and resilience training.

Try: Offering “mental health office hours” or partnering with an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) specialized in education.

4. Protect Time and Boundaries

Time is the currency of wellness. Schools that protect planning periods, reduce unnecessary meetings, and limit after-hours expectations report higher morale and retention (Kraft et al., 2023).

Try: Setting clear “no email after 6 p.m.” norms or rotating coverage so teachers can take personal planning time without guilt.

5. Develop Peer Support Networks

Wellness grows in community, not isolation. Peer mentorship, teacher-led wellness committees, and cross-departmental support circles build solidarity and reduce isolation (Boogren, 2020).

Try: Establishing a “Wellness Wednesday” or staff peer check-in where teachers share small wins and challenges.

6. Train Leaders in Compassionate School Leadership

Administrators set the emotional tone. Principals who lead with empathy, fairness, and relational trust cultivate staff resilience and belonging (Kanold & Boogren, 2022).

Try: Embedding wellness goals in leadership evaluations and professional development.

Beyond the School Walls: Policy-Level Action

State and district leaders can also advance educator wellness through:

• Funding dedicated wellness initiatives (e.g., stipends for wellness coordinators, professional learning on educator mental health).

• Reducing excessive testing mandates that contribute to chronic stress.

• Integrating educator well-being metrics into school climate surveys and accountability frameworks.

When wellness is treated as a system goal — not a personal luxury — real cultural change follows.

Hope in the Shift: From Surviving to Sustaining

The movement for educator wellness is gaining momentum. More schools are realizing that well-being is not the opposite of rigor, it’s what makes rigor sustainable.

By addressing educator wellness at every level - individual, relational, organizational, and policy, we create environments where teachers can not only show up but also stay inspired, creative, and connected.

Because in the end, healthy adults build healthy schools. And healthy schools build thriving communities.

Our experienced consultants can support you in developing a community of wellness

for your schools and districts through professional development training workshops, coaching sessions, and ongoing systems support. Contact Us to request a free consultation. 

References

Boogren, T. H. (2020). Educator Wellness: A Guide for Sustaining Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Social Well-Being. Solution Tree Press.

Evans, K. R., & Vaandering, D. (2016). The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education: Fostering Responsibility, Healing, and Hope in Schools. Good Books.

Jennings, P. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2009). The prosocial classroom: Teacher social and emotional competence in relation to student and classroom outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 79(1), 491–525.

Kanold, T., & Boogren, T. H. (2022). Educator Wellness: A Guide for Sustaining Balance and Purpose in a PLC. Solution Tree Press.

Kraft, M. A., Simon, N. S., & Lyon, M. A. (2023). Sustaining a Sense of Success: The Importance of Teacher Working Conditions During COVID-19. Educational Researcher, 52(2), 139–150.

National Education Association. (2023). Survey: More Than Half of Educators Consider Leaving the Profession Early.

Steiner, E. D., & Woo, A. (2024). Teacher Well-Being and Working Conditions in 2024: Findings from the RAND American Teacher Panel. RAND Corporation.