The Latest from VEA

• Emotions matter for relationships. How we feel and how we interpret the feelings of others sends signals for other people to either approach or avoid us. Teachers who express anxiety or frustration (e.g. in their facial expressions, body language, vocal tone or behavior) are likely to alienate students, which can impact students’ sense of safety in the classroom—and likely at home in a virtual learning environment—thereby having a negative influence on learning. Further, dysregulated emotions can undermine healthy relationships between teachers and parents. For most students, a successful distance learning experience will require a solid partnership between teachers and families.
• Emotions matter for health and well-being. How we feel influences our bodies, including physical and mental health. Stress is associated with increased levels of cortisol, which has been shown to lead to both physical and mental health challenges, including depression and weight gain. Both the ability to regulate unpleasant emotions and the experience of more pleasant emotions have been shown to have health benefits, including fostering greater resilience during and after traumatic events.
• Emotions matter for performance. Chronic stress among teachers is linked to decreases in teacher motivation and engagement, both of which lead to burnout. Teachers who are burnt out have poorer relationships with students and are also less likely to be positive role models for healthy self-regulation—for their students and their families. It’s no surprise that teachers who are burnt out are more likely to leave the profession, which impacts student learning and puts a huge drain on schools.

Research by Cipriano, Brackett, and others has shown two possible protective factors for teachers’ emotional well-being. First, teachers with more developed emotion skills tend to report less burnout and greater job satisfaction. These skills include the ability to recognize emotions accurately, understand their causes and consequences, label them precisely, express them comfortably and regulate them effectively. But the challenge is that most teachers have not received a formal education in emotion skills.

Second, teachers who work in a school with an administrator with more developed emotion skills tend to experience fewer negative emotions and more positive emotions. These teachers also are likely to have better-quality relationships with their students. When students have stronger connections with their teachers, they, in turn, are more engaged and committed to learning; they’re also more willing to take risks and persist in the face of difficulty.

We need to be paying attention to educators’ health and well-being now, not only so we all get through this pandemic in as healthy a way as possible, but so we’re psychologically ready to get back to school and school buildings afterward.

Build resiliency, just like you try to do with your students. California educator Melissa Holland suggests several ways you can do this, including setting realistic goals/expectations, not getting so set on a particular method or event that you lose your flexibility, build acceptance around some of the hard parts of your job, and use humor and kindness on yourself.

Schedule time for yourself. Do everything you can to make this a non-negotiable. Taking time out for whatever helps you stay regulated, which helps you be the very best version of yourself. This can be meditation, mindfulness exercises, or just some quiet time alone. It can be time to enjoy physical activity in a way that makes sense for you. Or try journaling, engaging in art activities, or listening to your favorite music several times a week, or daily, if you can. You can even turn car time into relaxation time if you try (this can be something as simple as bringing along your favorite tea or coffee for drive time).

“When I get home,” says Turner, “I check in with the kids, and, if no one needs anything urgently, I tell them I am off limits for an hour while I take care of me.”

Don’t allow yourself to become disconnected from others. Feeling alone is almost never helpful, especially when times are hard. Stay in contact with the important people in your life—family, friends, colleagues, neighbors—especially if you live alone. Schedule a phone conversation, video chat, or marathon texting session with a loved one or favorite friend at least once a week. Try to do so when your tank is closer to full than empty, so it’s a positive experience. Seek to encourage and build others up and it will likely have the same effect on you. A peer support group is also an excellent idea.

Breathe. Yup, just breathe. You may be surprised how your perspective can be affected by slowly taking several deep breaths, elongating your exhales as if you were blowing up a balloon.

Move. Walking, running, swimming—any activity that will get your heart pumping can be a real mood-shifter. A quick stroll in your neighborhood can work great.

Cut yourself some slack. Forgive yourself for anything that didn’t go well today, and move on. It’s a bonus if you can identify one good aspect of your day upon reflection. We regularly teach our students coping strategies for handling difficult emotions. If you haven’t already, now’s the time to embrace them yourself.

It’s OK to ask for help. When situations at school become difficult to bear, reach out for help. Tell a trusted administrator or colleague that you need a break or support. There are so many caring individuals in schools who will support you. You just have to ask. When physical and emotional symptoms begin to interfere with your ability to do your job and maintain positive relationships with friends and family, seek professional support from a licensed therapist or medical doctor.

The second question is: What do we need to do for everyone to feel this way? Here, faculty and staff share specific ideas that would support them in experiencing each of the feelings. The goal is to come up with two or three observable behaviors that are realistic and attainable for each feeling. For example, in order for teachers to feel supported around distance learning, what exactly will everyone agree to do differently so everyone feels supported? If teachers want to feel more valued, what are the specific things schools can do? Perhaps everyone can agree to respond to virtual inquiries in a timely manner.

Once the five feelings and related behaviors are compiled, the charter can be created and distributed to each member of the faculty and staff. In this virtual world of education, be creative about ways to disseminate it to everyone.

Importantly, the charter should be a living document—it will evolve as your learning community does throughout the pandemic. Consider weekly reflections and opportunities for teachers to share ideas based on their hoped-for feelings. For example, if teachers want to feel more engaged, perhaps create opportunities for them to share their best virtual lesson of the week and why it worked so well. Even weekly quotations that remind everyone about the desired feelings can help to sustain a positive climate. And when we are all finally able to return to our schools, it will be important to revisit the charter. How we want to feel and what we need to support our health and well-being is fluid.

In these difficult times, we must be proactive in caring for ourselves and our colleagues. No one has ever been an educator in these exact circumstances, and anxiety, stress, and burnout are becoming common.

The time has come for all schools to address the missing link in what will help educators thrive—a greater focus on all adults’ health and well-being. If we want our educators to be successful—both personally and professionally—schools must be places that bring out the best in them.

Materials from Christina Cipriano and Marc Brackett of the Child Study Center at Yale University used with their permission and that of EdSurge (edsurge.com).