It’s that time of the year again: World Teachers’ Day, where the spotlight shines brightly on our dedicated educators around the globe. It’s a day when the world unites in celebrating the intellectual, moral, and noble profession of teaching, acknowledging the profound impact teachers have on shaping lives and molding the future of individuals. Yet, amidst the applause, the chocolates, gifts and gestures of gratitude, there’s an underlying issue that often remains overshadowed—a critical question that deserves our attention far beyond this special day of recognition. Do we truly appreciate our teachers in a way that extends beyond the fleeting moments of admiration? And to what extent do we support these hardworking individuals throughout the entire year, addressing the formidable challenges, contradictions, and frustrations they face in the education system?
Each year a considerable number of teachers opt to depart the profession, fleeing the building with their cardboard boxes and disappearing into the horizon, never to be seen in a classroom again. They leave behind a series of unanswered questions about the true state of the teaching profession. As we commemorate World Teacher’s Day, it’s an opportune moment to delve deeper into the complex issues surrounding teacher attrition and reflect on the sustainability of our appreciation for these unsung heroes, not just today, but every day.
Let’s face it. In the 21st century the role of the teacher just keeps expanding, much like a post-banquet waistline. New duties, new expectations, new policy changes and new demands are added to the pile each year, and one of the most pressing issues in the education sector is teacher burnout. But how can this possibly be true when of late, each organisation has begun famously and furiously waving the white flag known as wellbeing?
Yes, wellbeing.
A term which has become the latest commonplace buzzword in many industries, more notably, in the field of education. But while research indicates that select schools have shown some improvement in addressing wellbeing, the problem still remains that there is little emphasis on endorsing positive mental health for teachers.
Educators, I’m sure you’ll agree that in 2023, the role of the teacher has never been more diverse, nor more complex, with larger expectations being added to a teacher’s role description as time progresses. The teacher is no longer merely responsible for the delivery of curriculum, but additionally for ensuring the wellbeing and success of each individual student. And folks, lest we forget that not only are our teachers under scrutiny from parents and students, but they are also answerable to a hierarchy of educational managers and leaders.
We’ve all been there before, educators. Severe exhaustion. An overwhelming workload. Relentless dissatisfaction. Ongoing demoralisation. Long nights. Late nights. Early mornings. Meetings. More meetings. Meetings that – dare I say it – could have been an email. After-school sports. Grading. Parent emails. Parent interviews. Lunch duties. Bus duties. Extra curricular activities. Student mentoring .Feedback. Reporting. Data entry. Data analysis. Meetings about data analysis. Throw in another meeting ‘just in case’.
…The list is endless and constantly evolving.
The research doesn’t lie. Studies have indicated that an excessive workload is among the top reasons causing a mass exodus of teachers from the profession (Allen & Sims, 2018; Maxwell, 2019; Howard, 2020; Strickland, 2020). And it’s happening globally. In Nigeria, teacher attrition rates increased from 13.9% in 2016 to 20.1% in 2019 (Wushishi, 2019).
So, is there a solution?
It’s not all doom and gloom. In fact, educational researchers and psychologists have discovered many antidotes to the lack of wellbeing for teachers. The following strategies are suggested by Glazzard and Rose (2019) to increase wellbeing for educators:
●Exercise
●Finding ways to incorporate flexible working hours
●Learning to change one’s belief patterns as coping strategies for teachers to improve their mental health.
Now, while these propose some positive prospects, let’s address the elephant in the room. Such suggestions reveal the very reason why the wellbeing of teachers is currently at an all-time low. The problem is that each of these recommendations places yet another responsibility on the teacher to manage. Here, the educator is expected to resolve the issue on an individual basis with little help, support or guidance. And while many institutions may be attempting to resolve this issue and celebrate the superheroes that are our educators, the truth is that there is a significant gap in the ways that many school cultures prioritise the concept of teacher wellbeing.
So, what strategies does your school or university implement to ensure the wellbeing of its staff? And do these strategies actually move the needle, or are they merely a band-aid for a deeper systemic issue? How often do we ask our teachers what they need to feel successful in their role, rather than assuming?
As a society, we may have increased our focus on student wellbeing, but the question is, with the primary focus being the welfare and support of students, who is supporting – as John Hattie coined – the one who has the most significant impact on student achievement?
The teacher.
On this World Teachers’ Day where we celebrate and recognise our educators, a complimentary coffee and chocolate on one’s desk are nudges of warmth and support.
But no educator can seek to inspire, uplift and educate students if there remains little energy, passion and zest for the profession itself. Ultimately, for schools to continue maximising student achievement, there is a serious need for educational institutions to offer further support for staff on the front line – and not only when International Teacher’s Day rolls around.
If the most powerful impact on the future of our world – that is, our students – stems directly from the teacher, then teacher wellbeing must be at the forefront of every school agenda, every improvement framework and every whole school policy.
Why? Because the future of our once-noble profession depends on it.
Happy World Teachers’ Day to all our wonderful educators. We see you, and we salute you.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.