Progressing Teachers’ Understanding and Practices of Personal and Professional Well-Being

• In Event: Sunday Roundtable Session 3:05 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Nurturing Educator Well-Being: Insights Into Practice, Professional Environment, and Beliefs (Table 31)

Abstract

Job-related stress is negatively linked with teachers’ physical and mental well-being, contributing to many leaving the profession. This exploratory study fills a gap in the literature to better understand how to progress teachers’ well-being knowledge and practices, which are critical to teacher and student success. We coded teacher reflections from a graduate course on teacher and student well-being to report the Micro-/Macro-/Exo- system influences on their well-being, how teachers’ understandings changed over time, and content that contributed to expanding their knowledge and well-being practices. Findings indicate students, family and friends contributed to teacher well-being, but education-related Macro- and Exo- system influences detracted from well-being. Emotional intelligence, flourishing, and small group sessions with class peers primarily progressed teachers’ understanding and practices.

Authors

• Mary A. Avalos, University of Miami

• Nastasia Schreiner, University of Miami

• Marisol Meyer, University of Miami

• Debbiesiu Lee, University of Miami