Student Well-being Begins with Teacher Well-being

Reforming a school from within is a concept that I have not only described in my publications, posts, and courses, but have also successfully implemented in a public school in Romania. An essential part of this process is promoting well-being at the level of the entire school, through a whole-school approach, for which I developed the STAR model.

In short, in order to achieve long-term impact, teachers and school leaders should integrate well-being into the design of the school, make it a strategic goal to be achieved within 3–5 years, and address it at the level of the entire school community—teachers, students, and parents. I strongly believe that, under the umbrella of well-being interventions, a school begins to reinvent itself and undergo deep transformation, leading to improved educational outcomes.

STAR (Strategy, Transformation, A Whole School Approach, Results) serves as a guiding framework—a vision for all teachers who want learning to take place in a state of well-being. New generations, who learn more out of curiosity than fear, would certainly appreciate such a model being brought into their classrooms.

Implementing this model is not easy; it is a long-term process that must be learned. If we aim to promote well-being in schools, we need to understand what it means and what mechanisms to use—just as we cannot teach biology without knowing the subject. The concept must be explained, and many types of activities and specific mechanisms must be learned in order to implement the STAR model effectively.

When it comes to teachers’ well-being, the number of studies highlighting its impact on school success and student performance has increased in recent years. We cannot achieve educational success or have happy students if teachers do not work with motivation and enjoyment, ensuring that every child can thrive.

Numerous analyses show that, worldwide, teachers are overloaded and overworked, and burnout is increasingly common in this profession. Many teachers report dissatisfaction with the school climate, relationships with leadership, excessive administrative tasks, and numerous extracurricular obligations.

It is now widely acknowledged—both by research and practical experience—that:

• student well-being starts with teacher well-being
• happy teachers = happy students

Unfortunately, teaching is one of the most stressful professions, often leading to burnout—mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion.

Data from the Teachers’ Wellbeing Index (2021) shows that:

• 72% of teachers feel stressed
• 54% consider leaving the profession
• 42% are negatively affected by school organizational culture
• 74% feel initial training did not prepare them to manage their own well-being
• 65% feel unprepared to support students’ well-being
• 44% show signs of anxiety
• 70% cite workload as the main reason for considering leaving

These days, there are a lot risk factors in schools for teachers’ well-being which might include:

• workload and working conditions
• lack of autonomy and excessive control
• insufficient support and resources
• workplace relationships
• unclear roles
• poorly managed change

Research also shows that stress is caused by excessive paperwork, student behavior issues, overloaded curricula, high parental expectations, and challenges related to educational technology.

In our view, teachers’ well-being is both an individual and collective responsibility. Teachers must take care of themselves and support each other—“putting on their own oxygen mask first.”

For teachers, some of my practical suggestions include:

• appreciating their role
• focusing on positive daily experiences
• maintaining good communication
• enjoying time with students
• taking short breaks for relaxation
• building supportive relationships
• maintaining work-life balance
• adopting healthy habits
• pursuing hobbies
• spending quality time with family and friends

Specialists also recommend mindfulness practices, which help individuals slow down, become aware of the present moment, and achieve balance. As defined by Stanislaus Kennedy, mindfulness is a way of paying attention to ourselves, others, and the world—shifting from “doing” to “being.”

At the same time, school leaders should turn schools into a “home of well-being,” built through supportive leadership, clear roles, encouragement, fair evaluation, and respect.

This “house of well-being” is built step by step:

• Ground floor: strong organization, clear roles, collaborative culture, shared vision
• First floor: individual support, coaching, professional development
• Second floor: additional well-being activities (team-building, social spaces, relaxation areas)

For school leaders, my key recommendations include:

• respecting teachers’ time
• creating a positive school climate
• reducing administrative burden
• avoiding authoritarian behavior
• distributing responsibilities effectively
• providing regular feedback and recognition
• supporting collaboration and well-being spaces

Ultimately, teachers value:

• appreciation and recognition
• a positive work environment
• fair workload distribution
• professional and emotional support
• reduced bureaucracy
• meaningful professional development

Therefore, here is what I believe teachers would appreciate in the school where they work in order to experience a state of well-being (of course, apart from the main condition, that of being adequately paid):

1.     a message of appreciation, received regularly from the management, acknowledging their work.

2.     a positive working atmosphere in the school, so that they come to work with enthusiasm and enjoy what they do.

3.     a fair distribution of responsibilities at school level, so that each teacher does what they like and are good at.

4.     a different kind of staff room / a relaxation room and a small kitchenette.

5.     coffee, tea, cookies, and fruit in the staff room.

6.     a stationery box provided free of charge twice a year.

7.     fewer meetings and emails from management and inspectorates.

8.     professional and emotional support from the principal or from a colleague.

9.     regular feedback from management and collegial discussions about their work.

10.  the presence of the principal in the staff room during the main break, having a coffee with colleagues and asking how they are doing.

11.  celebrating the successes of the teaching team.

12.  more time for reflection on their own work and for observing and monitoring students’ progress.

13.  fewer time-consuming tasks which often prove to be unnecessary.

14.  consultation and flexibility in organizing activities.

15.  training courses on innovative topics and modern education.

There is more to be done in schools related to the well-being of teachers, so it is important to start the process right now.