Our society is an unraveling fabric of complex challenges. Polarization, social dislocation, human isolation and crumbling traditional community structures make childhood a much deeper struggle.
And then COVID-19 happened. This is forced change. This is new territory. Change Management is hard enough without our “normal” world slowly drifting towards some kind of “new normal.”
Swimming in the middle of this are teachers: usually poorly paid, overworked, under-supported with students with extra needs, and lately—active shooter drills.
After teaching high school in BC for 12 years, I first developed my Health and Wellness for Teacher workshop. HW4T is more than building resilience, mindfulness, deep breathing, yoga and other self-care that tells teachers that they alone are responsible for improving their vocation.
Health and Wellness are critical, but honestly, we need to move past that. You know that, right?
We have to go BEYOND Health and Wellness for Teachers!
Beyond HW4T is about mapping our gifts and struggles, the people who have our back, those we support and mentor, and our school and neighbourhood communities. Mapping leads to engagement, which leads to building a capable and intentional school system—for teachers, students and our communities.
Simply, it’s time to push back!
We need to innovate in our personal and interpersonal dynamic.
We need to engage with our people.
We need to mobilize our human capacity.
Finally, we need to advocate for ourselves, our peers, our profession, our students and our society!
The public education system is under attack more than ever before. Everyone participating in BEYOND Health and Wellness for Teachers sessions receives a copy of my book, Modern Labour Activism, an inspiring tool for mobilizing workers in a sector to build the world you know we need!
Let’s build an online supportive community for teachers both in their local communities, regionally, nationally and internationally, with community partners everywhere I go.
And in the end, let’s transform the health of the teaching vocation to actual wellness, where teachers can thrive instead of just survive. It rhymes, but it’s also true!
It’s time to begin! Let’s plan how BEYOND Health and Wellness for Teachers will work for you!
E-mail: hw4t@ebStrategy.org
Phone: 778.803.7337