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• Fostering a Culture of Wellness

  September 26, 2023 9:00 AM Comments Off on Fostering a Culture of Wellness

  MEDICINE HAT PUBLIC School Division (MHPSD) is a medium-sized public-school jurisdiction in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Serving 850+ employees and 7,000 students, the division delivers inclusive education to 18 schools, all within the city limits. It is the division’s belief that fostering a culture of wellness will lead to increased staff engagement and positive student outcomes. In 2017, MHPSD Superintendent Mark Davidson requested that a wellness committee be created to support this work. Executive leadership and the Board of Trustees adopted “fostering a culture of wellness” as one of four universal division goals. Superintendent Mark Davidson explains:  

  “Our system has been very intentional in our focus on wellness as one of four ‘universal’ system goals. This decision flows from our understanding that all who form our learning community come to school, work, or their family relationships with individual needs in terms of health. Mental health has, for too long, been treated as if it was something to avoid discussing, or to be ashamed of. We, at Medicine Hat Public School Division, understand that proactive action to support the health of our community creates safer and healthier learning environments for all.”  

  Human Resources and Student Services collaborated to create the Be Well, Employee Wellness Program. Initially, the work was siloed into “staff” and “student” categories with assigned champions for each. Wellness Champions were assigned to staff wellbeing and Health Champions were assigned to student wellbeing. An employee engagement survey was sent out to all staff and received 416 responses, about a 50 percent response rate. The survey indicated that most respondents (71 percent) were not aware of any supports or resources offered by the division to assist in their health and wellbeing, and the majority (73 percent) had experienced significant work-related negative stress at some point in the previous six months. Just over half (55 percent) of respondents rated their wellbeing as “good” or “great” and ten percent identified as significantly struggling. When asked what employees would like to see as a support or resource from their employer, the top answers received were on-site or division-sponsored yoga and fitness classes, mindfulness and meditation resources, healthy sleep supports, and on-site influenza vaccination clinics.  

  The Be Well, Employee Wellness Committee created four pillars for the 2018–2019 school year with these categories as the focus. Wellness Champions were assigned an initiative to promote throughout a designated time frame during that school year (e.g. on-site influenza clinics were held September to November). In October 2018, I started with the division as the Health and Wellness Manager, Human Resources. As a registered nurse with a background in disability management and passion for positive health outcomes, I brought a different perspective to wellbeing in K–12 education. My role as the Health and Wellness Manager is to oversee the division’s employee wellness, disability management, and attendance support programs. 

  The division recognized that wellness was much more than yoga and meditation, though these can be important factors in maintaining personal wellness. Equally, if not more, important was identifying the cause of absenteeism and addressing how the division could support staff when they were unwell. As the Chair of the employee wellness committee, I support schools with connections to community resources, small amounts of designated wellness funding, and division-wide communications to promote initiatives. In addition to the wellness work, one of my first deliverables as the Health and Wellness Manager was the creation and implementation of an Attendance Support Program and Disability Management Program. The goal of these programs is to help employees who require accommodation(s) at work and to create sustainable plans for those who have high amounts of casual sick leave. Absenteeism for medical-related leaves had steadily risen between 2015 and 2018, with the number of workdays missed increasing by 52 percent in that time. Directly associated with that were rising financial costs to the division and increased workload for those remaining at work.  

  Disability Management is a proactive workplace process that allows employers to support employees with physical and mental health issues while they are at work; or, if they require a leave of absence, it also promotes an employee’s early and safe return to work, with a primary focus on minimizing the impact of injuries or illnesses on employees, employers, and society as a whole. The division recognized that, regardless of the cause of an employee illness or injury, facilitating a supportive and early return to work was essential for employees to sustain their working relationship and continue to provide quality, consistent services to students and families. In the first year of implementing these programs, the division saw an eight-and-a-half percent reduction in medical–related leaves, and numerous other employees received accommodations and supports, such as reduced work hours or a temporary change in work duties, to maintain their wellbeing and sustain regular employment. The 2019–2020 school year saw additional challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic; however, MHPSD staff demonstrated high levels of resilience, and absenteeism levels decreased by another ten percent including COVID-19 related leaves. Data from 2020–2022 is skewed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and cannot be considered reliable.   

  In May 2019, a follow-up employee engagement survey received 325 responses, about a 40 percent response rate. In this survey, 68 percent of respondents indicated they knew of the supports and resources available to them through the division; however, many expressed they were less familiar with the proactive health solutions available, such as nutritional coaching or stress management through the Employee and Family Assistance Program. The results also showed a 38 percent increase in the culture of wellness across the division; 87 percent of respondents felt the division placed a high value on wellness, compared to 63 percent in 2017.  

  However, when asked about feelings of negative stress, 37 percent of respondents stated they had missed work at least once in the previous 12 months due to work-related stress, and 48 percent of respondents stated they experienced stress or burnout to a point where they had considered quitting their job. The top–cited reasons for this were job demands and student behaviours, followed by struggles with work-life balance. 

  I met with the Associate Superintendent of Student Services, Tracy Hensel, and together we reviewed both the quantitative and qualitative data. We identified student behaviour as an indicator of staff wellness (and vice versa). Similarly, staff requests for professional development and training to assist in managing diverse and complex needs, also showed a relationship between staff wellness and student behaviours. It was a bit like the chicken or egg debate – what came first? Were student behaviour issues a cause or contributor to decreased staff wellness, or was decreased staff wellness a cause or contributor to student behaviour issues? Regardless, there is a direct relationship between employee wellness and student wellness. It was evident that the “one-size-fits-all” wellness committee approach was not working, and that the system could not separate “employee wellness” from “student wellness.”

  The focus, we decided, should be on Comprehensive School Health; an internationally recognized framework to support the whole school community including staff, students, and families (Alberta Health Services, 2023), and individualized health and wellness planning for each school (see Figure 1).   

  Figure 1. Comprehensive School Health Framework 

  

  Alberta Health Services. (2023). Process for building healthy school communities using the components of Comprehensive School Health. Government of Alberta.

  Comprehensive School Health Teams (CHST) have been created at every work site. These teams consist of: 

  • a Health Champion (student focus) 
  • a Wellness Champion (staff focus) 
  • an Administrator or delegate 
  • a Family School Liaison Worker (Registered Social Workers in our system who help families navigate and connect to community supports) 
  • Success Coaches (employees provided through a partnership with Alberta Health Services to promote mental health capacity building) 
  • any other staff who wanted to join or who administrators identified were a necessary part of the team (school counsellors, educational assistants, etc.).  

  Teams meet every six weeks with discussions focused on their school-specific needs, and ideas or initiatives to promote health and wellbeing for all. Some of the initiatives align with division events such as anti-bullying awareness, mental health week, or Pride month, however, many initiatives are a direct response to themes or trends being noticed in the schools. These include such topics as staff connection and recognition ideas, student leadership and belonging initiatives, or connecting parent councils with school leaders or community professionals to discuss topics brought forth by families such as social media use, youth mental health, and nutrition. Administrators record and send their meeting minutes to the Health and Wellness Manager, and I review them to identify any additional resources or supports that could be offered from the division level. 

  In 2022, I partnered with a local School Health Promotion Facilitator from Alberta Health Services. Together we arranged meetings with each Comprehensive School Health Team to complete the Canadian Healthy School Standards (Canadian Healthy Schools Alliance, 2021) survey and obtain baseline school data. Executive leadership also attended these meetings to show support for this work. During these survey sessions, it was evident that every school had their own needs, cultures, and values, and the survey sparked excellent conversation between stakeholders. Once completed, survey results showed that 76 percent of MHPSD schools are “Mastering” the Healthy School Standards, 12 percent are “Accomplishing” and another 12 percent are “Developing.” Overall, Comprehensive School Health Teams felt that strong community partnerships are in place, staff are engaged in being wellness leaders, individual schools feel they have autonomy to make decisions pertinent to them, and all stakeholders understand the importance of a whole-school approach.  

  The process also identified areas for growth. These were: 

  • utilizing students as change makers 
  • providing more time for formal school wellness planning 
  • allowing staff further autonomy to choose the professional development learning opportunities they wish to engage in.  

  Looking forward, all schools will complete the Healthy School Standards survey each spring as part of their Comprehensive School Health planning. The division has also committed to review and implement a formal Psychological Health and Safety plan, with Executive Leadership,  Comprehensive School Health Teams, and the Joint Health and Safety Committee being key stakeholders in pursuing this work. 

  MHPSD has intentionally invested time, human resources, and funding to foster a culture of wellness for all of its members. The creation of Comprehensive School Health Teams, onboarding of a Health and Wellness Manager, implementation of programs to address wellness, and collaborative partnerships with community groups are just a few ways in which they have chosen to support their wellness goal.  

  “Medicine Hat Public School Division is proud of the efforts we have made, and will continue to make, in support of the health of our learning community. While it is hard to disaggregate the impact of this work from all of the other steps we have taken, we are convinced that our efforts have had a positive impact on staff efficacy and student learning.” – Superintendent Mark Davidson, MHPSD 

  Fostering a culture of wellness requires more than creating a single wellness committee or providing staff with a wellness PD Day; it is a culmination of efforts from all stakeholders to create a safe and inclusive environment and to tackle the hard and uncomfortable tasks head on. The division’s wellness plan is fluid and constantly evolving to meet the needs of its communities. It is unknown what tomorrow will bring, but MHPSD will continue to be all-in to support the wellbeing of their staff, students, and community members. 

   

  LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW EDCAN SUPPORTS K-12 WORKPLACE WELLBEING

  

  References 

  Alberta Health Services. (2022). The CSH framework. Government of Alberta. https://schools.healthiertogether.ca/en/learn/the-csh-framework 

  Canadian Healthy Schools Alliance. (2021). Canadian Healthy School Standards.
  www.healthyschoolsalliance.ca/ca-healthy-school-standards 

  Photo: iStock
  First published in Education Canada, September 2023

• Education’s Climate Crisis

  9:00 AM Comments Off on Education’s Climate Crisis

  On behalf of the Association of Canadian Deans of Education (ACDE) 

  

  We are living in a time of uncertainty, stress, and exhaustion. Our world is facing literal and metaphorical fires, encompassing environmental crises, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the spread of political and religious extremism, escalating violence and war, fragile economies and rising inflation, famine, poverty, and food insecurity.   

  Education is in the midst of its own profound “crisis of climate.” Teaching and learning cannot flourish in an alienating and inhospitable landscape. Canada and other world partners have set an ambitious goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 to tackle the global environmental climate crisis. What ambitious goals are addressing the climate crisis in education for Education 2050 and beyond? Arguing that the “current disruption has changed education forever,” the Association of Canadian Deans of Education met to signal “educational priorities… and where investment is needed in teacher education, teachers and research as a recovery strategy” (2020, p. 3).   

  A CLIMATE RECOVERY STRATEGY FOR EDUCATION ECOSYSTEMS 2050  

  Schools are ecosystems where children bring their own histories, knowledge, and experiences. These ecosystems have distinct cultures, structures, and access to resources. The wellbeing of children depends upon having consistent “attuned, non-stressed and emotionally reliable caregivers” (Maté & Maté, 2000, p. 101). However, in the present context, many children, families, and teachers are struggling. 

  Beista, Priestley et al., (2015) have been studying educational ecosystems for many years. Their interest stems from the fact that as global policies have been adopted, teachers have been positioned as agents of change. However, rather than seeing agency simply as the individual capacity that teachers may or may not possess, they understand meaningful agency as a part of the ecology of the school systems within which teachers practise. Embedding agency within an existing ecosystem clarifies that we are all complicit in the conditions we create for teaching and learning to thrive – or to wither.  

  An educational ecosystem is far more than a collection of physical spaces, policies, and curriculum documents. To empower teachers and bring about positive change, a clear vision is necessary. This involves meaningful engagement with parents, community members, school psychologists, healthcare providers, educational assistants, teacher education students, and teacher education providers. Recognizing the critical role each of these stakeholders plays is necessary for the wellbeing of students’ physical, social-emotional, intellectual, and mental health.  

  The “critical habitat” for teaching and learning 

  A critical habitat is essential for children to thrive. Recognizing the lasting impact of the current disruption on education, a thriving environment ensures safety, support, and equitable access to resources like technology and the internet. It upholds the rights of the children (UN General Assembly, 1989) and honours the provisions for francophone and minority language education (Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982). It responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action. Educators play a vital role in the recovery, but without strategic and sustainable investment, they face additional risks. 

  Threats to the educational ecosystem 

  Globalization has led to an emphasis on competition, excellence, and individualism in education. Despite well-documented disparities, the focus on “recovery” is trained narrowly on “learning gaps” and concern about “falling behind.” Ignoring the critical habitat effectively undermines efforts to close those gaps or achieve higher test scores. The needs of historically marginalized students and families have too often been debated, thwarted, or ignored.  

  Treating the educational system as a “market” undermines educational ecosystems, prioritizing shareholders over stakeholders. Government involvement in seeking market solutions to public policy problems diverts financial resources to for-profit businesses from schools. An emphasis on testing, for example, driven by the financial interests of publishing companies, devalues educators’ ongoing assessments. The shift redirects efforts toward test scores and global reputation over holistic growth.  

  When changes in education are subject to short-term, politically driven reactions, the gaze is fixed on the desires of electors with special interests, over the concrete needs of children and educators. Policies emerging from such a limited view can destabilize progress and can entrench traumatizing social conditions, leaving teachers without the agency, autonomy, purpose, and sense of meaning that leads to wellness and motivation. As key resources in the ecosystem, educators and teacher education providers must play a vital role in policy and curriculum planning and decisions.  

  Many parts of the world, with Canada now among them, have been crippled by a teacher shortage. When the environment in schools is neglected, and calls for support, resources, and safety measures are ignored (or promised but never realized), it can lead to despondence, positioning educators as disseminators of decisions made elsewhere (Hibbert & Iannacci, 2005). When teachers feel ignored, under-resourced, or undervalued, they leave the profession (Bryant et al., 2023).  

  For example, educators are the front-line witnesses to systemic racism and equity. The crisis of climate in education has revealed new depths of inequity. Interpersonal and structural violence became more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Building safe and trusting relationships is critical as we re-orient students to being in community, developing social-emotional capacity and recovering from their experiences over the past few years. The mental health needs of both teachers and students must be supported.  

  How do we restore damaged systems? 

  To build a safe and more sustainable educational ecosystem, we must prioritize the physical spaces, culture, and climate of schools. Schools ought to model advanced standards in air and water quality, as these factors impact students’ health, concentration, and comfort in learning. Implementing energy efficient and accessible technologies should be a basic requirement to demonstrate care for students and responsible use of resources. All curricula should incorporate cultural safety and human rights principles. By learning in schools that exemplify these shared goals, students can better connect what they learn with what they observe in a safe and sustainable world.  

  Cree scholar Dwayne Donald argues that “ethical relationality is an ecological understanding of human relationality that does not deny difference, but rather seeks to more deeply understand how our different histories and experiences position us in relation to each other” (2009, p. 6). Bringing a compassionate curiosity that positions us all as part of an interconnected whole – where one cannot thrive without the other – holds promise for developing the trauma consciousness that is so desperately needed to move beyond the damage sustained from years of neglect. The core vision and commitments cannot be subject to change with each new government. Rather, they must address a “security of place” (Neef et al., 2018) that prioritizes a healthier, sustainable and long-term vision and investment in our Canadian educational future – and the futures of all children who participate in these systems.  

  Refugees, migrants, and immigrants are choosing Canada as a safe place to educate their children. One need only read the news to see that that “safety” can be disingenuous for some populations. We know that “students’ relationships with their teachers are vital to their academic learning and psychosocial development” (Smith & Whitely, 2023, p. 96). Those relationships are made more fragile when the teacher’s own needs are not being met.  

  “How do we help children achieve and develop to the limits of their potential, particularly those who struggle most in an industrialized system of education that struggles to accommodate individual needs and challenges?” (p. 101). This process begins by establishing a caring relationship between educators and students. However, it is crucial for educators to operate within a caring environment and a system that genuinely values the education and wellbeing of children beyond their future economic contributions. Achieving this requires intellectual humility, collaboration, and investment as education is prioritized and valued for the significant role it plays in all our social futures. 

   

  LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW EDCAN SUPPORTS K-12 WORKPLACE WELLBEING

  

  References 

  Association of Canadian Deans of Education. (2020). Teaching and teacher education: Preparing for a flourishing post-pandemic Canada. ACDE. 

  Biesta, Priestley, M., & Robinson, S. (2015).  Teacher agency: an ecological approach. Bloomsbury Academic, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing, Plc. doi.org/10.5040/9781474219426 

  Bryant, J., Ram, S., et al. (2023). K-12 teachers are quitting. What would make them stay? McKinsey & Company.
  www.mckinsey.com/industries/education/our-insights/k-12-teachers-are-quitting-what-would-make-them-stay    

  Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,  Part 1 of the Constitution Act, 1982, being Schedule B to the Canada Act 1982 (UK), 1982, c 11.
  https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/page-12.html 

  Donald, D. (2009).  Forts, curriculum, and Indigenous Métissage: Imagining decolonization of Aboriginal-Canadian relations in educational contexts. First Nations Perspectives, 2(1), 1–24. 

  Government of Canada, (n.d.). Net-zero emissions by 2050.
  https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/net-zero-emissions-2050.html 

  Hibbert, K., & Iannacci, L. (2005). From Dissemination to discernment: The commodification of literacy instruction and the fostering of “good teacher consumerism.” The Reading Teacher, 58(8), 716–727. 
  doi.org/10.1598/RT.58.8.2 

  Maté, G., & Maté, D. (2022).  The myth of normal: trauma, illness and healing in a toxic culture. Alfred A. Knopf Canada. 

  Neef, A., Benge., L., et al. (2018). Climate adaptation strategies in Fiji: the role of social norms and cultural values. World Development, 107, 125-137. 

  Smith, J. D. & Whitley, J. (2023). Teaching with acceptance and commitment: Building teachers’ social-emotional competencies for teaching effectiveness. The Educational Forum, 87(1), 90–104.  doi: 10.1080/00131725.2022.2053620 

  UN General Assembly. (1989). Convention on the rights of the child. Treaty Series, 1577, 3. United Nations.
  https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000101215  

  Photo: iStock
  First published in Education Canada, September 2023

• Educators and Workplace Mental Health

  9:00 AM Comments Off on Educators and Workplace Mental Health

  The pandemic changed a lot about our lives. For better or worse, we spent more time with our families, we picked up new hobbies and caught up on television and movies. We also spent a lot more time talking about an often overlooked or unspoken subject: our mental health. Let’s carry that forward – it’s a positive change.

  Mental health encompasses a range of experiences from mental illness to mental wellness. Mental illness is an abnormal and typically continual negative state driven by issues in the brain. Wellness, on the other hand, is the condition in which you have resiliency skills, an ability to manage how you feel, and experiences of both positive and negative feelings on a regular basis. 

  I have been surrounded by educators for much of my life. My mother is a teacher. I hold a Master’s in Education and my principal’s certificates, and I started my career in the public education system. I led a national education charity and had the privilege of working with educators and education leaders daily. The environment is familiar to me – however, I acknowledge much has changed.

  Our work at Mental Health Research Canada is to understand how Canadians are experiencing the vast range of mental health. We have completed multiple studies on mental health indicators and we have dug into our national data to explore various population and employee groups, such as educators. 

  What do we know from our research? Before the pandemic, K–12 educators’ self-reported day-to-day mental health indicators looked average compared to other sectors, including the level of diagnosis of some of the most common mental illnesses – anxiety and depression. Self-rated levels of anxiety were slightly below average and depression indicators were well below average. This is not particularly surprising, since despite the challenges the job may present, it seems reasonable to assume most people who select teaching as a profession would be aware of the nature of the work and only choose this profession if they feel they are suited to it and able to overcome these challenges on a regular basis. Also, teachers came into the pandemic with an additional layer of mental health protection – they are, on the whole, engaged in and proud of their work.

  However, the pandemic was very difficult for K–12 educators. This profession showed the second-highest increase in levels of average anxiety – after nurses – with scores peaking in August each year and as new variants emerged. At some points, one in three teachers were self-reporting high levels of anxiety. Given all that we went through, this is likely not surprising to anyone. Our data showed it was especially hard for educators with dual roles as a caregiver or parent; they were supporting their family members while also managing new roles as virtual teachers. In places where teachers went back to in-person school, they also had increased concerns about catching and spreading COVID-19 to family members. 

  This situation often manifested as burnout. In the depths of the pandemic, 38 percent of educators self-reported burnout. This was slightly above the average of 35 percent for employed Canadians. We had expected higher burnout rates, but as this typically correlates with longer-term anxiety or depression indicators, it is possible that the protective factors and relative strengths going into the pandemic helped keep this lower than the incredibly high burnout rates seen among nurses and mental-health care workers. 

  In the post-pandemic recovery period, our most recent study on workplace mental health indicators showed some interesting new data. During the pandemic and in the recovery phase, health-care workers reported some of the highest rates of burnout. While we now see some improvement on levels of burnout among the health-care sector, we have not seen the same in the education sector. The two sectors are now experiencing the same levels of burnout. We were curious about what was happening in these high-burnout sectors, so we began conducting interviews with educators. These respondents were recruited from our large data collection and had self-reported some degree of mental distress during the pandemic or more recently.  

  As one would expect, we received a number of explanations, but they broadly fit into a few categories. During the pandemic, stress was driven by: 

  • The challenges of delivering school virtually with little to no guidance and support 
  • Being unable to answer questions from anxious parents  
  • Watching kids struggle and feeling unable to properly support them.

  Once school returned to in-person learning, stress was driven by: 

  • More behavioural challenges from students 
  • No additional supports for students who had fallen behind, coupled with expectations from parents that the school would support educational recovery 
  • Cutbacks 
  • Lingering concerns about COVID-19 and students coming to school sick.

  Where to go from here? 

  Improving these indicators is a collective responsibility. Parents and students have a role to play in understanding that teachers are usually doing the best they can with the resources they have. Leadership in schools, school boards, and unions can implement stronger policies to support mental health. Governments can better fund the system to address the academic and social gaps that arose for students during the pandemic, without losing sight of the need for additional mental health supports for staff. As well, educators have a responsibility to increase their understanding of mental health, including when and how to get help. 

  The basic tenets of workplace mental health generally are the following four pillars:  

  1. The first pillar is effective policy and programs driven by the highest decision-makers. Do you have programs in place to engage employees on mental health? Are there metrics in place? Do the policies move beyond information to consider behaviour change? Have the unions, the school boards, and education ministries made this a priority? Have they considered staff wellbeing across all their policies? 
  2. The second is supportive middle management. The greatest policies can be undermined by poor or poorly planned execution. Less-than-ideal leadership styles and micro-aggressions can undermine improvements in mental health. In the education context, this is primarily a role for principals. How can we best support them to learn about mental health, identify red flags, ensure programs are delivered effectively, and build a supportive environment for all staff and students? All levels of management have to support mental health, but it is especially important at the management implementation level.
  3. The third pillar is understanding and mitigating psychological harms or traumas. Some workplaces have inherently more risk for psychological harms (e.g. bullying, micro-aggressions and discrimination) – most would certainly consider teachers and schools as one such workplace. Schools likely have policies around major traumas that teachers might experience, but do we build metrics that indicate how they are working? When does a policy kick in? For example, is verbal abuse from a parent a trauma by all definitions? Workplaces where trauma is inherent have a responsibility for specific policies over and above typical workplace mental health policies to ensure the psychological safety of employees.
  4. The fourth pillar is individual responsibility. We are humans and we have social interactions and pressures in our lives. No one is immune from bringing pre-existing challenges into the workplace, or workplace challenges into the home. It might surprise you to know that custodial staff who hold a critically important role in the school community are among the highest in anxiety diagnoses. Even within the various roles in schools, every person will respond differently as we all have different capacities. Demonstrating empathy, flexibility, and adaptability to those who need extra support is not only important, but also a collective responsibility of everyone in the workplace. We must strive toward stigma-free workplaces. Individuals also have a responsibility to learn more about and be in tune with their own mental health, and to understand and respect the mental wellbeing of others. 

  Where do we see the greatest opportunities for improvement in preventative mental health for educators? 

  We have the great fortune to collect a huge national sample of data from employed Canadians as part of the Guarding Minds evaluation. This evaluation monitors 13 multi-faceted factors that create and support psychologically safe workplaces. The factors are Balance, Civility and Respect, Clear Leadership and Expectations, Engagement, Growth and Development, Involvement and Influence, Organizational Culture, Protection of Physical Safety, Psychological and Social Support, Psychological Competencies and Demands, Psychological Protection, Recognition and Reward, and Workload Management. In self-reporting, educators score below average on all these factors, with the exception of Engagement and Psychological Protection. There are many areas that deserve attention. 

  On the positive, educators score well (average) on Engagement because they often contribute extra time voluntarily and feel like they belong to a community. They score well in Psychological Protection because they are part of and invested in that community, and they have comparatively low rates of workplace discrimination, bullying, and harassment. 

  However, there are enormous challenges that educators are facing. Educators scored significantly below the average (10 percent below) in Balance, Clear Leadership and Expectations, Involvement and Influence, Organizational Culture, Protection of Physical Safety, Psychological and Social Support, and Recognition and Reward. 

  Reviewing and summarizing the biggest gaps between the average employed Canadian and educators reveals: 

  • Work-home life balance issues 
  • Difficult situations that are often unresolved 
  • Not being able to engage with leadership in meaningful ways resulting in low trust, as demonstrated by multiple different indicators 
  • Not being provided with the right tools or resources to keep the environment safe and healthy 
  • Not having recognition for achievement and/or good performance. 

   The inherent challenge, of course, is that change and cultural shifts are difficult to achieve in big institutional systems. Many of these struggles seem baked into the structure of public education in Canada – governments, school boards, and collective bargaining.  

  But we can make progress.  

  Strive for individual balance. This can be the archenemy of high engagement. Teachers care deeply about students and don’t want to let them down. This often results in conflicting priorities with personal time. I would encourage educators to define their personal boundaries of time, as difficult as that is, to support better life balance and strive for discipline to adhere to the boundaries they set for themselves. This is not easy to do. But educators have to take responsibility for setting their own personal limits. There is a necessary tension between commitment and life balance. 

  While recognition and achievement can be challenging in a structured pay environment, multiple studies have shown that many people are highly motivated beyond financial incentives. School environments can be set up to celebrate achievements. We do it well with students. Can students share impact stories of how a teacher affected their life? Can we better celebrate progress in working with students who were struggling? Can unions celebrate and promote great teaching and the significant contribution of educators to society? Can system leaders recognize school-wide improvements on key broad initiatives? This is the responsibility of the principal of each school, and superintendents overseeing families of schools. Sometimes, it is as simple as saying thank you and appreciating someone you know is working very hard, doing their best, and bringing their best self to work every day. 

  Really, the above examples apply to most workplaces. If we can come to work, do our best, support and appreciate each other, set our work-life balance priorities without apology or guilt, stamp out stigma and show empathy for one another without judgment, our work environments would all be better places. 

  Read more about the work of Mental Health Research Canada, including reports and data on the mental health of Canadians, on our website at www.mhrc.ca. 

   

  LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW EDCAN SUPPORTS K-12 WORKPLACE WELLBEING

  

   

   

  Photo: iStock
  First published in Education Canada, September 2023

• Trauma-Informed Practice

  9:00 AM Comments Off on Trauma-Informed Practice

  On behalf of the Ontario Principals’ Council

  

  Most initiatives in education begin with the introduction of a new word. Think “wellbeing,” “equity,” or “reconciliation.” Each term serves as a beacon illuminating new layers of complexity in education, revealing deeper student needs or system requirements, inspiring more meaningful goals, and pointing the way to better teaching and leadership practices.  

  And yet, as each word is systemically blended into the daily parlance of education, its unique brightness begins to dim. Its disruptive power and innovative potential fades. Terms that once challenged educators to think with greater pedagogical breadth and depth are used so frequently – and, at times, so casually – that their meaning becomes diminished. Ironically, words meant to capture our attention, create a sense of urgency, and sensitize us to the complexities of human experience, often risk simply becoming yet another education buzzword among many.  

  Arguably, the word “trauma”1 is one such word. Having entered the fringes of education less than two decades ago, the term – along with its associated “trauma-informed” and “trauma-sensitive” – is now mainstream. Spurred on by the pandemic, the idea that schools are not only places of learning, but should also be places of “healing,” is now a widespread educational aspiration.  

  But how are we actually doing when it comes to genuinely supporting students who experience trauma? How are educators feeling about their understanding of trauma, and their ability to effectively address the complications that trauma often brings to the classroom? The Ontario Principals’ Council (OPC) recently undertook an online survey and qualitative interview study of school administrators across Ontario to better understand this question. In all, 652 principals and vice principals completed the survey, representing both elementary and secondary schools in 25 English public boards throughout the province. The complete report can be found online at www.principals.ca/RPR. 

  Student trauma matters, now more than ever 

  Administrators were first asked to estimate the percentage of students in their schools impacted by trauma, both prior to the pandemic and following it. Almost one-third of administrators estimated that 10 percent or fewer of their student population was impacted by trauma prior to the pandemic. However, estimates grew significantly when school administrators were asked to consider their students within the context of the pandemic. Almost one in four administrators believed that 20–30 percent of their students were impacted by trauma. The number of administrators who believed that 30–50 percent of their students were impacted by trauma doubled when considering the pandemic. 

  When asked to rate the degree to which they believe trauma is negatively affecting student performance on a scale of 1 (low impact) to 10 (high impact), administrators indicated a strong conviction that trauma is significantly impacting academics, behaviour, and other student issues such as attendance or overall attitude toward school (See Figure 1). For example, more than one-quarter of administrators rated the impact of trauma on academic performance as 10/10. One-third of administrators rated trauma’s impact on behaviour as 10/10. More than one-quarter of administrators rated the impact of trauma on attendance or overall attitude toward school as 10/10. 

  Figure 1: Overall, what impact do you believe the effects of trauma have on your students’ academic performance, behaviour, and other student issues such as attendance or attitude toward school?

  

  Given the prevalence of trauma, administrators reported that a significant amount of teaching time is spent dealing with issues connected to student trauma. For example, half of the administrators estimated that their staff spend 10–30 percent of their teaching time dealing with issues related to student trauma. One in ten administrators estimated that 40–60 percent of teaching time is spent dealing with student trauma-related concerns.

  Trauma impacts educators, too 

  Student trauma also impacts educators. For example, on a scale of 1 (no impact) to 10 (high impact), 80 percent of administrators rated the negative impact of dealing with student trauma on educator wellbeing as 7/10 or higher. One-third of administrators rated the impact as 9/10 or higher. School administrators also reported experiencing the effects of dealing with student trauma on their own wellbeing. Almost three-quarters of administrators rated the impact as 7/10 or higher. Close to 1 in 5 administrators reported the impact as 10/10 (See Figure 2). 

  Figure 2: To what degree does dealing with student trauma negatively impact your staff’s wellbeing, or your wellbeing? 

  

  Necessity of trauma sensitivity 

  Consistent with their concern about the prevalence of trauma in their students and its impact on school success, administrators were strongly in favour of adopting a trauma-sensitive approach in education, with over half rating the necessity as 10/10. A total of 85 percent of administrators rated the necessity as 8/10 or higher. 

  However, administrators tended to rate their schools’ present ability to support students affected by trauma as moderate. On a scale of 1 (poor) to 10 (excellent), almost 1 in 10 administrators rated their school as 2 or lower, while less than 2 percent of administrators rated their school as 9/10 or better. Just over half of administrators rated their school’s ability as 5/10 or poorer. 

  Barriers to trauma-sensitive education 

  Given their struggles to more effectively support student trauma, administrators were asked to indicate the barriers that their staff face in more fully practising a trauma-sensitive approach. The most prevalent barrier, identified by 86 percent of administrators, was educator stress and burnout. This was closely followed by lack of staff training, lack of staff time, and curriculum pressures (See Figure 3).

  Figure 3: What, if anything, gets in the way of your staff’s ability to consistently adopt a trauma-sensitive approach? (Check all that apply)

  

  Administrators also reported facing significant barriers when it came to leading a school-wide trauma-sensitive approach. The most frequently reported barrier, identified by three-quarters of administrators, were the competing demands of other administrative duties. Two-thirds of administrators identified stress and burnout as a barrier. This was closely followed by an overall lack of time. Half of the administrators also identified lack of training as a barrier, followed by lack of system support.  

  From the interviews with individual administrators, it was clear that they and their staff view student trauma as an important priority in education. However, it was also clear that most educators are struggling to address trauma effectively. They want to do better, but they find themselves exhausted by existing demands and often overwhelmed by the prospect of taking on more, especially something that often feels beyond their level of expertise.  

  Principals share their experience 

  Sometimes when there is so much going on, with trauma, behaviours from students, staff anxiety and stress, it is a lot of stress put on administration. This is starting to burn me out – as well as colleagues that I speak to about this.   I am finding it more and more difficult to approach problems with staff and students with the level of empathy and patience that I feel that I should have. I am feeling very “done”… if that makes sense.  The wearing fatigue plays a huge role in mustering the resilience, by the end of the week, to fully and deeply engage in problem-solving. The cumulative effects of trauma are what I am attempting to navigate – and I think many of my colleagues are as well.  Quite frankly, there are too many items that are affecting our role as leaders. We are NOT health experts, trauma experts and the board really has no foundations on this either. Nor do they know how to support people on the front lines. Schools are flailing, as is morale. Let us lead without all these other unexpected expectations that affect schools!  I’ve become hyper aware of the relationship between trauma (or perceived trauma) and behaviour of students. I am increasingly aware that my expertise in identifying trauma and dealing with behaviour resulting from trauma is insufficient on a daily basis. It has, however, created a strong team bond at our school in order to, every day, try to meet the needs of all students.

  Widening the trauma lens at school 

  Childhood trauma is first and foremost a fundamental violation of the safety and security of relationships with adults. Therefore, safety and security can only be restored through relationships with adults. And yet, while healing must happen through adults, such healing is rarely easy or straightforward, especially in the classroom.  

  Supporting students who have suffered trauma is often challenging. The experience of each student is vastly different and the ways in which trauma affects them is wide-ranging and complex. Some students may be oppositional, others overly compliant, while still others are utterly disengaged. Students often require a lot of time and support, progress is slow, and solutions are found through trial and error. Boundaries are tested, core beliefs are challenged, and personal emotional hot buttons are often pushed. 

  Educators have a critical role to play in helping students heal from the effects of trauma. However, becoming trauma-informed involves more than simply adding “trauma-sensitive” practices to the existing work of educators. While it includes providing educators with practical classroom tools, it also requires a widening of the wellbeing lens toward a greater awareness of the many pressures already on educators. It requires changes on a system level to relieve some of those pressures and the strengthening of organizational structures to more effectively support educator wellbeing. This includes the creation of workplace cultures that genuinely allow educators to be vulnerable and to share both their successes and failures without judgment. It involves moving away from simply reminding educators to practise self-care, to a greater organizational commitment to mutual care. It means ensuring that educators don’t feel alone in the classroom. Above all, it means remembering that of all the teaching strategies, the “strategy” that matters the most is the educator themselves. 

   

  LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW EDCAN SUPPORTS K-12 WORKPLACE WELLBEING

  

  note

  [1] Trauma is the lasting emotional response that often results from living through a distressing event. Experiencing a traumatic event can harm a person’s sense of safety, sense of self and ability to regulate emotions and navigate relationships. Long after the traumatic event occurs, people with trauma can often feel shame, helplessness, powerlessness and intense fear. (The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)

   

  Photo: iStock
  First published in Education Canada, September 2023

• A Focus on Staff Wellbeing

  August 29, 2023 9:35 AM Comments Off on A Focus on Staff Wellbeing

  Student and staff wellness was on the radar of the board of trustees of the Black Gold School Division (BGSD) in Alberta even prior to COVID-19. Black Gold now adheres to three strong priorities that direct the work done with our staff and students: Success, Wellness, and Engagement & Partnerships. With a relatively small increase in the monetary investment in the Wellness pillar, we have been able to create momentum and change that is altering the trajectory of our division and snowballing in its impact. Our journey, while unique to our division, contains takeaways that can be applied in other contexts across the country to support staff wellbeing. 

  In the beginning 

  When the board and our senior administrators were discussing what our priorities should be in 2019, wellness was brought forward as an option, but focused mainly on students at that point. COVID-19, however, amplified the need for wellness support for our adults as well, as we started to hear that our employees weren’t doing “well” (a rather ambiguous term at this point). With this new priority and focus in place, we began to move forward with the wellness support for our staff members. To begin, an internal Employee Health, Wellness, and Safety Feedback survey was administered, and ​​​​the big takeaway from it was that people in all positions were feeling a lack of time to do their jobs well. 

  It was at this point that our Division Principal, Jon Ganton, started to look for ways to dig a little deeper into our employee experience so that our next moves were headed in the right direction, rather than just being based on his interpretation of the in-house survey. He was drawn to the EdCan Network’s Well at Work Advisors program because the Advisors were all formerly involved in education and he felt this was vital. Schools are a different type of “business,” and we craved feedback from a perspective that would honour all the intricacies involved with that. When a partnership with the College of Alberta School Superintendents was offered, which cut the cost in half, Jon jumped on it, and in 2022 our connection with Caroline Picard, our advisor, began. 

  The process 

  In order to understand our school division’s context and identify strategies and goals to move toward supporting staff wellbeing, our Well at Work Advisor began by reviewing the existing workplace wellbeing data and organizing interviews with a cross-section of employees. 

  Caroline conducted a series of eight interviews with pairs of employees that represented all of our union and worker groups in Black Gold. These took place over Zoom at a predetermined time that worked for each employee. Often, participants were paired with someone from a different union or role, which made for some really interesting connections and comparisons across groups of employees and buildings.  

  The questions Caroline posed centred around the perception and availability of wellness support from the employer, and also developed a context for each interviewee to share their personal experiences, concerns, and suggestions for improvement.  

  The findings 

  From the rich foundational review and recommendations that Caroline created, we put some suggestions immediately into practice, and continue to implement suggestions to this day. Three major pieces that have impacted staff wellness at BGSD are: 

  1. Visible and increased support of our support staff members 
  2. Continuation of funding for our Wellness Instructional Teachers (WISTs)  
  3. Creation of a Division Lead Wellness Teacher position devoted solely to staff wellness. 

  Support staff 

  Our support staff members were feeling left out and isolated because they weren’t always at the table for important school-based conversations and professional development (PD). This was mainly due to how many hours we were paying them to work each day, which conflicted with when our staff meetings and professional development opportunities were happening. In the 2022-2023 school year we completely changed our PD model to support the feedback from our teachers and administrators that they were feeling rushed and exhausted when meetings were on early-out days, and instead incorporated a model where a full day each month is devoted to PD at the school, division, and Alberta Teachers Association levels. With this change we have also offered to pay for half-days on our PD days for our support staff members so they can be present. We are excited that in our upcoming school year, this model has morphed further into providing pay for four full days of PD in conjunction with teachers and administrators, and the option for additional paid half-days. 

  Inclusion of our support staff remains an issue at the forefront of our minds, as many continue to feel isolated from their colleagues or underappreciated in their buildings. Having this brought to our attention allows us to continually move forward in our decision-making with this as a priority. 

  Wellness instructional teachers 

  In 2021, we introduced funding for a 0.1 FTE Wellness Instructional Teacher (WIST) in each building to support Wellness initiatives for two years. These amazing teachers use data collected in their buildings to inform their wellness focuses for the year. We truly believe that a one-size-fits-all approach does not work when it comes to wellness, especially as our district has a huge variation of school populations, from large urban high schools to small rural schools.  

  The WISTs record their action plan and the ensuing results throughout the year, and these are stored in a repository that everyone has access to. This sharing of best practices and strategies (and the ones that weren’t as effective) allows other WISTs who are new to the role, or who have identified a new area of focus, to learn from the work of others and hit the ground running.  

  Our board has witnessed the power these positions have had to impact culture and overall wellbeing in each building, and has decided to continue funding for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year.  

  Division lead wellness teacher 

  A full-time Division Wellness Teacher position was created for the 2022-2023 school year, and I was the lucky candidate who was awarded the job. At first, I was unsure of the direction to head in, so our Well at Work Advisor’s feedback was invaluable, as was the Well at Work K–12 Leadership Course online. They became my roadmap. 

  I quickly realized how to segment my work (individual, community, and systemic supports and changes), and how to streamline my communication surrounding the definition of wellness in Black Gold. My ultimate goal, right off the hop, was to ensure that the position was visible and had a measurable and immediate impact (that low-hanging fruit we often hear described). For us, this amounted to the golden oldie of bi-monthly Wellbeing Newsletters going out to everyone, and within that, individual challenges for the month. September, for example, was a step challenge, as it coincided beautifully with the Terry Fox Walk/Run that all of our schools participate in. The goal of the newsletter is always to provide information, research, and conversation surrounding best wellness practices in a way that is easy to incorporate into a busy life. The feedback I got from people was supportive, as one teacher wrote, “Your newsletter has been super useful, and I am really appreciating that it has things (recipes, challenges, etc.) that I can actually use/do. I like the tangible aspect of it, and the fact that it doesn’t feel like it’s just adding one more thing to my plate.” Ensuring that I wasn’t adding to the plate was vital and I feel like my own experience as a teacher allowed me to balance on the fine line between challenge/fun and creating extra work. Even with this goal at the forefront of my mind, I did have two people ask to opt out of my newsletters because they felt they were reminders of all of the things they “should” be doing. Of course I honoured their requests, and also remain cognizant of the number of times I am communicating with everyone each week.  

  The purpose behind the challenges was two-fold. In our Well at Work report, it was very clear that people were experiencing a sense of a loss or minimization of community (due to both COVID-19 and the siloing that occurs when workload intensifies), both at their own schools, and between schools and departments. Each monthly challenge has a team prize; the school or department with the highest percentage of participation wins a prize for everyone. I was hopeful that this shared incentive, and conversations around the competition and wellness practices, would re-engage people with one another.  

  Another community prong of support I offer is professional development. Each month ​​I lead a 90-minute virtual session that coincides with the wellness focus of the month. These happen during designated time on our PD days. By allowing teachers the opportunity to log in virtually from their own buildings we minimize commuting stress. We anticipated that having wellness sessions run congruently with curriculum-based PD, especially with new curriculum currently being implemented in Alberta, would be challenging, but my sessions have had high attendance rates, which demonstrates the need educators feel for wellness-based learning.  

  I also work closely with administrators to create sessions for their staff-specific needs. Usually this begins with a conversation about what they are noticing, or what is worrisome for them about the wellbeing of their staff. In any form of PD I deliver I adopt a workshop model, where people are conversing and working through ideas together and individually to find ways to increase their own individual wellness capacity, and elevate the wellness of the community within their building. This work creates a common language and series of shared expectations between staff members, and also allows administrators to feel supported in their quest to support their own staff.  

  As suggested in our Workplace Wellbeing Review and Recommendations, I also looked for any opportunity I could to create fun and bring people from various locations together. As we all have experienced, going through COVID-19 has created a sense of separation and isolation. To bridge that, I created a BGSD Challenge, which is a smaller-scale corporate challenge-style event. This allows everyone’s talents to shine as they earn points for their school or department, and also hosts three in-person events (pickleball, yoga, and a softball tournament) for people to meet at.  

  Additionally, we hosted a half-day in-person Wellness PD day, complete with food trucks, massages, and amazing personal wellness sessions. This day provided us with an opportunity to reach out to in-house presenters to share their passions and wellbeing habits. One teacher, who was asked to present a fly-fishing session, commented that he “never considered doing any sort of PD presentation and enjoyed the experience immensely.” We found that the uptake on wellness sessions wasn’t as high during this day, when we were meeting in-person, as it is when our sessions are delivered online.  

  My work at the systemic level took a little longer to nail down, because I needed to get a sense of how all of the pieces and people interacted before I could begin to identify which direction to head in. At the Pan-Canadian Summit on K–12 Workplace Wellbeing, I had my lightbulb moment (actually, a teeny tiny little spark that eventually grew to a lightbulb a few weeks later). Dr. Vidya Shah gave a keynote address on “Wellbeing for Whom?” and that question, and subsequent information, stuck with me. It quickly became apparent that we needed to learn about the Black Gold experience from everyone, including members of our staff from traditionally marginalized groups. Our journey into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion began there, and while it is still in its infancy, it has already begun to spark vital conversation and change. We have administered a survey to all staff members, and the data collected and amalgamated from that has been analyzed first by senior administrators, our administration association, and our board of trustees. I have also developed a process that principals will take back to work through the data with their own staff.  

  One quick, instantly visible piece of this section of the work was creating and marketing Black Gold Pride shirts for our staff to wear. This movement grew legs, and we were able to benefit our in-school GSAs with a portion of the proceeds from each sale. As one teacher commented, “I just wanted to say I loved seeing a pride shirt order form in the newsletter today! I’ve always gotten my own shirts like that to show my support because the division has never put out their own shirts or even had emails regarding where to buy them. This is huge! And to have money donated back to school GSAs is awesome too! One step at a time to getting Black Gold more inclusive across the division.” An action that felt small was actually very big for many, as one of our trustees let me know that wearing her shirt not only got her a bunch of comments and kudos at a meeting she was at, but also opened up a really personal conversation with a young cashier scanning her groceries. She was moved by the impact something so small could have.  

  Wellness infusion 

  With Wellness listed as one of the three priorities of our division, it has been vital that we incorporate a wellness focus into all of our decision-making and meetings. I lead leadership-specific PD at each Administration Association meeting, and alternate between personal wellness for leaders, and ways to support staff with their wellness. I went into these sessions hyper-cognizant of the workload our administrators feel, and was very conscious of ensuring that my work with them was quick and beneficial, but as time has gone on, I have received lots of feedback that our work together is both appreciated, and a change from the usual flow of the meeting.  

  Our senior administration was encouraged, through our Workplace Wellbeing Review and Recommendations, to visit schools to increase visibility and remove perceived barriers in communication that were identified. They have been following this suggestion and have been present at schools more frequently. 

  Our board has also incorporated wellness discussions into their meetings, constantly ensuring their decisions align with Black Gold’s priorities. Our forward-thinking trustees have led the charge in this realm and we are extremely grateful for their commitment of funding and their willingness to converse about the employee experience at Black Gold. 

  Next steps 

  I do not have a finalized roadmap moving forward into our next steps, as they need to be flexible and responsive to needs that are identified along the way. But I do know that providing psychological health and safety to all of our employees is at the forefront of our minds at Black Gold. I have three major questions I will be focusing on in the upcoming school year: 

  1. What is our best course of action to alleviate the time pressure and job intensification many of our employees are facing?  
  2. How can I organize and support employee resource groups to move our work forward in a way that’s effective and responsive to the Black Gold experience for all? 
  3. What is the best method to collect data on the impact of our actions? 

  We are treading slowly, carefully, and in the right direction to best serve our employees. What I do know, without a doubt, is that focusing on staff wellbeing is powerful and important, as encapsulated by a teacher in our division: “I just wanted to express how grateful I am for all that you have done this year to encourage me, and all the staff, to take care of ourselves. It has been a tremendous gift to be given permission to practice self-care in real and many practical ways. You are a blessing!”  

  Our work with EdCan and our Well at Work advisor has kick-started a lot of phenomenal conversation, change, support, and growth already in our division, and it is exciting to consider where we might be a few years in the future. Our financial investment (0.1 FTE in 31 schools and 1.6 FTE at Division Office), coupled with the investment in the Well at Work Advisors foundational analysis, has been minimal in comparison to the insight and momentum gained. The impact at this point is immeasurable and multi-faceted, and we are so grateful to have had this opportunity to increase the wellbeing of all of our employees. 

  LISTEN IN!
  WATCH PAM VERHOEFF SHARE BLACK GOLD SCHOOL DIVISION’S JOURNEY IN THIS VIDEO

  *This is part of Well at Work’s Stories of Success Webinar Series, which profiles the many ways that school districts across Canada are fostering workplace wellbeing.

   

   

  LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW EDCAN SUPPORTS K-12 WORKPLACE WELLBEING

  

   

  Photo: Courtesy Black Gold School Division
  First published in Education Canada, September 2023

• Systemic Approaches to Workplace Wellbeing

  9:32 AM Comments Off on Systemic Approaches to Workplace Wellbeing

  Dr. Gabor Maté (2022) argues that within the medical world, treating individual health symptoms, without considering wider systems within which individuals exist, ignores multiple factors that contribute to sickness:  

  “What if we saw illness as an imbalance in the entire organization, not just as a manifestation of molecules, cells or organs invaded or denatured by pathology. What if we applied the findings of western research and medical science in a systems framework, seeking all the connections that contribute to illness and health?” 

  Historically, addressing individual symptoms has been the dominant approach in western medicine. The same focus on individuals rather than systems has also pervaded approaches to workplace wellbeing in Canadian schools. A plethora of incentives, from gym membership to yoga classes, suggests that K–12 staff wellbeing can be addressed by encouraging individuals to access such programs to counter stresses in work and life. 

  This article rejects a dominant focus on individual remedies and argues for systemic approaches to address workplace wellbeing. While individual responsibility has its place, a primary focus on it is misplaced. Teachers, principals, or school bus drivers should bear some responsibility for their own wellbeing, and for positively contributing to their professional workplace, but should not bear responsibility for fixing school systems that may be making them sick. 

  So how to create systemic approaches to wellbeing? 

  1. Provincial governments can play a greater role. 

  To its credit, the British Columbia government, through its Ministry of Education’s Mental Health in Schools Strategy (2020) has encouraged a focus on workplace wellbeing: 

  “Research confirms stress experienced by school administrators can negatively impact school staff. Teacher stress has been directly linked to increased student stress levels, spilling over from the teacher to the student and impacting social adjustment and student performance.”  

  Funds from the Ministry of Education to address mental health can be utilized for a focus on adults in K-12 school systems.  

  Addressing two issues would greatly improve the role of provincial governments (including B.C.) in supporting systemic workplace wellbeing:

  • Collating and analyzing sick leave and short/long-term disability costs linked to mental health.
    Currently in B.C., data for teacher and support staff sick leave usage is held by districts, and short/long term disability data are held by teacher and support staff unions, while principals maintain their own usage data. In Alberta, the Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan provides long-term disability support while employers provide short-term disability and sick leave. Similar divisions exist in other provinces. Provincial governments could develop capacity to ascertain sick leave and disability prevalence, trends, and differences (in terms of age, gender, and roles), data that could provide a basis for more systemic action. 
  • Addressing the low pay and limited hours of some support staff, with a primary focus on educational assistants (EAs).
    Low pay and limited hours have led to many EAs working multiple jobs to make ends meet. A recent Globe and Mail article (Capobianco, 2023) reported that Nova Scotia’s lowest-paid EAs earned just $16 an hour, and that, according to the President of CUPE local 5047, “many EAs and support staff work two or three jobs to make ends meet. Some have even left the field for fast food and retail because of the low wages and the tough nature of the work.”We have found the same in B.C. EAs experience difficult work with challenging students, with low pay and limited hours. The results? Increased WorkSafe BC claims,1 more sick leave accessed than other staff, and a high turnover of EAs. EA illness and turnover have ripple effects2 on other EAs, teachers, and principals, increasing their workloads and reducing wellbeing. Addressing this system-wide problem by creating full-time, better-paid jobs would impact workplace wellbeing for all staff. 

  2. Rethink school district management/union roles and relationships.

  Teacher and other unions tend to be reactive organizations. But addressing workplace wellbeing requires stakeholders to collaboratively consider data and act together to find solutions. When working with districts as EdCan Advisors,3 we have utilized the Guarding Minds at Work survey,4 conducted interviews with a range of staff, and accessed demographic, sick leave, and other data. These combined data sources, as well as reports we generate, can be used in management-union collaborations to jointly develop action plans.  

  A new form of proactive, collaborative social entrepreneurship might be considered, where ideas to improve wellbeing emerge from all stakeholders, and where consensus should be developed on proposed solutions. Both union and management can build trust by co-creating solutions and by working together to support wellbeing.  

  3. Rethink the concept of leadership. 

   Being a compassionate leader is a fine idea, but being a collaborative one is better. Hierarchical school systems are reflected in job titles like Superintendent, CEO, and Executive Team. Many progressive leaders within these roles utilize collaborative approaches and encourage innovation within their organizations. But others do not, and autocratic leadership, especially in school principals, has been found in our work to have negative impacts on teacher and support staff wellbeing, while more collaborative and less autocratic principals have improved wellbeing in their schools.  

  Leaders can support systemic approaches by: 

  • setting policies to guide approaches 
  • initiating systemic change when there is consensus that such changes are needed 
  • creating staffing and budgets to implement action 
  • enabling innovation at schools and worksites 
  • extending collaborative approaches with unions  

  4. Rethink the role of the individual while addressing the core systemic issues that impact workplace wellbeing. 

  Everyone who works as an employee in a K–12 Canadian school district is part of a system. Yet how often does one hear “the system” discussed as though those working in it are not part of it? If I work in a system, I need to take some responsibility to make it better. But if my workload is excessive, my stress is high, and some of my professional connections and relationships are problematic, giving me one more job is not going to help. 

  So, what to do? The answer is simple – reduce workload and stress. But how to do it is not. We as EdCan Advisors have found two useful starting points: 

  • Separate contractual and non-contractual issues.
    Not all workload issues are contractual, and while ideally, workload might be addressed in contracts, the reality is that much can be done to improve wellbeing outside of contract negotiations. As an example, addressing negative professional relationships can impact wellbeing (Naylor, 2020). 
  • Find and address the “low-hanging fruit”: steps that can be initiated quickly and with little controversy. 
    These might include improving meeting processes, reducing email use, and limiting after-hours and weekend messaging, or encouraging senior district staff to visit schools and worksites to build connections and relationships while offering positive feedback and encouragement when appropriate.  

  As these progress, longer-term systemic approaches can be the focus of dialogue and planning, perhaps to address issues of racism or discrimination, or shifting school and district culture into more positive spaces. 

  5. Address racism and discrimination toward Indigenous and racialized staff and incorporate more Indigenous approaches into wellbeing initiatives. 

  One way to address racism in schools is to hire greater numbers of Indigenous and racialized teachers and other staff. A Rideau Foundation effort to boost Indigenous teachers was reported by McKenna (2023), and stated that in Winnipeg, 16.9 percent of students identified as Indigenous but only 8.6 percent of teachers were Indigenous. This lower ratio of Indigenous staff compared to districts’ Indigenous student populations is repeated in many Canadian school districts. 

  Systemic approaches to combatting racism and discrimination require more Indigenous teachers and racialized staff in schools. This is a more complex issue than recruitment, as some Indigenous people have stated they are reluctant to participate in what they still consider a predominantly colonial system. Indigenous staff report hearing racist and discriminatory comments from students, staff, or parents, comments which impact their wellbeing. Indigenous support staff have told me of bullying and harassment at work linked, in their view, to being Indigenous, female, and of low status in school districts. 

  At the same time, many non-Indigenous teachers are making significant efforts toward respectful access to both Indigenous knowledge and people. Others are apprehensive about cultural appropriation or fear to offend. 

  Just as decolonization is a work-in-progress, so will addressing wellbeing with anti-racism efforts take time and careful dialogue before significant changes are seen. McKenna also offers some thoughts on the complexity of the issue, identifying historical, cultural and current contextual issues, including “ongoing trauma connected to education that stems from residential schools, as well as colonial curriculums and a general lack of cultural safety in public education.” 

  While a significant dialogue with Indigenous and racialized people is needed, steps can be made while the bigger picture is explored. In one B.C. school district, Indigenous staff have stated that they do not trust either management or union processes to deal with racism, discrimination, or harassment. They prefer more restorative processes to address racist attitudes and actions. Evidence from districts that have utilized restorative approaches suggests such processes improve wellbeing for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff. 

  A similar focus to that on Indigenous and racialized staff might be placed on LGBTQ2+ staff in schools, perhaps with a focus on wellbeing for LGBTQ2+ staff in rural areas, where U.K. research (Lee, 2019) has outlined high levels of depression and anxiety among LGBTQ2+ teachers.  

  6. Address workplace wellbeing as a gendered issue. 

  The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health reports: “More than 75% of suicides involve men, but women attempt suicide 3 to 4 times more often than men” (CAMH, 2023).   

  The Canadian Women’s Foundation (Senior & Peoples, 2021) states: 

  “Women experience depression and anxiety twice as often as men. Women in heterosexual pairings have long taken the position of ‘designated worrier.’ They tend to bear the brunt of the anxiety about family health and wellbeing. Of course, the data shows how worry work comes at the expense of a mother’s own health and wellbeing.”  

  Women comprise around 75 percent of many school district workforces. Yet there is a surprising lack of focus on women’s wellbeing and mental health in many school systems. Systemic change in a workforce largely populated by women requires a focus on women. Work-life balance can be difficult for women who often still have the primary care responsibilities within families, and even more so for those in the “sandwich generation” who are supporting both children and aging parents.  

  Teacher demographics in many school districts currently show more younger teachers, as retirements surge. New patterns are emerging with this changing demographic. One I have heard recently in B.C. school districts is that many younger teachers arrive shortly before the morning bell and are gone shortly after schools close in the afternoon, a pattern differing from some more experienced and older teachers, who often chat and collaborate after students leave. Teachers with young families have many demands at home that may limit the “after-hours” time they can spend at school. But younger staff in K–12 schools may also be protecting their own work-life balance by putting limits and boundaries on their work.  

  How to address the wellbeing of women staff in schools? 

  Look at the data. Are women taking leaves, accessing EFAP or short/long term rehabilitation programs proportionately more than males, and if so, in which roles? But if supporting collaborative approaches with systemic support resonates with districts, it is also crucial to start conversations with women staff at every status level about their wellbeing.  

  —- 

  PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTs should be more active in supporting systemic approaches to wellbeing. Adopting some or all of the six factors explored in this article to a school district’s context might create strong foundations. Initiating short-term action would build momentum and ease districts into addressing tougher issues over the longer term. Systemic action is possible with the right leadership, staffing, and funding, a focus on data, and effective collaboration, facilitation, and implementation to build workplace wellbeing.  

  It’s not easy and there’s no exact recipe, but systemic improvements can be made. Let’s do what we can and share what we learn. 

   

  LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW EDCAN SUPPORTS K-12 WORKPLACE WELLBEING

  

  References 

  B.C. Ministry of Education. (2020). Mental health in schools strategy. Government of British Columbia.
  www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/erase/documents/mental-health-wellness/mhis-strategy.pdf 

  Capobianco, A. (2023, May 24). Halifax education workers’ strike continues. Globe and Mail.
  www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-halifax-education-workers-strike-continues/ 

  Lee, C. (2019). How do lesbian, gay and bisexual teachers experience UK rural school communities? Social Sciences, 8(9), 249.
  www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/8/9/249#:~:text=Results%20showed%20that%20LGB%20teachers,%2Dworth%2C%20depression%20and%20anxiety 

   Maté, G., with Maté, D. (2022). The myth of normal: Trauma, illness and healing in a toxic culture. Knopf Canada. 

  McKenna, C. (2023, March 28). Finding the Knowledge Keepers: The Indigenous teacher shortage. The Walrus.
  https://thewalrus.ca/finding-the-knowledge-keepers-the-indigenous-teacher-shortage/ 

  Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. (2023). Mental illness and addiction: Facts and statistics. 
  www.camh.ca/en/driving-change/the-crisis-is-real/mental-health-statistics 

  Naylor, C. (2020). The Powell River Learning Group: Improving professional relationships.
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nSs5ZGmqQkYWCxqio42JehlV473kqm_l/view  

  Senior, P., & Peoples, A. (2021, June 7). The abysmal state of mothers’ mental health. (2021, June 7). Canadian Women’s Foundation. 
  https://canadianwomen.org/blog/the-abysmal-state-of-mothers-mental-health  

  Wang, F. (2022, October). Psychological safety of school administrators: Invisible barriers to speaking out. University of British Columbia.
  https://edst-educ.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2022/10/Psychological-Safety-of-School-Administrators-v7-Final.pdf 

  Photo: iStock
  First published in Education Canada, September 2023

• Exploring the Sacred Hoop

  9:11 AM Comments Off on Exploring the Sacred Hoop

  HOW DO WE INFUSE INDIGENOUS perspectives into our work on educator wellbeing and workplace wellness? This is the question our writing team asked ourselves as we began working on the book, Teacher, Take Care: A guide to wellbeing and workplace wellness for educators. We wanted to infuse Indigenous knowledge throughout the book as a means of widening the lens on what it means to be well. Our Elder, Stanley Kipling, and Knowledge Keeper, Richelle North Star Scott, guided us in this process, using the Sacred Hoop as a model for wellbeing. We used this image as a foundation for understanding how to find balance and harmony within ourselves and within our schools. This article will explore the Sacred Hoop, its meaning, and the ways in which we have applied it to educator wellbeing and workplace wellness.  

  A holistic view of wellness  

  “The circle [Sacred Hoop], being primary, influences how we as Indigenous peoples view the world. In the process of how life evolves, how the natural world grows and works together, how all things are connected, and how all things move toward their destiny. Indigenous peoples see and respond to the world in a circular fashion and are influenced by the examples of the circles of creation in our environment. They represent the alignment and continuous interaction of the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual realities. The circle shape represents the interconnectivity of all aspects of one’s being, including the connection with the natural world. [Sacred Hoops] are frequently believed to be the circle of awareness of the individual self; the circle of knowledge that provides the power we each have over our own lives (Dumont, 1989).”

  
  Image from Teacher, Take Care: A guide to well-being and workplace wellness for educators, by Jennifer E. Lawson. Copyright 2022, Reproduced with permission from Portage & Main Press.

  We each have our own definition of wellness, whether we have articulated it or not. One understanding of holistic health and harmony is reflected in the Sacred Hoop. The Sacred Hoop is a representation of how some Indigenous Peoples view the world. It is also known by other names, such as Cosmological Circle, Circle Teachings, Hoop Teachings, Medicine Wheel, or Wheel Teachings. (Many Indigenous communities are trying to break free from using references to the Medicine Wheel and Wheel Teachings, as these are colonial terms.) There are many different perspectives on the Sacred Hoop, depending on nation, territory, and personal interpretations. A common theme, as represented in the Sacred Hoop by the Four Directions, is that wellness involves the whole person – their Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual selves. The Sacred Hoop shown here is the one that Elder Kipling and North Star are most familiar with. It supports their thoughts and ideas and has shaped the teachings they have received throughout their lives. When using the Sacred Hoop, it also is a reminder that we are not perfect – that as individuals we will go around the Sacred Hoop many times in our lifetime and that we are never done our healing. Wellness is not a destination, so we must think of it as endless teachings as we venture through life. 

  In the Sacred Hoop, the Physical dimension is represented by babies and children, as their physical bodies do much growing and learning when they are new to this world. The Golden Eagle sits in the East as a teacher of unconditional love for our children. The colour yellow represents the rising sun and the gift of a brand-new day. Nourishing a healthy body through exercise, nutrition, and sleep are ways to promote physical wellness.  

  The Emotional dimension is represented by teenagers, who experience a wide range of emotions during a time of hormone changes in their lives. The Wolf sits in the South as a teacher of humility. As true leaders, wolves are humble. Although often misrepresented as wild and dangerous animals by settlers, they care for the pack even if it means their needs are not met. The colour red represents the red-hot emotions we may have during this life stage. We are teaching emotional wellness when we allow ourselves and others to experience feelings in a safe environment. Expressing emotions is a natural way to bring ourselves back into balance.   

  The Mental dimension is represented by adults, who spend much of their time in cognitive thought. Actually, they also often overthink and then worry about the decisions they have to make or the consequences of the decisions they have already made. The Black Bear sits in the West as a teacher of courage, as it takes courage to go deep within our minds and learn about patterns that no longer serve us. The colour black represents our minds and the introspection it takes to journey through our lives. Being engaged in the world through learning, problem-solving, and creativity can improve our mental wellness. Learning is an ongoing, ever-evolving, lifelong process. It keeps us forever moving and growing and prevents us from getting stuck or becoming stagnant.  

  The Spiritual dimension is represented by Elders because they have great knowledge, having travelled the path around the entire Sacred Hoop. The White Buffalo sits in the North as a teacher who teaches us about facing the toughest of challenges head-on. Because of this, both the Elders and the White Buffalo deserve much respect. The colour white represents the harsh weather we must face and the wisdom our Elders have gained, often turning their hair white in the process. The Spiritual is that which fills us up. For some, Spirituality means connecting to our higher power, whether we call it Creator, God, Buddha, or Allah. For others, it means something different, such as that which embraces our soul, giving our lives meaning. The Spiritual also means the fire within us – our pursuits that fill us up when we feel empty. These can be dancing, singing, attending ceremonies, or painting – things that make us feel whole again. As we go deeper within ourselves, committing to another walk around the Sacred Hoop, spirituality keeps us grounded, creative, and inspired. 

  Finding balance 

  So, how do we live in harmony and find balance using the Sacred Hoop? It begins with an understanding of the equal importance of our Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual dimensions. It means acknowledging and caring for those four aspects of our whole being by keeping them in balance. Think, for a moment, about standing on a Bosu ball at the gym, and imagine that the ball’s round, flat circle is your Sacred Hoop. 

  

  Photo: iStock

  Using this analogy, the goal is to keep yourself steady and balanced in all four dimensions of your being. If you are struggling in one area, it will indeed affect your overall sense of harmony. If you are challenged in more than one area, it may be difficult to maintain equilibrium at all. 

  How can we manage to find balance? Here, we will provide an example from each of us on how we strive to maintain a sense of wellbeing and harmony in our daily lives. 

  North Star:

  I am diabetic, and I struggle from day to day to maintain my blood sugar levels. Teaching can often be stressful, and my job keeps me extremely busy meeting 26 schools’ needs. I’m often not eating properly because I’m constantly on the move from one school to another and I’m not eating lunch at appropriate times. In addition, once I’m at a school, I am either teaching in a classroom or I am attending meetings in small conference rooms, requiring me to sit. So my Sacred Hoop is out of balance. I’m not eating well or exercising and that throws my Physical wellbeing out of balance. As soon as my Physical self suffers, my Emotional wellness also becomes askew. In contrast, my Mental health and Spiritual life are strong. I am constantly learning, reading, and writing, and I challenge myself mentally all the time. I am always in ceremony, so my spirit is strong. This means that I must be aware of both my strengths and challenges in my Sacred Hoop. As I become aware of where I am the strongest on my Hoop and where I am needing some support, I can seek out help to rectify this, knowing that the Physical and Emotional aspects of my life are out of balance. One thing that has always helped me with my diabetes and supporting the Physical and Emotional aspects of my Hoop is being out on the land. There I find I’m moving more and releasing any negative emotions, and so I often try to teach out on the land. I am taking care of myself, as well as my colleagues and students, as I introduce them to healing out on the land.

  Jennifer:

  I find it important to be cognizant of my strengths and challenges in terms of my four dimensions. For example, in a Physical way, I am quite strong, active, and healthy. I walk outdoors daily and take Zumba classes several times a week. I also see my Mental dimension as quite strong, as I challenge my learning and thrive on gathering new knowledge. My Spiritual dimension is enhanced by my time immersed in music and nature. However, my Emotional dimension is where I struggle. I am what one would call an empath, highly sensitive, and can be easily overwhelmed by my own emotions. This makes it difficult for me to balance my own Sacred Hoop. I try to recover this imbalance by focusing on my strengths (Physical activity, Mental stimulation, Spiritual endeavours), while also acknowledging, articulating, and accepting my Emotions. This helps me to find balance, harmony, and wellbeing in daily life.

  We are at the centre of our own wellbeing and healing. If we keep ourselves at the centre and take care of ourselves, then we can also take care of others. Often, as teachers, we are constantly taking care of everyone else, in both our personal and professional lives, and we can forget to take care of our own daily needs. As we journey around the Sacred Hoop, we need to be having that internal conversation about how we’re feeling throughout the day. Are we in balance? 

  Community and workplace wellness 

  The Sacred Hoop can also be used to determine and strengthen balance, harmony, and wellness in the workplace. For example, in schools, we need to consider all four dimensions – the Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual – as having equal influence on workplace wellness, and also the school community’s wellness. 

  The Physical dimension of a school, for example, involves every aspect of the community’s physical wellbeing, including the building itself. It is the right of every member of a school community to feel physically safe at all times. Unfortunately, this dimension also includes physical violence and injury, which puts both students and staff at risk. In addition, everything from temperature control and air quality to icy sidewalks and leaking ceiling tiles need to be attended to in order to maintain a well school. There is no easy answer to addressing these issues, but it is of utmost importance that Physical wellness and safety be at the forefront of managing facilities and creating a well school. For many students, the land surrounding the school is important not only for their Physical needs, but also for their Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual dimensions. Many schools recognize this and are now actively integrating outdoor classrooms and land-based learning.  

  The Emotional wellness of a school focuses on the culture and climate that is a felt sense in the building. How do students, families, and staff feel when they walk in the front doors? Is there a sense of feeling welcome, accepted, and belonging? This is the aim of an emotionally well school. Indigenous families may knowingly or subconsciously ask themselves, “Do I belong here? Will my child be safe here?” It is important for us to connect on an emotional level with our colleagues, students, and their families. One example of this is planning a graduation Powwow for students in their final year of high school. This brings together the staff, students, school families, as well as many other community members who may come to dance or drum. 

  The Mental dimension of school wellness focuses on the academic and intellectual pursuits of its members, keeping in mind the individual strengths, challenges, and needs of all members of the school community. In keeping with this commitment, a well school focuses on the learning and growing of students, while encouraging professional development for staff. Events such as a Celebration of Learning provide an opportunity for students and their teachers to share successes (from the Mental dimension) with families. 

  The Spiritual dimension of a school is rich and complex because we all see spirituality differently. This is a gift in one sense, in that we can acknowledge, respect, and celebrate a wealth of spiritual practices. At the same time, the challenge is to be inclusive and recognize the diversity of spiritual beliefs and traditions reflective of the school community. We need to be aware of what fills us up, for ourselves, our students, and our colleagues. This is Spirit. As an example, acknowledging and participating in a variety of cultural celebrations is one way of acknowledging Spirit. For many students, staff, and families, the Spiritual dimension is reflected in these cultural practices, so this is a way to respect Spiritual diversity. 

  Finding balance and harmony in terms of workplace wellness requires intentional actions that address the Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual dimensions of the school and its members. This, in turn, enhances the wellbeing of each individual in the school community. 

  FINDING BALANCE in one’s own Sacred Hoop is a challenging task, as is the endeavour to create that same harmonious balance at the whole-school level. By considering the inherent potential of the Sacred Hoop, we can acquire a stronger understanding of holistic health and harmony, and continue to strive for balance in the Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual dimensions. As we move around the Sacred Hoop on our journey with wellness, we become more aware of ourselves and others, and strengthen both individual wellbeing and workplace wellness.  

   

  LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW EDCAN SUPPORTS K-12 WORKPLACE WELLBEING

  

  References 

  Dumont, J. (1989). Culture, behaviour, & identity of the Native person. In NATI-2105: Culture, behaviour, & identity of the Native person. Laurentian University Press. 

  Lawson, J. E., Gander, S., et al. (2022). Teacher, take care: A guide to wellbeing and workplace wellness for educators. Portage & Main Press.

  
  Banner Photo: Image from Teacher, Take Care: A guide to well-being and workplace wellness for educators, by Jennifer E. Lawson. Copyright 2022, Reproduced with permission from Portage & Main Press.
  First published in Education Canada, September 2023

• Challenges and Opportunities

  April 26, 2023 11:00 AM Comments Off on Challenges and Opportunities

  Schools play an integral part in the lives of children and youth. Not only is this a space for intellectual development, but it is also where many social skills and core competencies are acquired. During the past three years, provinces and territories implemented a variety of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, including school closures and remote learning. While these measures were focused on reducing the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, there have been other consequences and impacts on the lives of students.

  We are still trying to understand the impact of the pandemic on students, but we do know that there were huge repercussions throughout all education systems across Canada. Challenges included, but are not limited to, staff and student mental health, increased inequalities between learners, staff shortage and chronic attendance problems, learning loss, cancellation of sports and extracurricular activities, and adapting to online learning. There were also, however, a few opportunities that emerged: enhanced teachers’ digital skills, learning outside the classroom, Indigenous land-based education, prioritizing opportunities for authentic learning, and improved curricula in some jurisdictions.

  It is important to recognize students’ intersectional identities and varying circumstances when discussing the impact of COVID-19 on students. We should not generalize the experiences of all youth. Not all communities, or students, faced the same impact of COVID-19.

  Here, we share our experiences during the pandemic. These reflections only represent our individual experiences and not all students’ experiences.

  Online learning

  Fiona: It was January 2020 for me when my school announced that we would be doing classes online. Until that point in my life, I had never used Zoom or Google classroom. In a week, my peers and I were thrown into an unfamiliar world.

  The class was just an hour of looking at black screens with occasional emoji reactions from half-asleep students. Instead of interactive learning, we were asked to watch pre-recorded lectures, usually on Zoom, by teachers. As much as teachers tried their best to make lessons engaging, these lessons were just not as effective.

  For example, in Grade 9 science, we had to learn about the different colours of flames. In a pre-pandemic classroom, students would participate in elaborate experiments and see the different flames at school. In our new class setting, the teacher displayed different pictures of the flames on his screen and explained them one by one. We were unable to experience the bright colours of the flame and experience the excitement. As a result, the information from the class was not deeply impressed upon us.

  Raeesa: Learning online was a challenge at times. From poor internet connections disrupting our classes, to needing to constantly help my siblings who were often confused after their lessons, to staring at a screen for prolonged periods, online learning had many flaws. I found that fewer people spoke and gave answers to questions during online classes, which made things harder for teachers. Due to less student participation, classes felt longer and got boring at points. It was especially sad when the teacher had to wait for someone to answer their question. The flow of the class wasn’t as interesting or engaging, which affected students’ learning and interest.

  On the plus side, learning from the comfort of my home was better for me, since I was in my own learning space. I got to explore and get used to using technology more often for school tasks, which was helpful since in the future most of us will use apps on our devices to complete our assignments and projects.

  Lack of structure, need for more independence

  Fiona: We used to have structured class schedules with strict expectations, like arriving to class on time and being there for attendance. However, as online classes rolled out, there was no one there to ensure we joined the online classes, and in many instances, classes were cancelled due to an unstable network. Because classes weren’t as effective, I had to figure out ways to learn on my own, so I found myself trying to watch crash-course YouTube videos and Khan Academy. Many classmates also resorted to these sources of information. Over time, we felt a disconnection between the teachers and us because they were no longer the people we went to for concerns and inquiries.

  Raeesa: During the pandemic, without a teacher being there to make sure I did my work, I had to learn to be responsible for myself and manage my time independently to complete all my assignments and work at home. I also learned the importance of communicating with teachers. We were able to chat and text with teachers online, and I learned to be the one responsible for communicating with my teachers for help, because they are not able to help me if I don’t ask them.

  Social impacts

  Raeesa: For me, school has always been the place where I can participate in different activities like sports, arts, and clubs, and it has provided me with many opportunities. I missed out on many in-person activities, such as school assemblies and playing on certain sports teams due to the pandemic.

  Fiona: Looking at the greater picture, the pandemic took away the chance for many students to discover their passions. I believe that passion is discovered through meaningful encounters with peers and teachers. With the pandemic, courses that many used to enjoy became mundane and not enjoyable. There were fewer interactions with teachers, less face-to-face communication. In the crucial years of interest exploration in Grades 8, 9, and 10, some were unable to explore their interests to the full extent.

  However, the pandemic helped me appreciate the resources I have in my life. Pre-pandemic, there were no breaks. I was involved in hockey, rugby, multiple extracurricular classes, debate, and more. Right after school, my mom would drive us to all sorts of extracurricular programs. When we got home, my sister and I would quickly eat and go to our rooms to do homework. In contrast, after the pandemic hit a lot of classes were cancelled or were moved online, which gave my family a lot more family time. I was able to have more conversations with my mom and understand her immigration story to Canada. This gave me a stronger sense of family and appreciation for the things my mom has sacrificed to build a life in Canada.

  Youth leadership

  Fiona: The pandemic brought out a huge surge of youth activists and youth leaders. There were many rising issues regarding educational resources, technology, and homelessness. Youth were inspired to speak up and aid their community members after seeing how the pandemic impacted their local communities. On a personal level, I run a non-profit organization, United Speakers Global, that aims to make public speaking resources more accessible to youth. Just after I joined the organization, the pandemic hit and the initiative became completely online – which at first seemed a problem. However, with an increased demand for these programs, we reached more students not only in the GTA but also in 11 different cities globally. Through this organization, I met youth leaders in Kuwait, Shanghai, Zambia, the U.S., and other places.

  Last words

  Raeesa: While the pandemic had its negative impacts on my learning, there were also some perks and learning opportunities. I like to think of it as a matter of perspective. I could have looked at the pandemic as an obstacle I was unable to overcome. Instead, I looked at the pandemic as a learning opportunity and used all the obstacles that came my way as stepping stones to opening my mind to different perspectives and ways of learning. The challenges helped me move forward instead of halting my path. In the end, it is our perception that forms our life and the way we choose to live it.

   

  Photos: iStock, Fiona Shen and Raeesa Hoque

  First published in Education Canada, April 2023

• Quebec Elementary and Secondary School Teachers’ Perceptions of the Effects of COVID-19 on Their Students

  11:00 AM Comments Off on Quebec Elementary and Secondary School Teachers’ Perceptions of the Effects of COVID-19 on Their Students

  It is now increasingly clear that the school closures that began in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic have had and continue to have a significant impact on school environments and everyone within them. UNESCO (2022) estimates that more than 1.5 billion young people have been affected by the COVID-19-related education crisis. This crisis has apparently further weakened education systems that were already vulnerable, due in part to such factors as staff shortages, the unsatisfactory quality of teaching and learning, or inequalities related to gender, ethnic origin, language, socio-economic status or disabilities (UNICEF, 2015). Although the effects of this crisis are beginning to be understood, more research and field data are needed to better understand them and to better guide reconstruction efforts (Donnelly and Patrinos, 2022).

  Our study

  The overall goal of our study, conducted by the UNESCO Chair in Curriculum Development (UCCD) in partnership with the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec (MEQ), was to improve our understanding of the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on school environments in Quebec. Specifically, the project aimed to describe the impact of COVID-19 on: 1) school organization and facilities; 2) students; and 3) teachers. In this article, we will focus on teachers’ perceptions of the negative effects that COVID-19 has had on their students.

  Where does our data come from?

  Conducted in two phases with elementary and secondary teachers from three school service centres (SSCs), our mixed-method study sought to measure changes in the effects of COVID-19 on various dimensions. Nearly 500 teachers responded to an online survey in the fall of 2020, and nearly 350 did so in the spring of 2021. Among these respondents, there were also volunteers who took part in semi-structured interviews in the spring of 2021 to further explore some of the issues addressed in the questionnaires.

  The questionnaires asked teachers to rate the situation at their school, first for the beginning of the school year (for fall data collection) and then for the second half of the school year (for spring data collection). At both times, teachers quantitatively assessed, among other things, the extent to which COVID-19 had negatively impacted their students, specifically their learning, autonomy, collaboration, problem-solving skills, attentiveness, and organizational capability.

  The quantitative results thus obtained were supported by qualitative data. For the fall of 2020, this support came from the responses to an open-ended question in the online survey, where teachers were asked to name the three most significant areas in which COVID-19 had negatively affected their students. For the spring of 2021, the qualitative data consisted of the points raised by teachers participating in the interviews.

  Key negative effects of COVID-19 on students according to teachers

  In general, we noted that elementary school teachers perceived greater effects on subject-specific competencies (French, mathematics, science, etc.), while secondary school teachers perceived greater negative effects on academic competencies (skills related to the role of student: attention, organization, problem-solving, etc.). When asked in an open-ended question to name the aspects most impacted by COVID-19, respondents mentioned most often the social aspect for the elementary school level, followed by attentiveness and reading, whereas for the secondary school level, motivation, participation, attentiveness, and the social aspect were mentioned most frequently.

  Elementary schools

  In the fall, the three learning areas most affected by COVID-19 in elementary schools were student achievement in grammar, writing, physical education, and health (Figure 1). Based on teachers’ perceptions, it would appear that the gap between the strongest students and those students who had some prior difficulties widened between school closures and the resumption in the fall of 2020. In connection with the effects on students’ grammar and writing levels, teachers pointed out, in response to the open question of the questionnaire, that these difficulties were particularly significant for a number of allophone students who had potentially missed opportunities to develop their French skills during the lockdown. As for the problems experienced by very young children in physical education and health, some difficulties related to fine motor skills were observed.

  

  In the spring, the top three learning areas most affected by COVID-19 according to elementary teachers were students’ attentiveness, problem-solving ability, and grammar levels (Figure 2). With respect to students’ attentiveness, teachers mentioned that students seemed to have difficulties with their role as students, including the ability to pay attention both in the classroom and remotely, and the ability to solve academic and socioemotional problems. Concerning grammar difficulties, as in the responses to the fall questionnaire, elementary teachers mentioned in the spring interviews that difficulties in French were particularly significant for allophone students.

  

  Secondary schools

  In the fall, secondary school teachers reported negative effects primarily on their students’ attentiveness, organization, and problem-solving ability (Figure 3). It is interesting to note that the effects on learning in the subject area taught by the respondents were relatively small (it was only the seventh most named learning area). In terms of attentiveness and organization, the responses to the open-ended question in the questionnaire indicated that these difficulties were experienced primarily in distance learning, since intervening was more difficult online than in the classroom, but they also occurred at school. There were more distractions online, and this made keeping students’ attention a challenge for teachers. In the classroom, the irregular school organization (schedules, classroom bubbles, travel, school materials, digital learning platforms and tools, etc.) that resulted from compliance with the health measures in force proved difficult to follow for a number of students. In terms of problem-solving, teachers noted that this was a major difficulty for students in mathematics.

  

  In the spring, the top two negative effects of COVID-19 on students perceived by teachers still concerned their attentiveness and organization skills, followed by their autonomy and their level in the discipline being taught (Figure 4). Like their elementary school colleagues, secondary school teachers noted in the interviews that they had observed a greater effect of COVID-19 on students who were already struggling pre-pandemic, as well as large differences in adjustment between the strongest and struggling students upon returning to school. Secondary school teachers mentioned in the interviews that many students had little support at home, and that hybrid1 instruction would most likely further widen the gap between strong students, who would succeed in any case, and students more at risk of failure, for whom the risk would increase. It was also noted that student achievement in the subject being taught rose to the rank of fourth highest key negative effect of COVID-19. We can assume that students and teachers alike eventually felt the impact of the various delays that occurred both during the school closure and throughout the school year when the subject content had to be scaled back “to the essentials.”2

  

  Before concluding, we need to mention that, like any study, this one has its limitations. First, as with the vast majority of studies on the effects of COVID-19 in both the educational and other fields, it is impossible to establish a pre-pandemic picture of the study population. It is therefore difficult to determine what is specifically the impact of COVID-19 and what is the result of prior situations or influences. Second, although our sample included several hundred students and teachers, it represented only a small proportion of the study population. Furthermore, the questionnaire respondents and interview volunteers may have been those teachers who had the most to say about the situation or who had experienced more difficulty than others in this particular school year.

  Rebuilding schools and keeping the focus on students

  Although the negative effects of COVID-19 on students as perceived by teachers are relatively significant, it was noted in both the questionnaires and the interviews that 100 percent of participating teachers emphasized the high resilience of students during the 2020-2021 school year. Many also mentioned that the student support measures (Conseil supérieur de l’éducation, 2021) had been very helpful. In addition, and interestingly, the students felt that the impact of COVID-19 on their learning was rather weak, whereas, as we have shown, the teachers had the perception that these effects were quite significant. This raises the question: did students underestimate the effects of COVID-19 or did teachers overestimate them? The reality probably lies somewhere in between. Regarding the teachers’ perceptions, it should be noted that the usual stresses associated with the teaching profession (Eblie Trudel et al., 2021), in addition to those associated with the pandemic, the health measures, and disruptions in school organization during the 2020-2021 year may have influenced their representation of the effects of COVID-19 on their students.

  Since we do not know the long-term effects of COVID-19 on students, it is important to continue research on Quebec schools in order to support and equip them as they rebuild. Moreover, it is essential that teachers and other school staff working with students be adequately trained to support and assist these students in the short, medium and long terms, for example, in the areas of bereavement, stress and trauma counselling, school-family collaboration, and counselling for students with various difficulties (Müller & Goldenberg, 2020).

  This project was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the Ministère de l’Éducation du Québec, under the Partnership Engage: COVID-19 Special Initiative program.

  Acknowledgements

  This article was written by Marion Deslandes Martineau, Patrick Charland, Yannick Skelling-Desmeules, Olivier Arvisais, and Marie-Hélène Bruyère. The authors would like to thank the partners of the Ministère de l’Éducation and the school service centres involved, as well as their colleagues, co-researchers and collaborators in the study: Jonathan Bluteau, Isabelle Plante, Isabelle Gauvin, Stéphane Cyr, Tegwen Gadais, Éric Dion, Joanna Trees Merckx, and Jay S. Kaufman.

  References

  Conseil supérieur de l’éducation. (2021). Returning to normal? Overcoming vulnerabilities in an education system responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Le Conseil. www.cse.gouv.qc.ca/en/rebe20-21-covid

  Donnelly, R., and Patrinos, H. A. (2022). Learning loss during Covid-19: An early systematic review. PROSPECTS, 51(4), 601609. doi.org/10.1007/s11125-021-09582-6

  Eblie Trudel, L., Sokal, L., and Babb, J. (2021). Teachers’ voices: Pandemic lessons for the future of education. Journal of Teaching and Learning, 15(1), 4–19. doi.org/10.22329/jtl.v15i1.6486

  Müller, L.-M., and Goldenberg, G. (2020, July 5). Education in times of crisis: The potential implications of school closures for teachers and students. Chartered College of Teaching. https://my.chartered.college/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CCTReport070520_FINAL.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0t62tROapzSQv28ofnIVc3AhE44UuFTP19dg6_V0-o7y8NqAFkEawAWZ8

  UNESCO. (2022). Education: from school closure to recovery. UNESCO. www.unesco.org/en/covid-19/education-response

  UNICEF. (2015, January 19). The investment case for education and equity. UNICEF, Education Section.
  https://unicef.org/reports/investment-case-education-and-equity

  Photo: iStock

  First published in Education Canada, April 2023

  1 Hybrid teaching consists of teaching that is sometimes done remotely and sometimes in the classroom. For much of the 2020-2021 school year, this was the schedule that was imposed on students in the upper secondary level (i.e., students aged 14-17).

  2 Lists of essential knowledge to focus on in each discipline have been made available by the Ministère de l’Éducation, to the detriment of other concepts normally included in the curriculum.

• Education Canada, April 2023 – Flipbook Edition

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  3 YEARS LATER: THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON EDUCATION IN CANADA
  The repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education sector have been severe. Internationally, more than 1.6 billion children and youth in 188 countries, or 91.3% of the world’s school-aged population, have experienced school closures. This is unprecedented in the history of education, and many teachers, parents and school systems were left without the planning or technology to successfully meet this challenge. In response, UNESCO launched the Global Education Coalition to help countries reach vulnerable children and youth. The Coalition also monitors school closures, develops recommendations and distance learning solutions and offers other forms of support.

  In Canada, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) launched an Expert Working Group to explore the various impacts of the pandemic by province and territory. This special edition explores what we have learned so far, 3 years after a pandemic was declared.

• COVID-19 Created a Crisis in Education: What Did We Learn?

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  During the last few years, we saw over 90 percent of the world’s student population affected by school closures linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation has created a world crisis in education and reminds us how quickly rights can be taken away. UNESCO, the UN agency responsible for education, science and culture, responded by launching the COVID-19 Global Education Coalition to help countries reach at-risk children and youth.

  Meanwhile in Canada, 5.7 million students in primary and secondary school were impacted by school closures over the last three years. Statistics Canada identified that this had a big impact on the academic success, mental and physical health, and socio-economic status of children. From an inclusion and diversity lens, COVID-19 was particularly detrimental to members of some populations who were overrepresented among the most vulnerable groups.

  The Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) responded by gathering free and accessible online educational resources to share with teachers, students and parents across the country. It has also collaborated with the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) to support UNESCO’s work in collecting information on the impact of the pandemic in education. Lastly, CCUNESCO most recently launched an Expert Working Group to explore the various impacts of the pandemic by province and territory.

  As most of you know, education is a provincial and territorial jurisdiction in Canada. It is therefore of upmost importance that we share with each other lessons learned and opportunities gained during the pandemic. Innovations in one region should be shared and celebrated across the country, as well as ongoing challenges that need to be faced. We hope to continue to gather and collaborate with all education stakeholders in Canada. Only by working together can we create a future for education that is inclusive, accessible and sustainable.

  First published in Education Canada, April 2023

• A Post-Pandemic Health Check

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  One of the core mandates of the EdCan Network and Education Canada magazine has always been to connect research with practice, and researchers with practitioners. With this spring edition, we are proud to carry on this tradition, partnering with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) to bring a rich selection of emerging Canadian research and recommendations to the broader education community.

  We’ve lived with COVID-19 for three years now, but what do we actually know about its impact on education? Are we “back to normal” (sort of) or far from it? Where have the most significant impacts been, and how can we best support recovery? CCUNESCO have tapped into their network to bring us the latest findings from researchers who have been studying these questions. And, bridging another divide, for this edition all articles are available in both English and French.

  One finding I found very interesting came from a Quebec study reported by authors Martineau and Charland (p. 32), who learned that in secondary school especially, teachers were more concerned about losses they observed in students’ “school skills” (e.g. paying attention, organization, autonomy) than in academic content. This resonates with what an Ontario teacher said to me recently: “My Grade 9 students especially seem more like Grade 6 kids in terms of their focus and maturity. I find myself saying things like “Get your hands off him” and “Why are you over there?!”

  Other articles explore what Ontario principals identify as top-priority needs for their schools (p. 28), how Alberta has addressed reading remediation in the early grades (p. 7), the variety of impacts pandemic teaching has had on teachers’ wellbeing and engagement (p. 10), and more.

  As we negotiate this new “use your own judgment” stage of the pandemic, for most of us the risk-benefit equation is not always clear. We are feeling our way, making our best guess for each situation (mask or no mask? Is it safe to travel or not?). But in this crucial post(ish)-pandemic stage, our students and teachers – especially those who are most vulnerable or marginalized – need and deserve better than guesswork. That’s why this research is so important – so we can understand more fully just what is needed to enable both students and school staff to thrive as we continue to evolve education, COVID-style.

  Write to us!

  We want to know what you think. Send your comments to editor@edcan.ca – or join the conversation by using #EdCan on Twitter and Facebook.

  First published in Education Canada, April 2023

• ‘COVID Taught Us a Lot about Priorities’

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  “Ongoing staffing challenges, lack of daily staff supports for post-pandemic recovery, daily bus cancellations, lack of system navigation and social work for all families, and a focus on ‘catching up’ when massive structural issues continue to be major challenges. The idea that we are ‘back to normal’ seems to reign, yet every day is a challenge for staff and families. This places incredible pressure on administrators and staff who consistently attend work, further burning out essential staff. With labour challenges at the forefront and possible strikes, it remains unseen how much more the system can bear.” – Elementary school principal, Northern Ont.

  The start of the 2022-23 school year was the closest to normal that students, families, and educators have experienced since September 2019 – but how are schools, educators, and students really doing? Three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the newest findings from People for Education’s Annual Ontario School Survey (AOSS) provide valuable insights. This article will focus primarily on the data collected from the 2022-23 AOSS,1 which received responses from 1,044 principals across all 72 publicly funded school boards in the province.

  When the pandemic first shut down schools in March 2020, the list of challenges that emerged seemed endless. There now exists a substantial body of research documenting how the relentless pivoting between no school, virtual school, hybrid school, and eventually in-person school triggered a domino effect of issues that included families troubleshooting technology, juggling remote learning and work, and navigating perpetually evolving health and safety protocols (People for Education, 2021a). None of us had ever gone through a global pandemic before, so it was natural to be focused on the logistics of COVID-19: monitoring positive case counts, screening tools, social distancing, and never leaving the house without a mask – or at all. In the meantime, people’s mental health and wellbeing were progressively being impacted by feelings of anxiety, isolation, or depression, to name just a few (Vaillancourt et al., 2021).

  The first AOSS conducted after the arrival of COVID-19 immediately shone a light on the toll that the pandemic had taken, specifically on the wellbeing of school principals. More than half of the 1,173 principals who responded during the 2020-21 school year disagreed or strongly disagreed that their levels of stress felt manageable (People for Education, 2021b). This same finding occurred in the following 2021-22 school year, along with principals’ concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of students and staff (People for Education, 2022). At this point in time, principals’ perceptions about the availability of school resources to support staff and student mental health and wellbeing were mixed:

  •  43% of principals agreed or strongly agreed that they had the necessary supports for student mental health and wellbeing; 37% disagreed or strongly disagreed.
  •  35% of principals agreed or strongly agreed that they had the necessary supports for staff mental health and wellbeing; 37% disagreed or strongly disagreed.

  

  However, in October 2022, when asked to indicate the level of support needed from boards and the Ministry of Education for recovery from COVID-19, the vast majority of schools (91%) reported that they require some or more support for mental health and wellbeing, with almost half (46%) reporting that they need a lot of support.

  

  At the beginning of the pandemic, most of the focus in schools was on COVID-19 safety and the logistics of remote learning; three years into the pandemic, mental health and wellbeing supports have emerged as a top priority. Numerous principals shared insights about the specific challenges they are witnessing in the current school year.

  “Children are excited to be back at school and there is an energy in the building. That said, many students have never experienced school pre-COVID and as such, are needing support in basic expectations regarding how to behave at school. We are noticing significant self-regulation challenges in primary; anxiety and fears of coming to school in junior; and a lot of sexualized /swearing/inappropriate language in our intermediates. And all grades struggling with conflict resolution skills.” – Elementary school principal, GTA

  “Student needs have increased significantly due to COVID-19: self-regulation, literacy, numeracy, mental wellness. Due to the impact of COVID-19 many students are experiencing many more challenges. These challenges are being met as best we can with the resources we have. Human resources are the most important type of resource.” – Elementary school principal, GTA

  Although mental health and wellbeing was identified as the area where schools feel that support is most needed, staffing was also consistently underscored as a critical issue. This finding is not surprising, given that:

  “Supporting increased children’s mental health needs with no increases in resources stresses the staff and leads to increased absenteeism. The lack of replacement staff (especially for Educational Assistants (EAs) and designated Early Childhood Educators (DECEs)) causes this problem to snowball.” – Elementary school principal, southwestern Ont.

  The lack of sufficient staff has been regularly highlighted over the past three years (People for Education 2021a; 2022). Early in 2022, a wave of the highly transmissible Omicron variant prompted an investigation into staff absences across numerous school boards and found that the number of daily unfilled teaching jobs was, on average, steadily increasing (Teotonio & Rushowy, 2022). School boards used various strategies to cover staffing shortages, such as removing the caps on the number of days worked by retired teachers, permitting student teachers to work, assigning teachers classes to cover during their planning time, and principals stepping back into classrooms.

  These survival tactics, however, did not come without a cost to the mental health and wellbeing of school staff and students alike. When asked if there were any challenges so far in the current 2022-23 school year, one elementary school principal in northern Ontario wrote:

  “People are burning out way more quickly post-COVID, partly due to staffing challenges; learning and mental health needs of students are exacerbated post-COVID; the staff shortage impact on daily triage of student needs because of illness and no one to cover; having all expectations of a ‘normal everything open year’ without allowing educators to build back up before being expected to go all out for everything.”

  The finding that 91% of Ontario schools need some or more support for mental health and wellbeing supports is inextricably tied to the finding that 82% of Ontario schools reported needing some or more support for school support staff. After all, one of the primary ways of addressing mental health and wellbeing is with more staff who specialize in this area. An elementary school principal in southwestern Ontario explained, “Full-time mental health care workers are required in schools to be present and available to support students and families on a DAILY basis, and to offer support for staff who are struggling to deal with the class dynamics erupting from mental health challenges.”

  While 78% of schools expressed needing some or more support for teaching staff, only 19% noted needing a lot of support, which is markedly less than the 35% of schools who expressed needing a lot of support for school support staff (e.g. educational assistants, administrators, custodians, etc.) (See Figure 2). This finding is significant, given recent events related to job action and labour negotiations for education workers in the province (McKenzie-Sutter, 2022). While teaching shortages do exist, there is currently a higher demand for education support workers. One elementary school principal in southwestern Ontario described the situation: “Staffing shortages are leading to a crisis in education. Addressing the shortages across all employee groups has to be a priority for the government.”

  As we look ahead to the remainder of the 2022-23 school year, it is essential to consider what actions are necessary to address the needs of Ontario’s publicly funded schools. Here are some ideas suggested by principals:

  • Focus on funding human resources, especially support staff for mental health and wellbeing.
    • “Some students are really struggling; however, we are not seeing an increase in supports – do better with less seems to be the refrain.” – Elementary school principal, GTA
    • “Where extra supports and monies should be funnelled into in-person schools, year-over-year we have more students and fewer staff. This year, the ‘tutoring’ funds being delivered directly to families/privately would be much better used by adding human resources to the day-to-day school staff.” – Elementary school principal, GTA
  •  Increase access to family and community supports.
    •  “Greater access to social work support, behaviour support services, and system navigation for families. Greater support is needed for community support agencies who service schools but have also been otherwise impacted by C-19.” – Elementary school principal, northern Ont.
  •  Recognize how difficult the pandemic has been on school communities.
    • “Fewer new initiatives in the next three to five years as we work to re-establish benchmarks and define our ‘new’ or ‘next’ normal!” – Elementary school principal, GTA
    •  “Real and meaningful recognition of how hard the last 2+ years have been on students and staff.” – Secondary school principal, GTA
    •  “Teachers and support staff are exhausted. They returned from summer break somewhat reinvigorated and more optimistic, but energy has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Folks are tired, and the trauma of the last three years will take some time to overcome.” – Secondary school principal, southwestern Ont.

  Three years into the pandemic, COVID has taught us the importance of mental health and wellbeing, as well as the incredibly huge role that schools play in our lives. If public education is the foundation of our society and the key to solving many of society’s current problems, it is crucial to learn from the challenges of the past few years and get our priorities right as we plan for a happier, healthier, and more hopeful future. As one elementary school principal from southwestern Ontario put it:

  “A recovery plan for a global pandemic, hmm… I think it is an opportunity to rethink some aspects of public education. Could be a great opportunity.”

  References

  McKenzie-Sutter, H. (2022, November 4). What you need to know about the Ontario education workers’ strike. Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/9253376/ontario-cupe-education-worker-strike-explained

  People for Education. (2021a). Challenges and innovations: 2021-20 annual report on Ontario schools.
  https://peopleforeducation.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2020-21-AOSS-Final-Report-Published-110721.pdf

  People for Education. (2021b). Ontario principals’ challenges and well-being: Annual Ontario School Survey 2021. https://peopleforeducation.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/People-for-Educations-report-on-Ontario-Principals-Challenges-and-Wellbeing-AOSS2021.pdf

  People for Education. (2022). A perfect storm of stress: Ontario’s publicly funded schools in year two of the COVID-19 pandemic. https://peopleforeducation.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/People-for-Education_A-Perfect-Storm-of-Stress_May-2022.pdf

  Teotonio, I. & Rushowy, K. (2022, February 7). ‘Really severe challenges’: Ontario school boards struggle with unprecedented staff absences. The Toronto Star. www.thestar.com/news/gta/2022/02/07/really-severe-challenges-ontario-school-boards-struggle-with-unprecedented-staff-absences.html

  Vaillancourt, T., Szatmari, P., Georgiades, K., & Krygsman, A. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of Canadian children and youth. FACETS, 6(1), 1628–1648. doi.org/10.1139/FACETS-2021-0078

  Illustration: iStock
  First published in Education Canada, April 2023

  1 The 2022–2023 AOSS is the 26th annual survey of elementary schools and 23rd annual survey of secondary schools in Ontario.

• From Responses to Recovery

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  Once close friends and colleagues, teachers Ashley, Morgan, and Mackenzie stood in their classroom doorways, their physical distance a stark reminder of the emotional distance between them now. In an attempt at building a bridge of commiseration after teaching in pandemic conditions for over a year, Ashley said, “I wish the admin would understand how this feels for us. I have never felt so discouraged and isolated. Another PD about online methods is exactly NOT what I need right now.” Morgan agreed. “What we really need is to be heard and respected – and a break. Yeah, a break would be nice. I’ve had it!” Mackenzie was silent. She had been looking forward to the PD later that day. Online teaching had been a welcome break from business as usual, and after an initial bumpy period, she was leaning into it and feeling a sense of accomplishment. Each teacher looked at the others. The silence dragged. And then the bell rang, and it was back to work.

  In April 2020, schools around the world were forced into a period of historic disruption as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Similarly, in Canada, an initial few weeks of school closures evolved into several months, with schools continuing to ride the ongoing waves of the pandemic and teachers expected to pivot from in-person to remote instruction and adopt new pedagogies as required. Here we present an on-going, SSHRC-funded Canadian study (Babb et al., 2022) that our research team began in April 2020. We queried over 2,000 Canadian teachers for almost three years during the pandemic, so that we could gain a deep understanding of their experiences, inquiring into the demands faced by teachers and the resources available to support them through this time.

  Teaching during the first few months of COVID-19

  Initial interview data collected from Canadian teachers early in the pandemic showed that balance was difficult to maintain (Eblie Trudel et al., 2021). Many learners had inadequate access to technology, limited home support in their language of instruction, and reduced assistance with the challenges of additional learning needs. Many parents, already strapped with work and child-care duties, were overwhelmed and unable to assist in facilitating their children’s instruction. Moreover, teachers struggled to prioritize basic student needs, create vital partnerships between schools and families, and develop the necessary confidence to deliver engaging learning through new modes of teaching.

  As our research developed, findings demonstrated that teachers responded predictably to the two widely accepted theoretical models of burnout used in our study, voicing their subjective appraisals of teaching in a pandemic in remarkably diverse ways. The job demands-resources (JD-R) model (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007) allowed us to recognize that varied, but unique, experiences of teachers were leading some teachers to burnout, due to the increased demands and inadequate resources available for support. A model by Maslach and Jackson (1981) permitted us to assess the progression of burnout along a spectrum associated with periods of occupational stress, noting dimensions of exhaustion, depersonalization or cynicism, and reduced work accomplishment. We found that exhaustion could arise from excessive demands felt in a particular role and that lost efficacy could result from insufficient resources to meet such demands. Some exhausted teachers withdrew from students and colleagues, or avoided work altogether, actions recognized as depersonalization and cynicism in the burnout literature. Given that teachers’ withdrawal from students could impact student achievement and wellbeing, finding ways to reduce teacher stress and increase coping was shown to be vital for maintaining quality instruction and avoiding teacher burnout.

  Unsolvable as a single puzzle

  Imagining the research process akin to assembling a large puzzle, our team attempted to use traditional statistical methods to provide a concise picture of teacher coping over the course of the pandemic. However, developing a clear picture of teacher experiences proved to be challenging. Just when we thought we understood the trends, we were faced with new data that did not fit at all. It was like we were assembling a puzzle with pieces mixed in from other puzzles – and the pieces just didn’t fit. By using a new kind of statistical analysis, we found that there were, in fact, five unique puzzles that required consideration. Our findings revealed five distinct profiles (or patterns) of responses to teaching in the pandemic, each relating to different combinations of role demands as well as access to both individual and employer-provided resources (See Figure 1).

  

  Five puzzles

  Specifically, we identified two groups of teachers who were flourishing, and we called them the “engaged” and “involved” groups. Despite experiencing moderate levels of exhaustion and perceiving high demands, teachers in both of these categories accessed a greater number of resources and demonstrated higher levels of accomplishment than other teachers in the study. Like Mackenzie, the teachers in the engaged and involved groups were supported to meet their job demands during pandemic conditions, although the teachers in the involved group were slightly more withdrawn than those in the engaged category.

  A third teacher group was nearing burnout and was acknowledged as being “over-extended.” Teachers in this category, like Ashley, had a small deficit of resources compared to their work demands, and were at the “tipping point” of burnout symptoms. While they were experiencing close to the highest levels of exhaustion and feeling moderately withdrawn, they were still able to demonstrate higher levels of accomplishment. Finally, we found two other teacher groups to be experiencing moderate to high levels of exhaustion and feeling significantly withdrawn. Teachers in these groups, like Morgan, were languishing and exhibiting symptoms of burnout. We coined them “detached” and “inefficacious,” with the latter reporting the lowest levels of accomplishment of all. These findings were shared by our partners at the EdCan Network through an article and infographic.

  Importantly, for each group we found that it was not the number of demands or the number of resources that predicted burnout, but rather the ratio of resources to demands that predicted the level of stress and burnout perceived by the teachers in the groups. This realization challenged the thinking that teachers were “all in the same boat” during the pandemic. Some teachers were in yachts and some were in life rafts. Some had smooth sailing while others taught through a raging storm – all dependent on whether they had sufficient resources to meet the demands of their specific teaching contexts.

  Solutions to the five puzzles

  Subsequent work with our partners in a large Manitoba school division, allowed comparative insight between national and provincial data. We were alarmed to discover that 46 percent of Manitoban teachers demonstrated patterns of the two struggling groups, compared with 27 percent of teachers from across Canada. In fact, a greater proportion of Canadian teachers remained at a tipping point in the over-extended group, whereas more Manitoban teachers had already spilled over to become detached and inefficacious. With the Manitoba government aware and informed of this research, over $1 million in funding was awarded to our partners at the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) (mbwpg.cmha.ca/) provincially, to address the wellbeing of individuals and organizations in the provincial education sector. CMHA established a website (careforallineducation.com) that facilitates real-time access to Wellness Specialists through phone and online chat modalities to all Manitoban education sector workers, including teachers. CMHA also developed a suite of workshops as part of a multi-level response mechanism. This initiative acknowledged that individuals, administrators, organizations, and government needed to work together to ensure that support is provided for education sector recovery and growth.

  Bakker and de Vries (2021) found that with support from school organizations, teachers were more likely to sustain individual resilience while still meeting professional responsibilities. Not only could teachers freely engage with individual strategies for coping (setting boundaries with work time and space, applying healthy eating, exercise and sleep habits, and practising self-compassion) but they could also partake in systemic programs for workplace wellbeing.

  For teachers who were flourishing, concurrent employer-hosted opportunities that fit the specific needs of these teachers best include:

  •  job coaching (increasing job control, task variety and transparency)
  •  mentorship opportunities
  •  positive role changes
  •  increasing resources such as professional learning to further engage in and enhance daily work.

  Responding to teachers at a tipping point, languishing, or feeling role strain, individual recommendations would include:

  •  decreases in multi-tasking
  •  reducing distractions
  •  blocking time for priority tasks
  •  planning for digital downtime and rest
  •  focusing on non-work-related activities after working hours.

  It is essential to remember, however, that employees cannot recover from stress within workplaces that demonstrate imbalances in demands and resources, so simultaneous workplace changes are essential to facilitate and encourage individual strategies that allow for recovery and replenishment. Leadership suggestions here include:

  •  enhanced communication and collaboration to better determine stress levels of staff
  •  human resource programs to support recovery and wellbeing
  •  policies or procedures that allow employees to disconnect from daily work and enjoy leisure time.

  The key idea in this scenario is that teachers can engage in self-regulation by identifying their levels of stress and then actively select individual and organizational strategies to enhance coping and optimize wellbeing. In order to do this, however, it is vital to identify burnout as a collective rather than an individual responsibility, with interventions provided at both personal and organizational levels.

  Different boats in the same storm

  Holmes and colleagues (2020) endorsed the importance of understanding teacher stress as a means of supporting the education sector going forward. As one interview participant described, “Teachers were experiencing the pandemic in diff