New research shows that when employers expect teachers to focus on improving their own wellbeing but don’t address workplace conditions, it can intensify the problem, Katie Fotheringham writes.
Dr Saul Karnovsky, who co-authored Curtin University research examining educators’ discussions on the online platform Reddit, says the impact of working conditions and broader policies on teachers’ welfare were often ignored in favour of suggestions like mindfulness and taking a walk.
Elusive concept
Dr Karnovsky says the concept of ‘wellbeing’ to describe how teachers feel about their work was relatively new and difficult to define.
“In the past, we’ve just called this concept ‘teacher emotions’ or ‘educator emotions’,” Dr Karnovsky says.
“But we’ve got to look at the particular words describing particular conditions of teachers’ work; that’s much more important.
“For example, both in the past and now, the word ‘stress’ is coming through loud and clear to us.
“The recent Black Dog Institute survey showed Australian teachers are experiencing moderate to extreme stress, depression and anxiety – double or triple the amount the general population is experiencing.
“At the moment, the expectations put upon educators at all levels are unrealistic, and their workloads are unmanageable.
This causes stress, which causes poor work-life balance, which can lead to feelings of demoralisation or burnout.
“Hence we say the teacher wellbeing is a problem now – instead of talking about what teacher wellbeing is, we need to understand what is driving the issue to begin with and understand how teachers can thrive and feel fulfilled in their work,” he says.
Employer sessions miss the mark
Dr Karnovsky says employer wellbeing sessions, which suggest individualised, generic solutions to sector-wide problems, were ineffective in addressing the wellbeing crisis.
“A few years ago, I started some pilot projects in NSW to serve as an alternative to generalised and often ineffective PD,” Dr Karnovsky says.
“It was guided by a couple of very passionate staff members who had read a piece I’d written in The Conversation and reached out to me to deliver academic consultancy to their workplace on developing a more holistic approach instead of the ‘one and done’ PD approach.
“It involved thinking about emotional labour or sharing something that we’ve experienced that we might have felt was traumatic, an extreme emotional event that we’re carrying with us.”
Dr Karnovsky says it was critical that any judgement or fear of repercussions were eliminated when facilitating these sessions.
“It was just a safe space, and safety is critical.
“A safe, non-judgmental space where any staff member who wanted to come, could speak and be heard and listened to and be pointed in the right direction for help if necessary.
“Ill-being involves locating the problem, it’s not on wellbeing, it’s about the fact that educators are experiencing ill-being in their work lives.”
IEU-QNT Branch Secretary Terry Burke says having a strong union representation within your workplace was the best means of taking action on ill-being.
“Through collective action we can bargain for fairer conditions and ensure employers cannot ignore these widespread issues,” Burke says.
Personal and professional
Dr Karnovsky says it was important to make a distinction between professional self-care and personal or private self-care.
“Often in these wellbeing PD days, these two things are conflated and that’s why it muddies the waters,” Dr Karnovsky says.
“Those things need different kinds of strategies and other types of choices and decisions.
“For example, I practise mindfulness in my private life, and it’s something that I find valuable, but I’m not going to tell anyone at work that they need to meditate as a solution to their stress.
“But what I might do to think a little bit more mindfully about my work is say ‘no, I can’t do that’, or ‘I’m going to not take part in that particular committee this year because I’ve had a careful think about it’.
“When we can be honest and open about why we’re saying no, or deciding not to take part in certain things, and explain that it’s because we’re looking after ourselves, that is a positive step in changing the narrative around wellbeing.
“If you need emotional resources for the children in your care and taking part in an extra committee is going to really drain your resources, be honest about this.
“It’s important to be transparent about those kinds of choices and what you’re doing in a professional context to care for yourself.
“Teachers and early childhood educators are the experts of their own wellbeing,” he says.
Having a voice is key
Burke says it is essential educators have their voices heard when it comes to wellbeing issues.
“Being a union member is the first critical step in ensuring you have a platform and safe space to have your concerns listened to,” Burke says.
“The union gives you an avenue to be honest about what’s happening at your workplace – something that is not facilitated by employers.
“Educators feel minimised and silenced, and with union membership there is always someone willing to listen to you.”