On these regular posts we have highlighted many of the obvious problems caused by Covid, effects on children, and a few positive signs for learning and teaching that have been kick-started by the pandemic. Few articles, though, have focused on the well-being of teachers, who are the most important part of the learning ecosystem. TES has pointed out that “schools need to do all they can to help teachers keep on top of their workloads and ensure their mental health is protected”. More specifically they propose 9 practical ways schools can help, such as: 1. Keep work-from-home flexibility; 2. Reduce email overload; 3. Over-communicate; 4. Make meetings matter; 5. Give all the time you can to department time; 6. Press pause; 7. Cut exam weeks; 8. Avoid changes; 9. Checking in. All of these are easy to do and do not cost any money, but do go a long way to ensuring that teachers remain on top of their workloads and probably just as important, look after their mental health situation.
https://www.tes.com/news/international-workload-teachers-school-help-reduce-stress