Calming the Chaos: Decrease Teacher Stress and Elevate Efficacy

Outline

1. Welcome and Introduction (5 minutes)

Brief overview of the session objectives
Importance of teacher well-being and its direct impact on student success
Icebreaker: Quick reflection on current teacher stress levels and challenges

2. Understanding the Problem: Teacher Stress and Its Consequences (10 minutes)

Data: Statistics and research on teacher stress and burnout
The impact of stress on teacher performance, well-being, and student outcomes
Discussion: How stress manifests in various teaching environments (urban, rural, under-resourced schools, etc.)

3. Building Teacher Efficacy: What It Means and Why It Matters (10 minutes)

Defining teacher efficacy: Confidence in the ability to impact student learning
How strong efficacy supports teacher resilience and performance
Case studies: Examples of schools where teacher efficacy has led to improved student achievement

4. Practical Strategies for Reducing Stress and Enhancing Efficacy (15 minutes)

Stress Reduction Techniques:
Time management and workload balancing
Mindfulness and mental wellness initiatives in schools
Building a support network: Mentoring, collaboration, and peer support
Efficacy-Building Approaches:
Professional development focused on skill-building and growth mindset
Celebrating small wins and fostering a positive school culture
Encouraging teacher leadership and autonomy in decision-making
Interactive Activity: Participants brainstorm and share successful strategies they’ve used or observed

5. Implementation: How Leaders Can Support Teachers (10 minutes)

Creating a culture of support and mental well-being in schools
Providing resources and training for ongoing teacher growth
Policy adjustments to promote manageable workloads and healthy work-life balance
Discussion: Participants reflect on actionable steps they can take in their own institutions

6. Q&A and Open Discussion (5 minutes)

Address specific challenges and questions from the audience
Group discussion on innovative approaches leaders have used or want to try

7. Closing and Key Takeaways (5 minutes)

Recap of key points: reducing stress, building efficacy, and supporting student success
Final reflection on commitment to supporting teachers

Supporting research

The American Federation of Teachers. (2017). 2017 educator quality of work life survey. https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/2017_eqwl_survey_web.pdf?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=c5239ed3-fd90-4ab0-8150-b5a46eb66cb4

Aperribai, L., Cortabarria, L., Aguirre, T., Verche, E., & Borges, Á. (2020, November). Teacher’s physical activity and mental health during lockdown due to the COVID-2019 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 577886. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.577886

Chesak, S. S., Khalsa, T. K., Bhagra, A., Jenkins, S. M., Bauer, B. A., & Sood, A. (2019). Stress management and resiliency training for public school teachers and staff: A novel intervention to enhance resilience and positively impact student interactions. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 37, 32–38.

Education Week. (May, 2021). Parents and schools during a pandemic: Results of national survey. https://www.edweek.org/research-center/research-center-reports/parents-and-schools-during-a-pandemic-results-of-a-national-survey

Freeman, G. T., Blackstone, J., & Burchard, M. (2020). A proposed model for transformational education. Education Leadership, 255-272.

Green, Z. A., & Batool, S. (2018). Bolstering male and female teachers’ self-efficacy through a wellness intervention. Baltic Journal of Psychology, 19(1), 2.

Jones, E. R. (2021). The impact of behavioral activation on teacher stress and burnout: A multiple probe single case design [Doctoral dissertation, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. https://doi.org/10.17615/gggv-r882

Kurtz, H. (2021, May 14). Teachers are more stressed out than ever, even amid promising developments, survey shows. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/teachers-are-more-stressed-out-than-ever-even-amid-promising-developments-survey-shows/2021/05

Morrison, N. (2022, June 22). Teachers twice as likely to be stressed as other occupations. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/?sh=1801f5b62254

Netz, April and Rom, Lauren. (2020). Effects of mindfulness on teacher stress and self-efficacy. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/maed/361

Steiner, Elizabeth D. and Ashley Woo (2021), Job-related stress threatens the teacher supply: key findings from the 2021 state of the U.S. teacher survey. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2021. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1108-1.html.