The sessions are offered after school or in the evening and have been designed to be offered virtually or in person. The Well Teacher Groups is composed of six two-hour sessions typically offered once a week:
Session one: General Wellness A
Session two: General Wellness B
Session three: Physical Health
Session four: Mental Health A
Session five: Mental Health B
Session six: Goal Setting Wellness Plan and Review.
What can teachers expect who register for the group?
- The size of the group is between 10‒15 teachers and a facilitator.
- A variety of learning modalities including facilitator sharing, individual work and reflection, small group discussion, and large group discussion.
- The activities include a combination of free-flowing conversation, directive discussions, and specific exercises.
- Homework is a part of the program, but not mandatory.
What are some of the topics covered during the sessions?
General Wellness
- Introduction to the group, establishing group norms and confidentiality.
- Using the Wellness Wheel and Wellness Map to gain an understanding of your personal wellness and how to lead a more balanced life and set boundaries.
- The goal is to develop a wellness plan by the conclusion of the group.
Physical Health
- Developing an understanding of three key physical health challenges faced by teachers: pain, fatigue, and ergonomics.
- Having teachers use a log to monitor their physical health.
Mental Health
- Participants will review key mental health concepts, key stressors that impact teachers, and strategies to help manage these stressors.
- Practice and review key relaxation strategies such as deep breathing and mindfulness.
- Understand how to use tools such as Burnout Inventory and Thought Tracker to manage mental health.