From Burnout to Balance: Practical Strategies for Stress Relief in the Classroom

Description

Concept by Veerle Ponnet

Teachers and students often face important levels of stress and burnout. This negatively affects the learning environment and the overall well-being of all people involved. This issue is so important that the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development explicitly introduced goals related to health and well-being in school education.

This course will provide teachers with the tools and strategies to reduce stress in the classroom and promote the health and well-being of students and themselves.

Participants will learn about the causes and effects of stress on students and teachers, as well as how to incorporate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health and well-being in the teaching practice.

Participants will also develop practical strategies for stress management – such as mindfulness, self-care, and positive thinking -, and learn how to create a positive and supportive classroom environment that promotes the health and well-being of students and teachers.

By the end of the course, participants will have a better understanding of how to create a stress-free classroom environment and be able to implement practical strategies for stress management to reduce stress in their classrooms and schools.

Learning outcomes

The course will help the participants to:  

• Understand the causes and effects of stress on students and teachers;
• Know the impact of stress on the learning environment;
• Learn about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health and well-being;
• Incorporate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health and well-being in the classroom;
• Develop practical strategies for stress management, such as mindfulness, self-care, and positive thinking;
• Create a positive and supportive classroom environment that promotes the health and well-being of students and teachers;
• Develop an action plan to implement stress-management strategies in their classrooms and schools;
• Share and learn from the best practices and strategies from other European countries.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Introduction to stress management in the classroom

• Introduction to the course and the importance of addressing stress in the classroom;
• Introduction to the school, and the external week activities;
• Icebreaker activities;
• Presentations of the participants’ schools;
• Understanding the causes and effects of stress on students and teachers.

Day 2 – Incorporating sustainable development goals for health and well-being in teaching

• Incorporate Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health and in the teaching practice;
• Mindfulness and self-care strategies for stress management;
• Group discussion and activities on implementing mindfulness and self-care in the classroom.

Day 3 – Creating a positive and supportive classroom environment

• Positive thinking and emotional intelligence in the classroom;
• Creating a positive and supportive classroom environment;
• Group discussion and activities on how to create a positive and supportive classroom environment.

Day 4 – Collaborative stress management strategies for teachers

• Time management and organization strategies for teachers;
• Collaborative stress management strategies for teachers;
• Group discussion and activities on how to collaborate with colleagues to manage stress.

Day 5 – Implementing stress management strategies in practice

• Sharing of best practices for implementing stress management;
• Review of the week’s topics and discussion on how to implement them in practice;
• Planning for the next steps and creating an action plan;
• Final reflections and evaluations, sharing best practices and strategies from other European countries.

Day 6 – Course closure and cultural activities

• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
• Excursion and other external cultural activities.