∞ A Theory of Change for Staff Wellbeing in Schools
13 November 2023
Diary Entry: What a day! I was ready to not be at school but I was, it was tough. I had a few fleeting moments where I thought... How can I last another 5 weeks, I needed to have a cry with a colleague, reset, refocus and carry on. I am not the only one feeling like this.
Mental health is such a delicate balance as we are the masters of our own ship but we are affected, very much so by the seas we are in... and to take this metaphor even further. We didn't choose the crew or neither did we know in what weather we would be asked to sail. Even the destination seems unknown... destination survival?!
We are trained to sail, we have control of our own sleeping quarters and we have access to the captain(s). So why are we struggling? Is the ship, the seas or the SLT? I don't think there is one answer here but we need to reflect of where we are in the bigger picture. I hope to set some co-ordinates. :-)
This is my idea...
If we can build a sense of belonging at our schools and develop the skills in creating a work-life balance we will be able to sail the ship, no matter the weather. [I can hear my colleagues say, what about the age of the ship, or the scurvy of the students... one thing at a time dear friends]
If you felt like you were part of a team, your ideas considered and disagreements discussed. Maybe even your birthday mentioned, your religious days celebrated or a fuddle every other Friday... Could that work?
If we were encouraged not to send emails after 6pm or on weekends, if inset days had proper training on stress management and we had time to take a breath during the day if we needed.
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