Teacher Wellness Matters: A Guide to Self-Care and Burnout Prevention

In-Service Training (INSET) for teachers is a professional and personal development activity designed to enhance their efficiency, skills, knowledge, and motivation in their work. This training also serves as an opportunity to address and resolve areas of need identified by teachers or school leaders, promoting continuous improvement in their competencies. One of the key concerns raised during this process was the need for self-care among teachers.  

Teachers carry significant responsibilities both at school and at home, often leaving little time for self-care. To address this, Light for All (LfA) Foundation was invited to speak on the topic at Pinyahan Elementary School and Flora Ylagan High School.  

LfA collaborated with Dr. Nashwa Botros, a General Practitioner from Australia, who delivered a session focused on self-care and coping strategies for teachers. Dr. Botros discussed the importance of self-care in preventing burnout, which can occur when teachers neglect their own well-being. She elaborated on the symptoms of burnout and shared effective strategies to manage it, empowering teachers to maintain their best selves both in their professional and personal lives.  

The training sessions were well-attended, with 53 teachers participating from Pinyahan Elementary School and 60 attendees from Flora Ylagan High School. The teachers were highly engaged, actively participating in group discussions and sharing experiences, making the sessions interactive and impactful.  

The event emphasized the importance of self-care as an essential component of a teacher’s overall effectiveness and well-being, ensuring they can continue to excel in their dual roles at school and at home.

LfA conducted an anonymous post-evaluation and here are their answers as to which part of the topic they did benefit the most from:

• “How to prevent burnout. It will benefit me since I’m a new mom of two. My husband is suddenly unemployed. I need to get along with my colleagues.”
• “The group activity/collaboration of teachers during the discussion about burnout.”
• “How to prevent burnout. We are just human. If we couldn’t, God is always there. Prioritize self-care.”
• “Knowing what causes burnout will help us consider what should be given priority. I believe that if we were ok, other things will follow.”
• Learning the definition and other matters about burnout syndrome and how we will fight it.”
• Understanding burnout syndrome and identifying factors that contribute to burnout.”