Despite increasing awareness, conversations about mental health continue to be surrounded by stigma, especially amongst young people. This is why mental health literacy and destigmatisation in schools are critical – now more than ever. 

Educators play an essential role in shaping the minds of future generations, and by addressing mental health in the classroom, they can significantly reduce stigma to promote healthier, more inclusive communities.

What is Mental Health Literacy?

Mental health literacy refers to the understanding and knowledge that individuals possess about:

• mental health conditions
• symptoms
• prevention
• available support

Mental health literacy helps people recognise signs of mental health struggles – in themselves and others – and teaches them how to seek out appropriate help. It also fosters empathy and open dialogue around mental health, breaking down misunderstandings and misconceptions that so often fuel stigma.

When young people understand mental health, they are more likely to approach it with compassion, reducing shame and fear around their own experiences. In turn, this can enable early interventions, which have been shown to drastically improve outcomes for those experiencing mental health challenges. 

Schools, as primary environments for children and teenagers, are in a unique position to teach this literacy at a critical time of development.

Why Destigmatisation Matters

Mental health stigma – negative beliefs or attitudes about mental health – prevents many from seeking help. In school environments, where peer pressure and social dynamics are amplified, struggling students often suffer in silence.

By promoting destigmatisation in schools, we can work together to create safer, more supportive environments where students feel empowered to talk about their mental health without fear of judgement. This not only improves individual wellbeing but fosters a culture of understanding and community responsibility. Educators, parents and students must all work together to normalise conversations about mental health and create stronger pathways for support.

The Role of Schools

Schools are one of the most critical spaces where early intervention can occur. Educators, counsellors and peer groups have the power to influence how young people perceive and respond to mental health issues. Incorporating mental health education into school curricula is a practical, effective way to boost mental health literacy.

Programs that focus on emotional wellbeing and mental health resilience help students better manage stress, understand their emotions and develop lasting coping strategies.

Decode: A Step Forward

Matterworks and Education Perfect (EP) have taken a forward-thinking approach to this issue, partnering to create the Decode Mental Health and Wellbeing program.

This innovative initiative leads with engaging video content designed to compassionately speak to young people. It features relatable talent whose lived experiences help students to better understand their own emotions and experiences. Developed with experts from MCRI and based on decades of evidence-based research, the program tackles mental health literacy and destigmatisation by providing interactive and practical resources that make these important topics more accessible. 

Over the last year, the program has evolved to now include culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), First Nations, neurodivergent and disabled content available, making Decode a comprehensive and inclusive program for all Australians. 

Decode was also recently endorsed by Beyond Blue and is included in the ‘‘Be You’ schools menu. Furthermore, the program has a peer review evaluation that is due to be published, citing positive results from both a literacy-building and destigmatisation perspective.

Together, we’re making strides in promoting mental health education across Australia. Through Decode, students are not only learning the facts but are given tools to foster self-awareness, emotional intelligence and support networks.

The Path Forward

As mental health issues continue to affect many young people, the need for comprehensive mental health literacy programs is more critical than ever. By prioritising mental health education and normalising wellbeing conversations in schools, we can build a future where students feel safe, supported and knowledgeable.

The partnership between EP and Matterworks on the Decode program exemplifies the positive impact that collaboration can have on improving mental health outcomes for students. By integrating mental health literacy into a relatable, curriculum-aligned school program, Matterworks and EP are normalising mental health literacy in an engaging, evidence-based way.

The Decode Mental Health and Wellbeing program is available to all Australian EP customers who currently subscribe to the EP Essentials package or can be purchased for individual year groups. Explore how the program can support your students’ unique needs below!

The Decode Teacher edition is also available. The supporting professional development course is offered alongside our student resource. This podcast-led course is designed to educate teachers about mental health concepts, taking them inside mental health and leaving them confident to teach Decode and beyond.

Learn more

Looking for curriculum-aligned ways to amplify your classroom impact? Reach out to an EP Specialist today to book a demo!

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Empathy for hard-pressed teachers and school leaders

EP Curriculum Leads Kelly Hollis (Australia) and Justin Paul (New Zealand) interact with schools across both countries daily and understand the mounting concerns. Kelly describes a vicious cycle with teachers leaving due to workload pressures, while young people no longer see teaching as an attractive career option.

“The pressure on teachers is huge, made worse by the negativity from the public and media,” Kelly says. “As a result, there are fewer new entrants, and many current teachers are looking for other careers, at a time when large numbers are retiring. I know many educators who are moving on even if it means taking a pay cut amid the cost of living crisis. They feel it’s worth it for their own sanity.”

Kelly highlights Victoria as an example: “There are currently a thousand vacancies, so the workload for remaining teachers is increasing dramatically. Sickness is on the rise and schools lack the capacity for trips and camps. The government introduced mandated time-off-in-lieu to motivate teachers to support extra-curricular activities, but this results in teachers taking time off when they need to be in class, further exacerbating the shortage. For many it feels like a no-win situation and we are keen to rectify that.”

Justin describes the situation in Aotearoa: “There are a lot of non-specialist teachers having to take on specialist roles, especially in the STEM curriculum areas. Teaching outside of your own curriculum area is highly stressful and demanding in terms of time. This issue is even more pronounced in Kura Kaupapa Māori schools (Te Reo full immersion schools) who are seeking specialist teachers fluent in Te Reo. Some kura have to resort to non-speakers and the NZ curriculum to ensure their ākonga are being taught.”

In both countries, the number of casual teachers available for relieving is also tight.

“I find it harder and harder to talk to school leaders because they are covering classes, adding to the pressure at management levels too,” sympathises Kelly.

Steps schools can take to mitigate the impact of teaching shortages

Both nations are implementing various strategies to address these shortages, including recruitment drives to bring ex-teachers back into the workforce or to attract overseas teachers, incentives for teaching in underserved areas, and initiatives to improve teacher training and support.

Meanwhile, schools are striving to create more sustainable work environments. Kelly and Justin have identified successful strategies from working with numerous schools. These include providing strong administrative support, implementing collaborative planning and team teaching to distribute the instructional load, and focusing on teachers’ mental health and well-being with counselling services and stress management workshops. Regular recognition and appreciation of teachers’ efforts, along with active parental and community involvement, especially volunteers, also contribute to a supportive work environment.

EP’s contribution to alleviating pressure on teachers

Kelly and Justin have collated strategies for how EP, as one of the world’s leading teaching resources, is making a real difference to educators who are time-short and under pressure.

Reducing stress: For Kelly, EP has the capacity to reduce the burden on a teacher if they need to step outside the classroom for whatever reason, be it sickness, mental health issues, or extracurricular commitments. “EP gives teachers a sense of security. They know that their students will be using a familiar, high-quality, curriculum-aligned, interactive tool that provides feedback and next-steps. The students will be kept engaged by the gamification and competitions, and the teacher can remotely track student progress via the monitoring mode, providing additional feedback if they wish. You can imagine the peace of mind that provides.”

Support for non-specialist teachers: Justin’s Kiwi schools, struggling to find specialist teachers, value the comprehensive and curriculum-aligned content coverage. “I constantly hear from teachers who are covering subjects that they are not familiar with. They are using EP to stay a few tasks ahead of the students, giving them a sense of confidence and easing workload pressures. They are even enjoying learning about new subjects and picking up new skills. Many teachers particularly appreciate EP’s Aotearoa history resources, especially overseas teachers, who may not be familiar with New Zealand history. EP’s Te Ao Māori course for educators is also increasing in popularity year on year.”

Efficient workload management: Justin identifies specific attributes of EP that make a difference to teachers who are under the pump. “The value of EP’s features is amplified by the pressures created by the teacher shortage. The simplicity of pre- and post-task assessments, the effortless differentiation and personalisation, and the insightful reporting all lessen a teacher’s workload and support ongoing student achievement, even where teaching resourcing is proving challenging.”

EP empowers educators, using the latest technological developments including AI and analytics, to provide quality teaching and learning during these demanding times. EP means teachers can still dedicate themselves to their true passion even amidst teacher shortages—teaching and inspiring students to reach their highest potential.

It might sound a little like a cliche, as though teachers are this rare breed of idealistic individuals who enter the profession with a self-sacrificing mindset, prepared to give everything of themselves and subsume their personality into work. They do, but the reasons why we teach are a little more complex. It’s the prospect of making a difference and having a stable career that is relatively recession-proof that is attractive. It is the flexibility of holidays, the relatively family-friendly lifestyle, and the benefits of being able to immerse ourselves in a subject that we love. Teaching is a remarkably diverse career and one where you are surrounded by colleagues with similar education, expertise, and interest.

Can teachers really make a difference in the lives of students, or is that an idealistic dream? Head of Writing and ex-teacher, Poppie Johnson, takes a deep dive into her career and looks at what truly influences students.

Yet for all of that, there really is the ability to make a huge difference in students’ lives. For every teacher that enters the profession for practical reasons (what else do I do with an arts degree?), there is another who remembers that ‘one’ teacher at high school who made them look at things a different way, who helped them when they were lonely, or who paved the road to a future that seemed out of reach. What we discover on the journey is that where we are most effective is not always in the classroom, whiteboard marker in hand, leading an impassioned discussion on poetry a la Dead Poet’s Society.

I started teaching in my early twenties for a combination of these reasons. Arts degree; tick. The desire for a ‘career’; tick. Apprehension about the length of an eight-hour work day plus lunch; tick. My degree in English was fairly useless, and teaching became an interesting option. If nothing else, I would have a qualification that would allow me to travel, and teaching abroad seemed like a decent option to have. The additional year of study seemed more worthwhile than an honours year, so off I went to gain my Post Graduate Diploma in Education.

I worried about the actual content of what I would teach; what resources would I have to create? How would I choose my texts? What would I choose for each level? How would I teach senior students, some of whom were only four or five years younger than I was? These questions were somewhat answered during my training, but there was always the backstop of an associate teacher, someone to support in lessons, step in for behaviour management, or provide resources and ideas about what to teach next. The course was already pre-determined, and so the choice, and that ever-frightening freedom, were removed in many instances. To my surprise, I loved the interaction with students, and I had a great first placement.

Entering my first job nine months later, I was prepared but nervous. I was working at a small country school with a great reputation and a fantastic outdoor education programme.

 My Head of Department had been there for 33 years, still smoked out of the windows of his classroom (don’t tell) and rotated a wardrobe of short sleeve Aertex shirts with khaki shorts and sandals.

He was the sort of teacher that students remembered ten years later and had taught generations of the same family. I couldn’t have wished for a better start. He gave me freedom and challenge in equal parts, and taught me what teaching training had not; relationships are the most important part of classroom success, and treating each student as an individual is the way not only to ensure they will understand the work, but to provide a foundation of support that will outlast their school days.

Fast forward a couple of years, and I’m now an experienced teacher by general measures. I’m a dean at a much larger school; I teach a little less and deal with students on a much more personal level. I teach the gifted and talented kids and the scholarship kids, but I also teach the literacy support class, and I find those early lessons are the most important. There is an element of engagement that can be gained by choosing texts and tasks that appeal to the demographic of each class (always tricky at co-ed schools), but essentially, the classroom is a giant foxhole, and the students will work if they like and respect you, if they feel seen and heard. If they don’t, well, good luck. And don’t try faking it; they’re smart.

Icoach sports six days a week and get to know more students. Some are in my class, but not many. I coach because I enjoy the sport, it’s great to be out of the classroom, and the bonds formed are powerful. There is a sense of being a part of formative experiences that mirror my own. I grow in confidence in the classroom and become adept at ‘two-step planning’ on the way into the classroom. My lessons become wide-ranging, the discussions tangential, and the leeway to explore areas of interest becomes greater.

As a Dean, I have students who seek refuge in my office. They come during their free periods; they come when they’re supposed to be in maths, science, or even an option subject that they chose and no longer enjoy. Sometimes they’re taking advantage and just want to be out of class. Sometimes they really need the respite. Each conversation stuns me with how wide-ranging it is. I deal with issues that I had not contemplated; a student who has bulimia and needs to be watched by me at every mealtime to ensure they eat, a student who was the victim of an accidental shooting and is returning to school with an occupational therapist, a student who is living with her boyfriend because her parents are overseas, a student who was expelled from their last school and is making the same mistakes, a student who feels intense pressure to get into an overseas university and is scared of failure, a student who just wants somewhere to feel safe because they don’t belong anywhere.

The events that happen that have the most significant impact are not in the classroom.

Perhaps my idea of making a difference was to spur a love of the written word, to inspire students to write, to read, to be creative, and to use words for good. Yet despite my love of English, it was not those things that impacted me at high school, so why should that be the thing that impacted them now?

I am standing in my bedroom looking out of the window when I get a phone call from one of my rower’s parents. They are away for a weekend and have just received a phone call that another student’s father has been in a motorcycle accident. Sarah* is close to her father. She is a good rower, a quirky student with a close love of family and an epic sense of humour, and a student who has found her place among the crew and is one of the fittest and strongest rowers because she is so damn determined. Her father is dead. He didn’t even make it to the hospital; the crash was instantly fatal. Over the next three days, I help her to write her eulogy for her father. I am there at the funeral when she stands and speaks to a crowd of hundreds of people. I am there when she returns to training. It is a small part of a tragic moment, but it is a way that I can help her. Years later, she will tell me that it helped, that it was practical help that she needed at the time.

I am in the garage when the principal of the school calls me. It is a weekend. Erin* is a student who moved to our town from a different country. She found it hard to fit in at first but then discovers a sense of herself with a combination of sports, self-defence classes, and some success in school. I work with her on her English assessments, and she receives the best grade she had ever had. We talk about her being a nurse, and she comes to my office to talk through the credits that she needs, talk about how I used to do karate, and how it was good to be a strong woman. The principal is calling to tell me that she had committed suicide. All I can do is help to organise the funeral, support other students, and weep at all of her lost potential.

Oscar*’s mother stops me while I am out running. He was a leader at school, a tremendously engaging student who I had taught for several years, yet he had lost himself when he left school. An injury had put paid to his budding soccer career, and the same injury forced him out of his polytechnic course. I stop my run and talk to his mum; then I talk to him. I find an apprenticeship with a friend of the family and set him up with an interview; the conditions are clear; I would help him, but what he made of the opportunity was up to him. He turns up two days later at my house wearing a shirt and trousers with a copy of his cover letter. He is so determined that he drives three hours to deliver the letter in person. He gets the job. Three years later, we sit and have a beer together. He is a man, and he is doing a job he loves.

Danny* is lost. He is a middle child, with a successful older brother and a beloved younger brother. His parents put a great deal of pressure on him, pressure to do his best. Danny’s entrance testing show he is tremendously gifted; he topped the year group of nearly 200 students. Yet he struggles with motivation and finds the lack of structure in the gifted class allows him to be lazy. He asks me what he should do with life. I ask him what he wants to do. He doesn’t know. I tell him I think the army would be good; camaraderie, challenge, and the chance to use his intelligence in lateral ways. He laughs. Five years later, he finishes basic training and tells me to thank you; he tells me I am allowed to have an ‘I told you so’ moment.

Rose* makes me laugh. She is full of irrepressible energy. Her assignment is handed in late, and it is an official internal. When I do mark it, she has not completed it properly. There is no way I can pass this assessment. I find an alternative task for her, talk with her, and tell her that I know she is smart enough to achieve; she just has to do the work. I do not tell my head of faculty. I give her a second chance. I tell her she will make a great lawyer one day. Six years later, she graduates from law school with a double degree and emails me. She thanks me for giving her a second chance that seemed small at the time but that changed the course of her life. Rose has a graduate position with one of the country’s top law firms; she is a youth representative on the council. She writes, ‘You were the only teacher that ever believed in me. I know I was a little shit – quite often – but honestly, you made a massive impact on my life, so thank you for always believing in me. I hope you’re proud of me.’ Rose, my heart is bursting with pride, and I’m so grateful that it did make a difference.

In each of them, there is a combination of hope, of longing, of potential, and of the inevitable confusion of the teenage years. It is now more than five years since I taught those students, since my office was their refuge. The building I taught in has been torn down, the school has moved, the principal has changed, and the students have left school to live their lives. I have moved cities, taught at other schools, met other students, and changed careers. They are in the past.

The ripples of my time teaching have an echo that does not dissipate with time. The emails that appear sporadically in my inbox are gratifying, but they are only a representation of the true win. There are people in the world whose lives I have changed. For a few, I was ‘that teacher’, the one that truly made a difference, and that is one of the greatest achievements imaginable. I’m no longer teaching, but I will mentor students, I will volunteer for community organisations, and perhaps when my son is older, and I have the time, I will coach sports again. When my son goes to high school, I hope that he finds a teacher who inspires him, who listens to him, and who helps him when he needs someone outside of his family to help him figure out who he is and where he is going.

There are many exhausting things about teaching, but the chance to help people find their direction in life; well, that’s something you won’t find anywhere else.

*All names changed to protect privacy.

By Poppie Johnson

The stress hormone, adrenaline, keeps us going through the report writing, the marking, the clearing of classrooms, the document writing for the next year and the end-of-year exams, so much so, that by the time the holidays arrive, it is common to fall ill in the first week or two, from our stress levels trying to regulate and not having the energy to fight off sickness.

During the longer holidays, we may have time to recover and begin to recharge and rest, but in the shorter holidays, we can be straight back to work after spending the holidays ill. Depending where in the world you are reading this from, hopefully, this summer/ winter holiday, will give you time to recharge and recover ready for the coming semester.

Going back to work after a break can, cause anxiety for several reasons, such as not feeling ready to go back, having an amazing time with family and friends, having traveled and not had much time to rest, or general anxiety about the new term.

Here is my teacher toolkit of 5 top tips for how to use the holidays to ensure sufficient relaxation, and also how to set yourself up for success and wellness on your return to work.

During the holidays

1. Spend time with people you love
During the term while we are working, it can be easy to get bogged down with work, trying to fit everything in and we can forget to meet up with friends or family. Use holiday time to see all the people you love and catch up with those you have not seen in a while. This helps us detach from work, focus on life and realise how loved we are.

2. Get enough sleep each night

Lack of sleep influences how often we get sick. Getting adequate sleep each night, gives our bodies time to recover from the effects of the day. Our muscles, our nervous system and our brains need sleep to keep us healthy.

3. Prioritise self-care
Self-care is anything that makes you feel good. So whether it is being social and seeing people, decluttering your home, being creative, journaling or exercising, do some things that make you feel happy. You are the most important person in your life so treat yourself well.

4. Create habits for success while you have more time
It is difficult to start new routines and habits when you are tired from a full week at work, so start them in the holidays while you have time, meaning that by the time you return to work, the habit is instilled.

5. Switch off completely from work
Do not check emails, do not plan or do any paperwork until you need to. This is your time to enjoy, away from work and it is good to completely detach from work and just focus on yourself.

Returning to school

1. Try to maintain a regular sleep schedule
Research shows that it is beneficial for us to have a similar sleep schedule throughout the year, try to go to bed around the same time each night. Being consistent with the sleep cycle reinforces your body’s wake cycle, which helps our internal clock and gives us better quality rest.

2. Set boundaries on work you will do out of school
Decide your limit for taking work home and stick to it. If you tell yourself you will not take any work home, it can motivate you to use time at work more efficiently.

3. Prepare food for the day/week to save money and eat healthier
Being prepared for the day or week, planning healthy food and preparing it at home, not only helps maintain a healthy diet, but it saves you money and allows you to be more conscious of what you are putting in your body and your energy levels.

4. Only go in before designated date if it will make you feel better
If you must go in to school before work starts, only do so if it will genuinely help you feel more organized or ready for the year by reducing your anxiety.

5. Make a must-do list with only 3 things per day
Teachers love a to-do list but, as teachers, the list never ends as there is always something else to add. I always advise people to write 3 things maximum that MUST be done today and that is all. Add the rest onto the ‘should-do’ list and you can do these if you have time.

Enjoy your break

It can be overwhelming going back to work when you have either had a holiday that you do not want to end, or, have not had time to fully recuperate before you are back again. Routine and boundaries are essential to work/life balance and making sure that you are organized without giving every hour to work. Remember to enjoy your holidays, be kind to yourself, spend days doing nothing if that is what your body needs and set yourself up for another successful year in the classroom by focusing on your health, happiness and wellbeing.

Written by contributing writer Heather Broderick – Career and Leadership Coach. Specialising in leadership and positive workplace culture, Heather offers Life and Leadership Coach services to individuals and organisations alike. Read more about Heather’s work here.

1. Encourage regular exercise

Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to combat stress and improve overall well-being. Encourage your students to make exercise a regular part of their routine during the NAPLAN exam period. This could be as simple as taking a walk around the block or doing some stretching exercises in the morning. Not only will exercise help to reduce stress and anxiety, but it can also improve cognitive function, which will be beneficial for exams.

2. Teach mindfulness techniques

Mindfulness techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, are effective in reducing stress and anxiety. Teach your students some basic mindfulness techniques that they can use to calm their minds and focus their attention. Encourage them to practice these techniques regularly, especially before and after the NAPLAN exams.

3. Provide nutritious snacks

Nutrition plays a key role in well-being, and it is important that students have access to nutritious snacks during the NAPLAN exam period. Provide healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds, and discourage students from consuming sugary or processed foods. Proper nutrition can help students to maintain their energy levels and improve cognitive function, which is critical for exam success.

4. Promote good sleep habits

Good sleep is essential for well-being, and it is especially important during the NAPLAN exam period. Encourage your students to maintain a regular sleep schedule and to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Discourage the use of electronic devices before bedtime, as the blue light can interfere with sleep quality.

5. Encourage positive self-talk

Positive self-talk is a powerful tool for improving well-being and self-esteem. Encourage your students to practice positive self-talk during the NAPLAN exam period. This could involve writing down positive affirmations or simply reminding themselves of their strengths and abilities. Positive self-talk can help to reduce anxiety and increase confidence, which is critical for exam success.

6. Offer support and encouragement

As teachers, we have a crucial role to play in supporting our students during the NAPLAN exam period. Offer support and encouragement to your students, and let them know that you believe in their abilities. Provide extra help and resources to students who are struggling, and ensure that they have access to the support they need to succeed.

7. Foster a growth mindset

A growth mindset is a belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. Encourage your students to adopt a growth mindset during the NAPLAN exam period, and to view the exams as an opportunity to learn and grow. Remind them that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process and that they can use their mistakes as a learning opportunity.

8. Provide time for relaxation and fun

Finally, it is important to provide time for relaxation and fun during the NAPLAN exam period. Encourage your students to take breaks and engage in activities that they enjoy, such as reading a book or playing a sport. This will help to reduce stress and anxiety, and improve overall wellbeing.

Passing on these wellbeing tips can help support students during the NAPLAN exam period. This can be a stressful time for students, but as teachers, we have the power to support our students and help them to succeed. By promoting wellbeing and mindfulness alongside practical revision and learning strategies, we can ensure that we are offering our students holistic care – and the best possible chance of success.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

At Education Perfect, we’re leading the way with our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by hiring many women in senior leadership roles and promoting a diverse female staff. In 2020, we launched the Mana Wāhine initiative to empower and support the network of women within our company. This program provides a platform for women to share experiences, ideas, and resources and our monthly kōrero (discussion) sessions bring women together to discuss specific topics and hear from experienced women. Our goal is to elevate and celebrate the success of individuals and foster a community of support – a crucial undertaking in a field where women are often underrepresented and undervalued.

Women in tech

The rise of women in tech is a trend that we are proud to be a part of. More and more women are pursuing careers in tech and breaking down barriers in a male-dominated industry. At EP, we’re committed to hiring and promoting women in tech. This commitment to diversity and inclusion is reflected in our hiring practices where we actively seek out and recruit women for leadership roles, and support their journey in the company. We recognize that women in tech face challenges such as bias and discrimination and consciously work to create a culture of inclusion and support. Read about some of our incredibly successful women here.

We all win

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is not just a moral imperative, it’s also good for business. Research has shown that diverse teams lead to better decision-making and improved business outcomes. Our success as a company is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff, including the many women in leadership roles.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is an example of how companies can create a more inclusive workplace. By promoting and hiring women in tech, we are breaking down barriers and leading the way towards a more equitable future. On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate the achievements of women around the world and recommit ourselves to creating an inclusive environment for all.

It’s now inevitable that we will come into contact with an aspect of technology on a daily basis, and screen technology is one of the most common ways this happens. As a ‘Xennial’  (Stankorb, 2014), I didn’t develop the same relationship with digital technology until my early twenties as those younger than me, who were born into – and grew up in – a more digitally connected world. I’m entirely comfortable with online technology, but have also happily experienced life without it. Yet, more and more,  I find myself reaching for my phone, or switching on my laptop again; essentially forgetting how much I need that time offline to ease stress levels, or reconnect with my friends, family, and self.

In our schools (and out of them; we all know by now that school isn’t an in-school, 8-3 concept), our teachers and students spend a large portion of each day staring at a screen. What’s more, these behaviours are now normal – expected, even. You can work, and connect, from literally anywhere, at any time – but does that mean you should?

We are now having to face the fact that even digital natives are reaching saturation point. Should we be looking to the ways digital immigrants grew up with to incorporate some of the ‘old school’ or ‘offline’ methods of doing things? Is there a way to harness the benefits of technology in a digital era without allowing it to take over entirely?

The answer to these questions, quite simply, is ‘yes’. But is it as simple as just switching off? It’s not just me who experiences guilt over deliberately making myself unavailable online from time to time – conversations with colleagues and friends often revolve around excuses like ‘I should just check/answer/finish’ or ‘But what if I’m needed?”. It’s not life or death, let’s be real. Nothing catastrophic will happen to the world if you don’t answer that email until the morning, or if you close your laptop at the end of the day and walk away. Yet the permeating fear is that that’s exactly what will occur. We have no basis for it, yet we routinely convince ourselves that something awful will happen if we’re not available. So available, we are – but at a cost.

Digital burnout (fatigue and stress specifically caused by extensive use of technology) is so common that there are movements springing up to remind people to take a ‘Digital Detox’. One of these, Time to Log Off, points out that the signs of digital burnout actually don’t differ terribly much from those of general burnout. We know burnout isn’t a good thing – we know to look for signs and try to avoid it. The problem with digital burnout, however, is that the technology is immediately and readily accessible – and therefore virtually inescapable. It’s all too easy to fall back into that pattern.

So how do you take steps towards avoiding that digital burnout?

In the classroom, you can try:

• Using your in-class time on spoken interactions – games, debates, discussions, activities that get students moving and talking about the learning and concepts.
• Going ‘old school’ every now and then – as a Japanese teacher, I had the students hand-write a lot, and after the initial ‘Miss, my hand hurts!’ complaints, my students enjoyed the novelty.

As a teacher, remember to:

• Continue to look at platforms that genuinely enhance learning and that will save you time and effort.
• Ensure that you’re maximising the online tools available to you – access support for this if needed so that you can work smarter.

As a person, know that:

• It’s okay to walk away from your laptop or phone – and not to feel guilty!
• Setting a ‘switch-off’ time from work-related technology helps you to set boundaries.
• Just because you can technically always ‘just pop online and do that’ does not mean that you are required to, or should.
• Having an ‘offline’ aspect to life helps keep you balanced.

As technology continues to evolve, we need to be mindful of the steps we can take now to ensure mental and physical health. Burnout takes a toll on every aspect of your life.

The habits developed by young people will be influenced by what they see you doing, and what you expect of them. Modelling self-care behaviour when it comes to avoiding burnout – digital or otherwise – is vital.

Where will you begin?

Who are we teaching? What can we know about this demographic that might help us better engage with them and provide useful guidance in this, as Roland Orzabal put it, ‘Mad World.’?

The Gubernatorial World Health Organisation along with some other research bodies have gone to some lengths to help us gain insight into what is occurring in the teenage realm of modern life. Perhaps we can better know these ‘teenagers’ by taking a languid dip into the data streams and equip ourselves with a more germane empathy.

An important endeavour then is to re-examine our assumptions about modern teens. A recurring topic of public discourse in 2019 centres around the assumption that digital screen time and social media usage leads to a decrease in adolescent well-being. As with many complex issues, this is simply not conclusive and the issue is quite nuanced.

In a recent study at Oxford by Amy Orben and Andrew K. Przybylski at the Internet Institute, there was little evidence found which correlates screen time with lower levels of adolescent well-being. While more data is needed from online companies in order to determine causative factors of specific types of online activity, screen time alone does not seem to be a factor to warrant concern.

Another, all too commonly held belief, is one that social media itself is to blame for low levels of modern adolescent well being. While there is much to be concerned about, another study conducted in May of 2019 by the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University concluded that:

The relations linking social media use and life satisfaction are, therefore, more nuanced than previously assumed: They are inconsistent, possibly contingent on gender, and vary substantially depending on how the data are analysed. Most effects are tiny—arguably trivial; where best statistical practices are followed, they are not statistically significant in more than half of models.”

While the study also suggests that there is much to learn about this issue it is clear that current popular opinion is fuelled more by media hype than robust science. So. It might be icky at times, but it is not a given that social media, in and of itself, is the cause of a lack of adolescent well-being. So let’s move on… (for now).

A 2019 OECD Study exploring the impacts of technology on the brain, cognition and well-being, also suggests that the quality of research on this topic is not where it needs to be. However, while their findings reinforce those of the aforementioned studies, it raises caution around the potentially negative impact on sleep with regard to before-bed media consumption. The study also recognises the implicit chicken and egg dilemma relevant to this issue:

“Do behavioural tendencies/problems predict more screen time or does screen time predict behavioural tendencies/problems?”

The report provides some important balance to the issue and shows that while not all media is created equal, moderate internet use, “can help children build rapport with their peers, and probably does not displace engaging in physical activity or other health-promoting behaviours.” (OECD)

The WHO produced a clear and worrying report  in 2018 on adolescent well-being which provides some sobering facts. The most important determinants in adolescent well-being will come as no surprise. Exposure to violence, abuse and poverty in the home and/or community are far and away the biggest contributors in making adolescents vulnerable to poor mental health, depression, and thus, lack of well-being.

The report shows that depression is one of the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents and suicide is the third leading cause of death among 10-19-year-olds. Yes. You read that correctly. The third leading cause. So while many symptoms and consequences of major factors influencing lack of well-being can manifest and worsen in online worlds, the root causes often stem from outside of those places.

Cognisant Teaching

As teachers, we can recognise these more serious factors along with the factors mentioned above, as having cumulative effects on our students’ well-being. But what can we do in response to this during our brief relationships with these young people? Facilitating the development of coping, problem-solving and interpersonal skills can go a long way to protecting students from the consequences of out-of-school causative factors. Focusing on emotional intelligence and providing a supportive environment at school is pertinent to the feeling of well-being among our students. These personal skills are starting to be recognised in various curricula. The Australian Curriculum, for example, details 7 core competencies; three of which are: Personal and Social Capability, Ethical Understanding and Intercultural understanding. Teachers can address how these skills are relevant to the utilitarian aspect of their subjects.

Of the 10-20% of adolescents who have undiagnosed mental health problems (WHO) the signs of poor mental health can go unrecognised, so perhaps educators need to have access to more information and professional training in this area. Increasing our awareness of symptoms of poor mental health might help with more impactful differentiation and personalised learning for example.

Most teachers are compassionate, affable people who care dearly for their students but given that workloads and expectations thrust upon them are often gargantuan. Perhaps we could do with checking in from time to time on the data and science which lends some insight about who our students are, and what they are experiencing outside of our classrooms.

They face a myriad of issues on a daily basis which do not wait patiently outside our classroom doors and so perhaps one of the most important aspects of our teaching, administrative policies and school governance, is ensuring the context of our pedagogical delivery is rooted in their reality.

How has your awareness of student well-being impacted your teaching?

“Keeping your own wellbeing in mind is essential to create the experiential conditions to inspire students to learn” (Siegel, 2013).

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is about being present and fully engaged with whatever task you are doing. It’s not about eliminating thoughts or floating in a zen-like state all day long, but being aware of your thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them (Headspace, 2019; Kabat-Zinn, 1994).

How can mindfulness help in teaching?

Teaching can be stressful. Teacher burnout is real, and schools and government are increasingly (if somewhat slowly) acknowledging the importance of teacher wellbeing (Ministry of Education, 2019). Teacher wellbeing is multi-faceted and holistic. It is a construct involving “teachers’ models of the quality of their personal, professional and relational selves” (Spilt, Koomen, & Thijs, 2011). While systemic changes are required to decrease workload, reduce class sizes, and increase overall support, these factors are often outside of the control of the average classroom teacher so this article focuses on how mindfulness might be one way to provide a more immediate and tangible relief to overwhelm and stress.

Patricia Jennings (2015) discusses how mindfulness can help teachers understand their own emotions better, help communicate more effectively with students, set up a positive learning environment, and help them slow down when needed. Hwang et al. (2017) conducted a systematic review of mindfulness interventions and highlighted positive effects such as coping better with stress, difficult emotions and conflict, and increased self-compassion, clarity of mind and self-awareness.

How do I practise mindfulness?

“Being mindful arises out of our own personal mindfulness practice – both formal (sitting meditation, body scans etc.) and informal (bringing mindful awareness into our daily activities and into our relationships)” (Hawkins, 2017).

Meditation has been shown to reduce stress levels (Jayawardene et al., 2017). I’ve experimented with a range of mediation apps such as Headspace, Insight Timer and Calm. I use Headspace a few times a week and particularly like their mini one, two or three minute refresh or unwind sessions. This is something you could feasibly do just before the start of another lesson, during lunch or before a departmental meeting.

Mindfulness can also be cultivated through movement of the body. It is through focusing on the movement of the body that the mind can quieten. This might be running, walking, dancing, playing a team sport, or yoga. On particularly long days when I’m too whacked to get to the gym, I quite like online yoga with Yogaholics. They are an Australian online yoga platform with 5 to 90 minute yoga sessions as well as guided meditation classes with categories such as ‘breathe’, ‘get present’ and ‘get charged’.

“The relationship to the body was crucial for teachers in practising mindfulness. They often became aware of stress held in their bodies (e.g., shoulders) and of how to release it (e.g., rolling shoulders)” (Hwang et al., 2017).

When you’re in the class or zooming to your next meeting, what can you practically do to alleviate the feelings of stress and overwhelm?

• Build into your daily routine a few moments where you can simply observe your thoughts. What does this mean? Imagine your thoughts as cars on a motorway. It’s easy to get swept up by the traffic. Instead, sit by the side of the road and simply watch the cars rush by. It’s not about stopping or reducing the noise, it’s about shifting your perspective. This video explains it further.
• Focus on the breath: slowly inhale and exhale, counting each breath (up to ten) as you do it. Simply bringing the focus on the breath means you are present in that moment.
• Notice how your body is feeling. Start at the top of your head and evenly move down to your feet to identify what feels comfortable or uncomfortable. Afterwards, ask yourself where are you holding the stress and what movements can you do to release it?

Incorporating mindfulness into your life as a teacher certainly won’t solve all of the issues, but it may be a useful tool in your toolkit to help you tackle the challenges you face with a calmer, more resolute mind.

What are some ways you practise mindfulness? Is it something you could incorporate into your teaching day?