No matter the circumstances--distance, hybrid, in-person--music teachers have had a challenging year. The stress and uncertainty of the pandemic make a “summer recharge” more important than ever. Teachers may find it helpful to reflect on and assess their personal wellness, so consider how to start the 2021-2022 school year on the best foot. Wellness or wellbeing is multi-faceted: it encompasses physical, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions. Wellness includes one’s work and home lives. Therefore, taking stock of one’s well-being is complex work.
While every educator is different, recent work on music teacher wellness suggests a few important principles:
Music teachers are “professional carers” and this caring work can take a mental toll
Drawing boundaries and delegating is important for ensuring teachers’ preferred work-life balance
A healthy “social network” of connections to helpful colleagues goes a long way toward establishing professional wellness
Blog article – Music Teaching and Learning during Covid-19 and Beyond - by Mara E. Culp and Rachel Roberts
Additional resources and bibliography here: https://smte.us/aspas/music-teacher-health-and-wellness/
