To do what's best for the whole child, school districts must recognize what's needed to nurture the whole teacher, Stephen Shechtman of Cedar Crest College said in his session, Empowering the Classroom Teacher as Advocate and Policy Informant.
Shechtman, an assistant professor in the university's Education Department, encouraged educators to advocate for health and wellness programs for themselves. Because schools can be stressful work environments, health and wellness have to "become a part of the culture for teachers so they stay in the field," he asserted. Activities like meditation or tai chi can help teachers find the balance to keep themselves healthy and productive, he said.
As school staff members strive to deal with new challenges related to accountability, inclusion of special education students, increased cultural diversity of students and families, and differentiating instruction, they also need to develop IEPs, or individualized empowerment programs, for themselves, Shechtman said. "To get there, you must improve the quality of life for teachers."
Shechtman