Balancing Act: Prioritizing Teacher Well-being Amidst Student Challenges

Reminder of Psychological and Social Balance

Dear teacher, remember not to burden yourself, not to burn your nerves, and always maintain a smile. Allocate time for yourself and your family, engage in your hobbies, and fill your time with activities beyond teaching and addressing students' issues.

Importance of Separating Personal and Professional Life

Colleagues, safeguard your health by maintaining a clear boundary between your personal and professional lives while fulfilling your responsibilities. The varying levels of student achievement may lead some of you to be overly critical of yourselves, which can have serious consequences for your mental and physical well-being. Therefore, approach your tasks professionally, delivering lessons with detachment and without emotional attachment, regardless of the students' proficiency levels. Students who possess the minimum competencies to keep pace with the lessons will benefit from your efforts. For those who lack even primary-level skills while being taught high school-level material, immediate educational intervention is necessary. Recognize that you have a limited and obligatory timeframe to complete the curriculum. Avoid succumbing to pressure or unrealistic expectations; you are not expected to possess miraculous abilities. Disregard criticisms blaming teachers for the educational system's shortcomings and focus on delivering your lessons professionally, promoting attendance, actively engaging students, and continually improving your performance. Ultimately, the responsibility lies with the students, their families, and the supervisory ministry.

Role of the Family and the Supervisory Ministry

Families, whose primary concern may be providing material needs, must understand the importance of actively monitoring, nurturing, and guiding their children. They are closest to the students and should not allow them to be neglected or exposed to negative influences from the streets or social media. Neglecting these duties renders the efforts of teachers futile. The supervisory ministry, meanwhile, is tasked with ensuring adequate infrastructure, reforming salary structures, compensation packages, promotions, and revising programs and curricula.

Avoiding Depression and Pressure

Dear colleagues, teachers often find themselves constrained by stereotypical views and prevailing judgments, leading to self-blame, accusations of negligence, and feelings of depression and pressure. Many teachers have succumbed to heart attacks or strokes, whether in the classroom or elsewhere. Remember not to overburden yourselves and safeguard your mental and physical well-being.