Teachers have long suffered work overload on top of their classroom management and student safeguarding. As a result, their health and wellbeing have declined, and many are looking for other career paths. Earlier this month, a report was released citing teacher wellbeing has hit an all-time low in the past five years. However, the UK has focused on safeguarding students, as the recent Online Safety Bill indicates. Now, they’re being forced to examine the serious issues around teachers and why they are struggling. It has become abundantly clear that teacher workload contributes to this problem.
Why Staff Wellbeing Matters
Recognizing the detrimental effects of excessive workload on teachers’ wellbeing is important in addressing this issue. When teachers are overburdened with administrative tasks, paperwork, and other non-teaching responsibilities, they have less time and energy to focus on their primary role, educating students. On top of this, they must navigate student wellbeing and success. This can lead to increased stress, long working hours, and decreased job satisfaction.
Efforts to reduce teacher workload may include streamlining administrative tasks, providing more resources and support, and encouraging a better work-life balance.
To retain and attract talented educators, it’s essential to recognize the value of teachers and the importance of their wellbeing. Reducing workload, offering professional development opportunities, and providing a supportive work environment are all key factors in addressing the challenges teachers face and preventing them from seeking other career paths.
Use Technology to Support Staff Wellbeing
Safety, wellbeing, and teacher effectiveness go hand in hand through the thoughtful and strategic use of technology in educational settings. The process should include:
- Enhanced Communication and Monitoring
Technology allows for improved communication between teachers, students, and parents. Teachers can send updates on student progress, safety alerts, and other important information quickly and easily. Monitoring tools can help ensure the safety of students both inside and outside the classroom. For instance, digital attendance systems can track students’ presence, and GPS-based tracking can monitor school bus safety.
- Personalized Learning
Technology can support personalized learning that considers each student’s individual needs and wellbeing. Adaptive learning platforms can tailor content to a student’s pace and style of learning. Teachers can use data from technology to better understand each student’s strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to provide targeted assistance and support.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
Technology can be used to promote mental health and wellbeing among students. Apps and platforms can provide resources for stress management, mindfulness, and counseling. Teachers can be alerted to signs of emotional distress through technology, allowing them to intervene and provide appropriate support.
- Data Analysis and Intervention
Technology can collect and analyse data on student performance and behaviour. This data can help teachers identify at-risk students and intervene early to ensure their wellbeing and academic success. By tracking student progress, teachers can adjust their teaching methods and strategies, improving their effectiveness in the classroom.
- Online Safety
Technology can be used to educate students about online safety, including responsible internet use and cyberbullying prevention. Teachers can help students navigate the digital world safely, ensuring their online safety and wellbeing.
- Professional Development
Technology can offer teachers opportunities for professional development and ongoing learning, helping them stay current and effective in their teaching methods.
- Accessibility and Inclusivity
Technology can make educational resources more accessible to students with disabilities, ensuring their wellbeing and inclusion in the classroom. Teachers can use assistive technology to support students with special needs, improving their learning outcomes.
It’s important to note that the successful integration of technology into education requires careful planning, training, and consideration of privacy and security concerns. When used appropriately, technology can help create a safe, supportive, and effective learning environment that benefits students and teachers.
98% of all educators see the benefit of using technology to ease their increased workload
Impero recognizes staff wellbeing, safeguarding, and equitable learning are interconnected and that addressing one aspect without the other may not fully meet the needs of all students and staff equally. We help schools and MATs establish the best and safest classroom and online environment that supports engaged and successful learning.
Impero offers a safeguarding suite of solutions that address these aspects of keeping students safe and teachers more effective. Start building the most comprehensive strategy with:
3 Key Elements for Teacher Effectiveness
A holistic approach to safeguarding involves considering various aspects to ensure everyone’s wellbeing and safety. We’ve identified key elements that are essential for any safeguarding and security efforts in schools and MATs.
1. Inclusive Access: Bridging the Equitable Learning Gap with Understanding
Inclusive access emphasizes the importance of providing equal access to education and related resources for all students, regardless of their background, abilities, or characteristics. It involves:
- Promoting diversity and inclusion in education
- Eliminating barriers to access, such as physical, financial, or technological barriers.
- Understanding and accommodating diverse student populations’ unique needs and challenges, including those with disabilities, linguistic differences, or cultural distinctions.
- Tailoring educational materials and approaches to meet the needs of a diverse student body ensuring that no one is left behind.
2. Security and Safeguarding: Establishing a Safe and Engaging Learning Environment
Security and safeguarding can foster a productive environment where all individuals can learn and thrive, and involves:
- Implementing measures to prevent and address bullying, harassment, discrimination, and other threats to the wellbeing of students and staff.
- Establishing clear policies and protocols for reporting and responding to incidents of abuse, misconduct, or harm.
- Promoting a culture of respect, empathy, and inclusion within the educational community.
- Providing training and support to educators and staff to recognize and address safeguarding concerns.
- Ensuring that physical and online spaces are safe and monitored.
3. Education Technology: Exploring the EdTech Maze
Finding the appropriate EdTech can be a confusing process. However, in general, using technology to enhance educational opportunities while ensuring equity and safeguarding involves:
- Leveraging technology to provide flexible and accessible learning options, including online and blended learning.
- Ensuring that digital resources and platforms are designed to be accessible to individuals with disabilities.
- Promoting responsible and safe use of technology, including cybersecurity and privacy considerations.
- Monitoring and mitigating potential risks associated with online interactions and content.
- Providing digital literacy and digital citizenship education to empower students to use technology responsibly and safely.
- Hybrid, cloud and on-premises solution options
A holistic approach to safeguarding with equality integrates all three elements to create a supportive and nurturing educational environment that can protect students and staff from harm while promoting wellbeing, inclusion, and success. All of which adds value to teachers. When seeking EdTech, look for web filter and classroom support solutions that offer:
- Adaptability
- Control
- Real-time activity from one dashboard
- High-level and granular reporting and analytics
Impero offers a comprehensive Best in Class, award-winning web filtering, security, classroom management, and student wellbeing software suite. Our solutions enable schools to proactively approach student-centered learning, increasing productivity, success, and safety. We prioritize student protection by offering tools that can be used anywhere and on any device. Our student safety monitoring provides both granular and high-level analytics and reporting. Additionally, our solutions seamlessly integrate with industry directory and SIS systems, ensuring that schools have the most effective tools to maximize learning potential and ensure student success. To address this three-pronged approach, Impero offers:
Impero ContentKeeper helps IT filter harmful content while allowing valuable online resources to be accessed anywhere and from any device.
Impero Classroom helps teachers keep students on a productive and equal learning path. Teachers can monitor internet activity to identify distractions and intervene to get them back on track.
Impero Wellbeing helps DSL’s monitor students’ online and offline indicators of distress, harm or inappropriate behaviour using a robust keyword library that can be used to build a chronology of any student.
Discover how the Impero product portfolio enables student safety and success, and book a demo today. Stay up to date on industry trends and product news by following us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.