The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Exploring the meaning, strategies and supports related to teacher wellness

Our society expects teachers, including school and system leaders, to help foster wellness and well-being in the students they serve. A 2019 ATA research publication, School Wellness and Well-Being Initiatives Across Canada, the result of a partnership between the ATA and EverActive schools, reviewed the literature on school wellness and found that, in general, the term wellness is expansive and ill defined. However, the report also pointed out that teacher wellness is an extremely important consideration in the overall health of a school community. As such, the ATA Magazine is proud to initiate a regular section focusing on teacher wellness. 

Mind your body

Teaching can be tough on your body. The back, neck and wrists can be particularly susceptible to strain or injury, given the routine of a typical classroom teacher. Here are some recommended exercises aimed at reducing the strain on these parts.

Recommended frequency: 10 reps, 4 times a day

Lower back

The back can experience soreness from standing still for long periods or leaning forward to write on the board.

Recommendations

To give your back a break, stand with your hands placed on the lower back and bend backward.

If you have an exercise mat handy, perform the “upward dog” pose (kind of a sloppy push-up).

Neck

The neck is susceptible to soreness from extended sitting or standing. It’s also prone to achiness from having your head turned one way for a prolonged period, such as while making a presentation.

Recommendation

To service the neck, make a double chin (a cervical retraction, in medical lingo) to stretch your tight muscles and loosen your joints.

Wrists

Extended periods of keyboarding, such as doing report cards, can be hard on the wrists, as they spend considerable time bent awkwardly. This increases the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Recommendation

To reduce the pressure on your wrists, bend them back.

Since symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome can be alleviated at the neck, perform the double-chin/cervical retraction exercise described above.

Information provided by Nalin Fernando, a senior physiotherapist with Alberta Health Services.

To refresh your mind and body during a busy day

• Grab a bite to eat. You need fuel to keep your energy up.

• Take a walk to the staff room­—maybe even relax with an ATA publication!

• Drink some H2O. Keep a large water bottle within reach so you can stay hydrated more easily.

• Take washroom breaks.

• Take some deep breaths. Practice belly (diaphragmatic) breathing to give your neck and shoulder muscles a rest.

• Take a mini stretch break. Try an exercise featured on the left!

Pathways to Well-Being

Susan Brooks-Young, Sara Armstrong

Available through the ATA library.

If you have a pre-existing injury, consult a doctor or physiotherapist prior to performing any exercise, and discontinue it if you feel any pain.