Questions on Teacher Wellbeing

Creating a Happy and Sustainable School Life as an Early Career Teacher
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-032-97325-8
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 200 Seiten, Format (B × H): 138 mm x 216 mm

Reihe: Q&As for ECTs

What are the early signs to look for that you’ll be happy in a school? How can you be your ‘whole self’ in the classroom, corridors and halls? How can you build healthy habits into your daily routines? As an Early Career Teacher (ECT) you are likely brimming with questions about how to look after your own wellbeing whilst navigating a busy and challenging school environment. With answers from a diverse panel of 10 expert contributors, this dip-in-and-out guide shares practice-based perspectives to help you manage the demands of teaching and foster a sense of balance and fulfilment.

Each accessible chapter is framed around the questions that matter most to ECTs, covering key topics from finding the right school culture, growing your identity as a teacher, and balancing professional and personal commitments, to prioritising wellbeing when you are ‘too busy’. Contributors draw from extensive first-hand experience, as well as research-based strategies, to answer common concerns and offer relatable, easy-to-implement ideas and tools which will help you to prioritise self-care and embrace sustainable working practices. Throughout, reflective questions from the Editors encourage you to consider your own journey and to take ownership of your growth and wellbeing.

Your wellbeing is not a luxury—it’s a necessity and the bedrock of functioning well in your personal and professional life. This rich range of perspectives will offer you honest practical insights and approaches to ensure you not just survive but flourish in your teaching career. It is essential reading for ECTs and a useful staffroom resource for all education settings.

Zielgruppe

Professional Practice & Development

Autoren/Hrsg.

Bethune, Adrian

Kell, Emma

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Pädagogik Schulen, Schulleitung Grundschulen, Hauptschulen
• Sozialwissenschaften Pädagogik Schulen, Schulleitung Weiterführende Schulen

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Contributor biographies

Acronyms

Chapter 1: What is wellbeing and why does it matter?

Adrian Bethune and Emma Kell

Chapter 2: Finding the right school culture for you

Sarah Mijatovich

Chapter 3: Establishing and growing your identity as a teacher

Luke Hashman

Chapter 4: How to prioritise wellbeing when you’re ‘too busy’

Sophie Smith-Tong

Chapter 5: Accountability and self-efficacy

Rae Snape

Chapter 6: Workload: managing time and energy

Bukky Yusuf

Chapter 7: Wellbeing and behaviour

Nikki Cunningham-Smith

Chapter 8: Balancing professional commitments and caring commitments

Emma Sheppard and Isaac Akinde

Chapter 9: Looking after yourself during challenging times

Julie Liddell

Chapter 10: Fostering a sense of belonging in school and maintaining personal relationships

Ben Levinson

Final thoughts

Further reading

Index

Über Autor(innen)

Adrian Bethune is a part-time primary school teacher, Associate Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University, Deputy Chair of the Well Schools strategic board and the founder of Teachappy. In 2012, he was awarded a ‘Happy Hero’ medal by Lord Richard Layard at the House of Lords for his work on developing wellbeing in schools. In 2015, he was invited to speak at the Action For Happiness event, Creating A Happier World, on stage with the Dalai Lama. Adrian is author of the award-winning Wellbeing In The Primary Classroom – A Practical Guide To Teaching Happiness (Bloomsbury, 2018 and 2nd Ed. 2023), co-author with Dr Emma Kell of A Little Guide to Teacher Wellbeing and Self-care (Sage, 2020) and lead author for the Oxford International Curriculum for Wellbeing (Oxford University Press, 2021). In 2024, he contributed to the OECD’s Global Forum on the Future of Education and Skills 2030, writing a paper on teacher wellbeing. He has two boys and a cockapoo that keep him busy.

Emma Kell is director of Those That Can Ltd. She has 26 years of experience as a teacher and leader in UK secondary schools and currently teaches in Alternative Provision. She is a qualified Performance Coach and speaks regularly on teacher wellbeing and school culture and communication. Emma has written for a variety of publications including TES and BBC Teach. She has completed a doctorate on teacher well-being and parenting at Middlesex University and is author of How To Survive in Teaching (Bloomsbury, 2018), A Little Guide For Teachers: Wellbeing and Self-Care and A Little Guide for Teachers: Engaging Parents and Carers. Her fourth book, Real Lives of Teachers, was published by Sage Education in January 2026. She can be found at https://www.those-that-can.com/. She also wrote a paper on Teaching During Times of Crisis for the OECD in 2024. Emma is also Mum to two teenagers and a golden retriever.