UDDAN- Health & Stress Management Training for Teachers

Effectively managing stress often leads to improved health. Stress management programs are drug-free. Most importantly, stress management programs put you in charge and give you a sense of control, which leads to enhanced self-esteem, less likelihood of depression, and an overall improvement in quality of life.Teachers learn an operational definition of stress, study the major research findings on the nature of stress, learn the major theories explaining its impact upon teaching and learning, and conduct a thorough assessment of stress factors operating in their classrooms. This knowledge is then integrated by applying strategies to identify and address specific sources of stress that undermine effective teaching and learning in the classrooms. Teachers play a critical role in shaping the lives of our nation’s children. Teachers not only facilitate learning, but also influence a child’s social and emotional development. Today, teaching is one of the most stressful occupations in the U.S. High levels of stress are affecting teacher health and well-being, causing teacher burnout, lack of engagement, job dissatisfaction, poor performance, and some of the highest turnover rates ever. Stress not only has negative consequences for teachers, it also results in lower achievement for students and higher costs for schools. A New York City study showed higher teacher turnover led to lower fourth and fifth grade student achievement in both math and language arts. The cost of teacher turnover is estimated to be over $7 billion per year.