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WHY IS MENTAL HEALTH ESSENTIAL FOR TEACHERS? 

MARIFE M. MALIJAN

· Volume III Issue IV

Throughout the day, as teachers, we think about other people–students, school administration, parents, and fellow teachers. However, we are so preoccupied with the day-to-day grind of planning and preparation that we neglect to pay attention to our own mental health.

Teachers often neglect their stress and anxiety levels in favor of their unwavering commitment to education and teaching youngsters. However, the satisfaction that comes with teaching may sometimes be accompanied by pressure and performance management, which is constantly there in a teacher's mind. It’s necessary to keep in mind that teachers, as well as their mental health and well-being, are critical components of our educational system. Our mental health impacts our physical and overall well-being.

All educators must be aware of mental health issues since they are frequently the first line of defense for their pupils. A cheerful teacher emits optimism, which has a direct influence on the learning environment, whereas a stressed teacher is more likely to have a negative impact on the learning environment of kids, leading to poor student performance.

Schools may take an active part in the intervention and develop their capacity to establish learning environments that are ready to serve children with mental illnesses. It entails a teacher to develop skills and knowledge that enable them to recognize risk factors and symptoms, as well as lend a helping hand to children before the situation develops into sadness, anxiety, or self-harm.

Students may always use a variety of digital resources to search and seek knowledge in the internet age. Teachers, on the other hand, must provide a pleasant learning atmosphere in which students can absorb the knowledge they have gathered. Only a psychologically comfortable and contented teacher can provide the much-needed good energy to the sessions and give them actual purpose, resulting in greater effectiveness and learning.

Teachers' mental health is sometimes harmed by the heavy workload of curating interactive approaches, learning to run many e-learning platforms, holding courses, marking assessments, and organizing lessons. This can lead to improper anger displacement, attention diversion, stress, and anxiety sessions on a regular basis. These problems spread to other elements of one's life, ultimately affecting mental health. Teachers with better mental health are more likely to give their all not only at school but also at home.

Teacher burnout may create an unhealthy and bad learning environment for pupils, as well as interfere with an educator's personal life. It is essential for a learner to grow in a joyful and positive atmosphere by having a teacher that emanates happiness. As a result, it is critical for schools to give professional assistance, take initiative, and frequently encourage a teacher's mental health. Because stress-free classrooms are created by stress-free teachers.