Refocusing Professional Learning

Cultivating Teacher Wellbeing to Promote Agency

Abstract

This article argues that professional development that fosters teachers’ sense of agency is one key to lowering the rate of teacher attrition and retaining teachers in the profession. A strong sense of agency can help teachers respond effectively to a wide range of potentially stressful situations; a strong sense of agency also contributes to a feeling of wellbeing. Conversely, a reduced sense of agency is a strong predictor of teacher burnout and attrition. Yet even professional development focused on social-emotional learning (SEL) for students often doesn’t take into account the role of teachers’ own wellbeing in supporting student success. Data emerging from the Teach from Your Best Self (TFYBS) institute, a professional-development initiative that focuses on teacher wellbeing, illustrates the link between teachers’ sense of agency, their ability to effectively support students, and their likelihood to remain in the profession. Findings emerging from TFYBS suggest that professional-learning offerings for teachers should include foundational, holistic learning experiences focused on teachers’ self-knowledge and their ability to relate productively to others even in stressful, challenging situations. More studies are needed to explore the impact of teacher wellbeing on student outcomes, both SEL-related and academic.