In this episode, I’m joined by Megan Corcoran, a teacher who has recently decided to leave the classroom. Megan speaks about the importance of slow teaching and building deep connections with colleagues. We’ll also discuss the challenges that are driving teachers out of the classroom in droves and the solutions for teacher wellbeing that Megan and her colleagues are offering at Teacher’s Well.
Megan spent over eleven years teaching and leading in alternative schools for young people who have experienced trauma and/or significant disadvantage. During that time, she worked as a school leader in Australia’s largest alternative school. She studied a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology and her teaching practice is trauma-informed and grounded in Wellbeing Science. Megan is also an experienced workshop facilitator, coach and consultant, and co-founder of Teacher’s Well, that provides wellbeing communities for teachers and aims to generate teacher-led wellbeing initiatives in schools.
Your homework:
- Think about: Who do you feel safe talking to about your teaching challenges, and where do you go if/when your school doesn’t have a culture that supports honest and vulnerable conversations?
- Consider: How can you better support your colleagues and create safety for them to share their concerns inside or outside of the workplace?
- Leadership challenge: Ask your staff what their ideal role would look like and make it happen.
Further learning related to this episode/references:
- Megan Corcoran’s website
- Teacher’s Well
- The Teacher’s Well compass of values
- What is positive psychology?
- Trauma-informed school practices
- Using the science of wellbeing to encourage flourishing learning environments
- Check out Episode 11 on our Pinterest board
Music by Twisterium from Pixabay.
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