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A fair point that's worth stressing
By Hugh Paton, Anniesland College
"Health is worth more than learning". Thomas Jefferson.
Health and Wellbeing is a real and serious issue for those in education.
There is a constant need to consider the role lecturers (and teachers) have in relation to health and wellbeing issues for the learner. However, they also need to consider these matters in relation to themselves!
It is possibly a workload issue emanating from the demands of the profession; from the demands made under professional goodwill, to the demands that come from radical and constant change.
We need to consider our work-life balance. This incessant demand on our personal time, to develop and be developed, can and does take its toll.
At a recent seminar for EIS Union Learning Representatives, delegates were treated to a presentation on CPD and related issues - it was entertaining, interesting and relevant!
But hold on a minute, or two - it was clear from that presentation that time is needed; time for reflective practice with colleagues (not just on your own), time for professional dialogue (and definitely not on your own!); and time for collegiate activity (obviously not on your own).
We could argue that we do not have any more time to give!
Wellbeing is about quality of life and with most lecturers and teachers willingly giving additional personal time for their learners, and for their profession, there is a real danger that their wellbeing will not be well.
Work-related stress was the focus of a recent presentation, which suggested:
- Each case of work related stress leads to an average of 29 lost working days
- Costs to the country are estimated at £3.8 billion
- The education sector is responsible for 25 per cent of ill-health due to work related stress
- In education, over 40 per cent of sickness absence is stress related.
It is somewhat ironic that we are supporting Health and Wellbeing within a curriculum delivered by an apparently unwell profession!
While the principles of CfE are considered as "good bacteria", we need to ensure that we are fit enough to digest the whole!
CfE is resource based and there are resources; CfE demands that we think differently and do differently, which we can and do. But CfE demands time and maybe we are, as in the song by the Rolling Stones (probably more known by Chris Farlowe though) Out of Time!
Time will tell!