Innovator: Fatin Sleem, https://www.linkedin.com/in/faten-sleem-97677b3b/
Organisation: Aley Intermediate Mixed Public School,
Setting of the practice: hybrid
Description of the practice:
In the past three years, Lebanon has been facing a series of crises that have significantly impacted the country's social, political, and economic well-being. These crises began with political protests in 2019, followed by a pandemic in 2020, and culminated in the massive explosion that devastated the port of Beirut on August 4th, 2020. This explosion alone killed over 200 people, injured thousands, and caused severe damage to buildings and infrastructure, plunging over 80% of the population into poverty.
These crises have taken a significant toll on Lebanon's education system, especially in the public sector. Students and teachers have been facing unprecedented challenges, including school closures, online learning, and the loss of loved ones, friends, and family. This has resulted in a negative impact on education, with students experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety and teachers struggling to cope with their own emotions while supporting their students.
To address this issue, I undertook a project to support the emotional well-being of teachers and students in my school. The primary challenge of this project was to provide a caring and safe environment for students while also maintaining the emotional well-being of teachers. This project aimed to address the gap in emotional support and social-emotional learning resources available to both teachers and students.
The project's methods involved creating a space where teachers could reflect on their emotional needs and find ways to address them. By connecting SEL teachers with their peers, the project encouraged teachers to prioritize their well-being and promote the importance of emotional well-being in the classroom. The project also aimed to create a trauma-informed school-wide mindset where teachers applied new skills to support their students.
One of the key innovations of this project is its focus on addressing the emotional needs of both teachers and students. Traditionally, education systems have prioritized academic achievement over emotional well-being. However, this project highlights the importance of teacher well-being as a means of creating a supportive environment for students. By promoting teacher well-being, the project aimed to create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for students.
The project began by creating a support network for teachers, allowing them to connect with their peers and share their experiences. These sessions were held during common breaks, where teachers were encouraged to reflect on their emotions and find ways to address them. The support network also provided a space for teachers to share their experiences and connect with others who were facing similar challenges.
The project's second phase involved promoting mindful teaching practices that focused on building interpersonal relationships between students and teachers. Teachers were encouraged to identify students who carry trauma through different reactions and behaviors and find ways to support them. This phase was particularly challenging, as it required excessive work with little training. However, through these sessions, we came to the conclusion that the results made it a rewarding experience.
The project's potential for transferability lies in its adaptability to different contexts and situations, making it relevant to other education systems facing similar crises. By promoting teacher well-being and building trauma-informed school-wide mindsets, this project can serve as a model for other education systems to create a supportive learning environment.
In conclusion, this project aimed to address the emotional needs of both teachers and students in a challenging educational context. By creating a support network for teachers, promoting mindful teaching practices, and building a trauma-informed school-wide mindset, this project created a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for students. Its potential for transferability makes it a promising solution for education systems facing similar challenges. By prioritizing emotional well-being in education, we can create a more supportive and inclusive learning environment for all students.
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