Boosting Teacher Positivity in the TESOL Industry
Most people with school aged children are aware that there is a crisis in the Australian education system. In a post-COVID environment, mental health and social issues which were bubbling away against a backdrop of steep technological and global economic change, have only continued to accelerate at an alarming rate. Casualisation of the workforce has resulted in high teacher turnover, higher rates of poor mental health outcomes for teachers, and an average burn out rate of just five years for new employees across the industry.
Amongst ongoing rhetoric around the need for change and rehabilitation of the secondary education system to better support teachers, the TESOL sector has remained largely unaccounted for. For years the industry has suffered at the hands of a turbulent economic landscape, with ESL schools across the globe struggling to operate amidst increasing rental outlays and a global cost of living crisis which has significantly impacted the numbers of students travelling abroad to immerse themselves in an English speaking culture.
Navigating an unstable world of short contracts, periods of down time with few opportunities, and the pressure to deliver high quality language education in line with tight company overheads, the strain on ESL teachers is every bit as concerning as that which is experienced by teachers in the mainstream secondary education sector. It is a challenge for not only the teachers themselves, but the organisations they work for as they navigate an uncertain future in a world which is increasingly turning to the online forum to deliver programs.
Amongst all this negativity, it is possible to foster a sense of gratitude between student and teacher and create an environment of positivity which flows both ways. While bogged down in the nitty gritty of the daily responsibilities of marking, feedback, lesson delivery and planning, and staff meetings, it can be a challenge for teachers to feel that their efforts and time are valued by both management and students alike.
TAP’s digital thanking walls create a ‘Positivity Loop’, creating a digital thanking platform for students, or parents, to leave messages of thanks to show their appreciation for their teacher. All messages are vetted to create the environment of positivity and support which is so needed in the education sector. With such a rapid turnover of students throughout the year, TAP’s digital thanking walls allow schools to capture the gratitude of the students and feed those messages back to teachers and take action to improve mental health outcomes for all employees.