I’m writing this as Australia celebrates World Teachers’ Day, and I believe that now more than ever, the contribution of educators and school leaders needs to be recognised and celebrated. Whilst I believe there has been overuse of terms such as “unprecedented”, the previous 18 months has fundamentally changed the way we work, travel, teach and lead school communities.

I’m conscious that there is a vast difference in the experience of schools and leaders across the States and Territories – in May of last year, only three percent of Victorian students were in attendance onsite, while the Northern Territory has returned to 79 percent. However it was experienced in your State or Territory, it is clear that COVID impacted educator wellbeing, whilst changing how educational technologies are utilised, and how student needs are supported. In addition, we now have children in our classrooms who have experienced, and who are trying to make sense of, a global pandemic and the associated uncertainty.

With so much change and challenge to the past year and a half, how can educational leaders mark the end of the school year, and draw some aspects to a close?

Why mark the end of 2021?

Neuroscience now allows us to understand that if we remain in a state of reactivity (fight or flight) for long periods of time, it can contribute to increases in stress hormones, which can impact our sleep quality, blood pressure, and overall physical and mental health. It could be argued that 2020 and 2021 were times which required educational leaders to be highly responsive to rapid changes in how schools operated, and how children were supported to learn. However, periods of high stress are not sustainable if we are to function to the best of our ability. Hence, I would argue that it’s vital that educational leaders use the end of this school year to “mark” an end point to the past 18 months. In doing this, I am conscious that this in no way guarantees that 2022 will be a return to “normal”, or that there won’t be any periods of stress or rapid change. Rather, I invite you to consider that 2022 will not simply be “more of the same”. It is, rather, an opportunity for a fresh start. With this in mind, I encourage you to consider the end of the year as a chance to:

- Reflect on things you have learnt about yourself, and about your school community - Create a space to be future focussed, and consider what matters to you as a leader and an educator

- Create opportunities for connection and conversations about the future of education with your staff

What might this look like in practice?

Reflective practice may come more naturally to us as part of our educational practice, but existing skills and habits of reflection can benefit us at a year’s end. Whether it’s through journaling, reflective discussions with colleagues, family or partners, or with a qualified mental health worker, I invite you to consider the following:

- What do I want to continue doing in 2022 – as a leader? As an educator?

- What do I want to leave in 2021? Why do I want to leave it here?

- What have I been grateful for this year? How have I acknowledged and thanked myself for the year’s work I’ve done?

- When did I demonstrate resiliency?

- What did I learn about home and work boundaries?

I hope that a reflection on 2021 is a useful exercise and may provide an opportunity for your wider staff to begin similar practice. No matter what the end of your school year holds, I would like to thank you for your courageous and compassionate leadership of Australia’s Catholic Primary Schools. Headspace Schools and the Be You National Mental Health initiative are here to support you and your school communities.

Hannah Jamieson National Education Advisor Headspace Schools (Be You) hjamieson@headspace.org.au

https://headspace.org.au/schools/headspace-schools/

https://beyou.edu.au/