Teachers’ Mental Health amidst Pandemic

Genelyn E. Cornejo

As the world continues to fight the threat brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the field of education has experienced drastic changes, including the adoption of remote learning. Teachers have had to continue their jobs amid a series of circumstances and stressors that may affect their mental health. Mental health awareness is an essential issue for all educators, who are often the first line of defense for their students. Education professionals have recognized the impact that a student's mental health has on learning and achievement, and they realize that there's a great deal that can be done to help students with mental health issues. A psychologically healthy and well-adjusted teacher is critical to boosting learners' mental health and achieving their educational goals. If a teacher's mental health is poor, it is almost certain to harm students' mental health. A teacher must acquire and cultivate specific personal and professional qualities to be mentally healthy. Alertness, enthusiasm, and interest in students and classroom activities, the ability to maintain natural and pleasant person-to-person relationships, goodwill and friendship, and recognition of one's own mistakes are among the desirable personal qualities. Patience, sympathy, sincerity, fairness in dealing with students, democracy, and courtesy are often mentioned in various studies on the subject. On the other hand, bad temper, intolerance, unreasonable expectations, a tendency to be gloomy and hostile, sarcasm, the desire to employ ridicule, excessive talking and talking down to students, indifference, the rigidity of process, and perfectionistic attitudes are negative qualities or attributes. The ability and desire to enhance professional skills, good knowledge of the subject matter in which he has specialized, willingness to teach effectively and mastery of communication skills are professional attributes that are favorable to the mental health goals in education. They include achieving competence through studying professional books and magazines, collaborating and sharing the experience with others, accepting and understanding children, realistic perception of social expectations and understanding one's social role, and respecting oneself and one's profession. It is important to emphasize that the teacher's mental health, as expressed in these personal and professional attributes, is influenced by several factors, including his aspirations and family, educational, and cultural influences. This indicates that the teacher's mental health is inextricably linked to his family's mental health, as well as the socioeconomic and cultural conditions that exist in the latter. This sets the stage for a discussion of specific potential threats to his mental health. These are his personality traits or challenges as a result of biological or early environmental influences, such as a lack of adequate teaching preparation, unsanitary supervision, insufficient and substandard pay, other financial difficulties such as uncertain tenure, overcrowded classes, and a heavy workload, particularly in primary classes, undesirable community attitudes amounting to lack of status and appreciation, lack of purpose or purpose in education, and greater attention to minor details of techniques and methodology. He is likely to develop anxiety and tension due to constantly being examined and scrutinized in public. Of course, respect for oneself and one's profession, which the teacher should cultivate, is a vital antidote to these dangers. Teachers and students should be taught how to spot the indicators of growing mental health issues. Changes should be made to learning about and managing mental health emergencies, such as the danger of suicide or self-harm. In addition, education should cover the link between mental health, substance misuse, and other harmful coping practices and the negative influence of stigma and societal attitudes about mental illness. This entails cultivating a positive attitude toward the profession and analyzing and evaluating the benefits of teaching in terms of professional advancement, intellectual stimulation, and personal satisfaction, all of which are critical for mental health. --oOo-The author is ASP-II and School Head at Astorga National High School, Alangalang III District, Alangalang Leyte