Written by
Topics
As educators, our first instinct at the beginning of every school year is to focus on everyone else.
We think about our students, lesson plans, classroom routines, curriculum, families, and all of the ways we can help others thrive.
But before we can sustainably care for our students, we have to care for ourselves.
That’s easier said than done. Educators are the most burned-out profession in the United States, and one of the biggest reasons is that we consistently put our own well-being last. We tell ourselves we’ll rest later, breathe later, reconnect later… but later rarely comes.
That’s why we’re kicking off our Back-to-School Series with the most important topic of all: your well-being.
In this episode, Dr. Ilana Nankin and Beth Schreiber explore why educator well-being is the foundation for everything else you hope to create this school year. Together, we’ll introduce Breathe For Change’s Human Intelligence Framework and guide you through practical, evidence-based strategies you can begin using today to strengthen your resilience, enhance your well-being, and help you sustain your passion for teaching all year long.
Here are some of the best moments from the episode:
- Prioritizing Self Over Survival in the New School Year
- Overview: The Human Intelligence Framework (5 Layers)
- Layer 1: Somatic Intelligence & 3 Collective Breaths
- Layer 2: Emotional Intelligence & The Two-Word Check-In
- Layer 3: Cognitive Intelligence & Tapping into Creativity
- Layer 4: Relational Intelligence & Staying Anchored
- Layer 5: Universal Intelligence & Connection to Purpose
- Guided Practice: Loving Kindness Meditation
Follow “A Work of Heart” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. And if it resonated, take 30 seconds to rate and review. It helps more educators find these conversations and reminds the algorithm that teachers matter.
