Well Teachers
A Private Community Membership
Membership is currently closed.
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Wellbeing for Teachers is complex.
There are lots of reasons for this.
But here are some big ones:
No time - or capacity - for guilt free rest.
Teachers, more than most, tend to find guilt-free rest to be a huge challenge (let alone actually finding the time to rest).
The workload, the demands and the constant negotiations are unmatched with teaching. In another profession, you could probably take a day off if you're not well. In teaching, you need to do a lot of work to prep the cover for your class if you aren't going to be there.
The pushback to arrange it all often makes it feel less stressful to just push through and teach despite being unwell. And then your students don't get the best of you.
We try to keep teacher morale up with cupcakes, pizzas and samosas. But...
Food gifts aren't an end-all solution.
And what if you don't like, or can't eat, pizzas, cupcakes or samosas at the thank you party?
Meeting the needs of all teachers is as hard as continuously differentiating for all students.
It demands dedicated personalised attention and support.
Beccause teacher wellbeing is, at the core of it, a personal development journey.
But developing holistically on a personal and professional level is hard for management to address and provide for consistently.
It's also especially hard for teachers to pursue when work inevitably involves being at the forefront of dealing with the most difficult parts of what any society is going through.
Which leads us to a third major issue: pressure.
The Pressure:
Bullying. Politics. Under-valued. Under-paid. Under-estimated.
There's this pressure to teach, teach, teach: while facing organisational politics, bullying, handling personal and navigating global crises (that affect your students and community)... all while often feeling under-appreciated and under-paid.
The pressure is there societally, then from parents, management, and on and on.
...And we haven't even mentioned a most important pressure: that of the energy and focus required to meet the various, complex and often challenging needs of learners.
You have to wade through a lot of this and bear significant pressure before you can actually get to enjoying what you signed up to do:
Teach!
Well, Teachers...
This is a private community membership group, for teachers everywhere.
Think: global, yet cosy.
Our first few Founding Members are from Turkey, Lebanon, Phillipines, UK, and Pakistan, while being based across the UAE, Bahrain, and Kazakhstan!
This is a place where you can come to find opportunities to gather, learn and grow.
Both online and in person.
Both in real time and in our *own* time.
And by doing so...
We will form strong friendships and strengthen our professional network globally.
We will build and enhance our teaching and facilitation skills.
And we will pursue our own sense of wellbeing, on our terms.
As you scroll the rest of this page, I'll share more about what Well Teachers is all about, and why it's so vital for teacher wellbeing that we gather often, and gather intentionally.
You may like to settle down and grab a cup of tea. It's a page of substantial reading ahead. :)
Well Teachers:
Here's more detail about what you'll receive in the community membership.
Here are seven things you'll get:
#1: Access to our non-meta based private community forum
You'll receive login access to a private non-Meta hosted community platform (social media is extremely pressured. Here you can post knowing it's safe to do so, in a way you're comfortable with).
There are lots of problems with Social Media. For one, it is censored.
...And not just by Meta, but by your employer too. I do not use things like LinkedIn or Instagram by choice, but begrudgingly, recognising that any sense of community it forms can only ever be surface level and that most people won't be able to post what they really feel. It is just a means to an end: to spark connection.
What you share on social media is tagged, censored and inherently biased.
Even if it is the truth. It also means you can feel unsafe to share your views and your contributions in case it jeopardises your job or your reputation.
Further, Social Media platforms are designed to steal your attention.
They are there to keep you hooked and addicted to a non-stop feed of sensational content. You have little to no control over what the algorithm decides you will see, even if you indicate your preferences. There is little chance to curate what you see on those platforms.
That's why at Well Teachers you'll have a private login to a non-meta based site.
It will be a site where we curate thoughtfully and we share meaningful, practical, relevant things with each other.
It's a private forum more focused on ‘we we we’ and not ‘me me me’.
The platform we'll use will allow for a safer space within which to communicate, share, learn and build a sense of connectedness, rather than feeling the pressure of posting on a public platform like LinkedIn.
#2: A dedicated Community Lead
You'll have someone there (me!) who is *actually* there to respond to you personally (especially if you're shy to ask something in the group).
Many membership sites make it seem like the owner of the site is replying...
But it's really just a member of their team replying on their behalf. This can make you feel really short-changed, when you’d signed up and paid specially to work with a specific facilitator.
It can also be anxiety-inducing to post in groups online sometimes.
I understand this well. I have often felt the same in the past. And some people are just introverted and not people-people all the time.
In this membership, you can contact me one-on-one if you wish, instead of in the group.
We can find a format that works for you. And the replies to your requests are 100% from me, Sumbella, and if not, they're not signed as being from me.
In sum: the captain of a boat you're about to get onto is actually on board.
In this case, not just on board, but part of the crew. Hopefully that gives a sense of calm.
And yes, I wrote every single word of this page with you in mind, oh introvert.
#3: Personalised reviews of your work
Inside the forum, you can post something you're working on and get bespoke, personalised feedback on it (workshops, presentations, lesson plans, trainings, CVs, cover letters).
It can be so daunting to deliver a workshop to your colleagues. Or to amend your own CV.
Where do you even start?
What's more, everyone is usually too busy to look over your work for you.
For example, when you’re asked to deliver a workshop on Classroom Management for your team... you freeze. You’ve never facilitated for adults before, only for children. And the stakes are high because these are your peers. Your reputation is on the line. If you deliver a poor workshop, will they think you're a bad teacher? Where do you start? What is the difference? How can you make sure it goes smoothly? What kind of activities should you do? Who can you ask to help?
In the membership, you'll get an extra pair of eyes.
My pair of eyes, to be exact. (And possibly the other members' too, if you post your work in the group). I can help review workshops, PPTs, and CVs. And I can give you some ideas for how to make tweaks and improvements based on your personal objectives.
#4: Access to book complimentary sessions with a coach/therapist
You'll receive access to a growing directory of school-specialist coaches and counsellors - and the opportunity to book complimentary sessions with them.
Nothing is ever confidential at work.
If you share something that's troubling you with HR at work, it's almost impossible for it to remain confidential. And when you’re facing a tricky situation at work, particularly in school settings, there is usually nobody to talk to who is independent and fully confidential.
You could share with your family, but family dynamics are also often tricky...
...and you also don’t want to burden them. What's more, they are not always best placed to advise or understand the problem well enough to help you.
It can feel like a burden. And it affects the quality of your teaching.
Shouldering the burden of navigating politically difficult and challenging situations affects your ability to teach well.
You could try to find a therapist, but it might take a while.
And will they understand schools related 'stuff'?
Maybe not.
As a member, you'll be able to book a complimentary coaching/counselling session.
What's more, is that you'll be talking to a coach who has worked in schools, and understand well the dynamics. Being able to easily book a virtual session and safely talk through a situation that is bothering you - without having it affect your workplace politics or family dynamic - can be a huge support during tricky phases.
#5: Invitations to member-only teacher training events & workshops
You'll receive invitations to virtual workshops focused on sharing practical teaching or facilitation tips.
High quality training is surprisingly difficult to access and engage with regularly.
And when it is available, it is often connected to sales of a product that can sometimes detract from the core learning experience.
And then, a 'one-off' or a 'one size fits all' training deck doesn’t always meet your particular needs.
And it's not always possible to reconnect with the same trainer to follow through after applying the ideas they share to your particular context.
Then too, often teacher training is sporadic and not sustained or regular.
This is so vital for deeper learning and application of ideas to take hold in your classroom - and in your life.
You'll be able to join virtual (and live) workshops that really allow for connection, learning and fun.
In these gatherings, which are designed to actually engage you (this is not a 'talking head' situation), we can raise topics pertinent to your teaching practice, learn, apply - and crucially, return to share progress.
#6: Invitations to member-only wellbeing and community events
You'll also receive invitations to join my personal-care gatherings.
Emails pile up, WhatsApp messages are overflowing with replies you need to give, and maybe your desk its just a mess.
But when do you ever get around to clearing it up?
It's not so easy to just 'get on with it' and tidy up.
It takes a kind of focus and energy that you often just don't have.
That's why you need a nudge.
Just the same way you monitor your learners and nudge them if you see them losing the thread of the thing a bit. We'll do the same here.
We'll hold monthly and bi-monthly gatherings just to help us get back on track.
These are a different kind of virtual 'coming together' that really allow for connection and 'getting things sorted'. These workshops are special: despite it being online, most of us joining really do have a chance to meet, connect, and get that thing done you've been saying you need to do for weeks.
Regular time to refresh our intentions, declutter, and pause are vital.
These have been a regular part of my life for years now and so help me to keep on track. I'm delighted to be able to share this time and method of personal-care with members of Well Teachers.
#7: Access to my (editable) resource bank: teacher training & wellbeing
You'll also get access to my resource bank of both wellness tools and teacher training resources (yes, all my editable workshop PPTs, plans, lesson worksheets - everything I can share, I will be pooling for teachers in the membership to access).
Finding practical tools to help you navigate your own wellbeing is actually very tricky.
It's partly because there is no one-size-fits-all. So where do you start? Especially if you are already feeling burnt out and too tired to get quiet with yourself and figure out where you need to start.
Finding just the right materials for a workshop is also tricky - and when you do, they're not editable.
It's taken me a long time to put together a set of ideas and tools around wellbeing. But also around teacher training topics.
I will be sharing my favourite resources, processes and worksheets with members.
You will have full access to these resources, plus support from me and the community.
You can use these as a base that may inspire you to know what to begin with.
I will make accessible many of my own resources for members to download and use as needed, providing credit and sourcing where due.
But... with all this talk about wellbeing...
Where does one start? And what are your 'wellbeing resources' about?
I see Teacher Wellbeing as a bit of a puzzle.
Each teacher's board is unique. And sometimes we've got pieces missing. Sometimes the base is unsteady. And sometimes the pieces keep falling off.
Over time, I drew some conclusions that there a few pieces of the wellbeing puzzle that are uniquely significant for teachers.
I share them here, and in the membership, I share practical ideas and resources to help with each of these. Whether it's sharing a process, a worksheet, or a reference, I put it all in the membership group for you to choose which to work on first.
I've found these four pieces of the wellbeing puzzle to be uniquely significant for teachers:
Values
The ability to speak of your four core elements in a succinct way. The ability to do this without shyness or shame.
Rest
Knowing what guilt free rest means to you, on your own terms: can you create space for it? Do you have the mental peace to rest well?
Moolah
Having your money foundations established. Having enough to fuel your personal hobbies and knowing you have enough to give you the mental peace to take the rest you need.
Hobbies
The pursuit of a hobby that lights you up yet also puts you in the learner seat, challenges you and provides a chance for you to meet new people and make new friends.
In the membership, I'll share some tools and guidance you can adapt and personalise to help get started with nurturing these four areas, depending which one you need the most.
Of course, there are more pieces to the wellbeing puzzle.
It's not that the four above are the only ones.
It's just that over time, I've found them to be practical enough, and very impactful, for teachers to get started with right away.
And it is in taking action on finding - and seeing - the various pieces of your own wellbeing puzzle of that you can really start to feel well.
Here are some more pieces:
Health
Being in good physical & mental health, knowing how to sustain and nourish your body & mind and understanding the kind of exercise you enjoy and can do on a regular basis. This is a uniquely complex piece all by itself, for everyone, regardless of profession.
Identity
Recognising your roots and reconciling this with the local and global systems of our world. Understanding how and when racism shows up, and how to proactively counter it. Identifying your own various aspects of privilege and leveraging it.
Friendship
Intentionally building lasting connection with those who share your values and principles. A wide and varied group of friends is vital for our wellbeing.
Boundaries
Bullying: we're all going to experience this at some point or another. Do we have adequate support pieces in place to help us navigate the choppy waters this throws us into?
Skills Mastery
Having ways to sustainably work on mastery and development of facilitation, teaching and professional skills. It's so important to help you feel confident at work and in what you do.
Politics
We can't escape it: it's a part of our lives, and ultimately, affects our wellbeing. This is about having the tools and strategies to negotiate organisational politics and/or workplace bullying in a school-setting.
Family
Having a stable family dynamic and feeling safe and comfortable in your home. This piece alone can negatively affect so much of one's sense of wellbeing if there are issues here.
See another piece?
This is a work in progress, and it is the kind of thing I'd love to talk about, analyse and discuss in our private forum.
Bring your ideas!
Let's summarise:
So here's what's inside the Well Teachers' membership:
You'll receive:
1. Access to a private community platform - away from social media
2: A dedicated Community Lead (me! 🙋🏻♀️) holding regular gatherings
3: Personalisable tools to help nurture an area of wellbeing - on your terms
4: Access to my editable bank of training resources
5: Access to book complimentary coaching sessions with a schools-specialist
6: A space to get personalised reviews on your professional work: CVs, presentations, workshops, lesson plans
In addition to:
7: Invitations to monthly wellbeing & personal development meet-ups
8: Invitations to teaching and facilitation skills workshops
9. Invitations to join in-person meet-ups (where possible)
As well as:
10: Opportunity to co-create and contribute to Well Teachers as a Founding Member
But that's not all.
Here's what else:
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Join up with kind, inclusive members from all around the world
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Find common ground with those interested in ending apartheid and decolonising the way we teach and learn
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Become a founding member who helps co-create this community (available only once, and only now!)
There's more?!
Yes! Here's what:
You'll get priority access to everything we do at Well Teachers.
Members will receive first dibs and early access to reserve places on any future workshops, courses, retreats or related events.
If there's news or announcements, you'll hear it first.
Examples of courses and in person retreats I have circling in the works:
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Learn Mandarin Chinese
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Learn Cartooning
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Learn to heal your vision naturally
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Learn to Ski in Pakistan
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Teachers & family Summer Retreat in Chitral
How is this different to other teacher groups?
It's in the way we gather.
A sense of belonging, being included and connected helps you fulfill one of the conditions of being able to learn, grow and thrive.
Teachers have this way of helping students form friendships. But who helps teachers form friendships outside of the silo of individual school settings?
Having a facilitator you can rely on to intentionally create opportunities to gather and connect you with others is what makes this different to regular teacher training or community groups.
To have someone consistently bringing people together to share bespoke learning and experiences - it helps with feeling connected, forming friendships, and a sense of belonging.
And this is a unique and important part of wellbeing.
We all need a chance to meet, learn and get to know one another - without the focus being on selling or promotions of products or services.
There are various kinds of gatherings I will facilitate for us in real time. And yes, that means you'll have a chance to actually meet and know others, in different ways, no matter how shy or daunting it may feel. You can choose to join:
Wellbeing and personal care workshops
+ These are centred around gently nudging you to declutter an area that needs attention. Along the way, we play some music, we set our goals, we catch up. I also do guided meditations in many of these gatherings.
Training skills workshops
+ These are where we'll have dedicated time to actually meet and reflect with other members on the session about a key teaching skill. We'll focus on practical areas of facilitation, whether for teaching online or in person.
In person gatherings
+ These will be subject to practicality and logistics, wherever possible, we will make in person gatherings happen.
Or, you can simply choose to show up and join in by writing in the forum and community groups on the platform. I'll be there too.
In all cases, it is well understood that regular meet-ups, gatherings and learning-centred events are key to long-term learning, and serve as anchor points for communities.
These events and spaces will help us cover aspects of wellbeing and training, and also help give us time and space to really get to know one another.
When we know each other, we build trust. And when we can trust and rely on each other, we can effect lasting positive change, now and into the future.
Well Teachers is an apart-heid free space.
A note on apartheid and colonisation:
Following the advice conveyed in Omar Barghoutti's speech, Well Teachers is officially declared an apartheid-free zone.
Along with this, many of us have been compiling some initial resources around this individually.
As a sub-focus in this community, we will start to pool such resources together and begin collating thoughts and ideas around teaching an inclusive and anti-racist curriculum.
Because, perhaps, like me, you are feeling horrified that Israel has not been sanctioned by the world's economic superpowers for inflicting a genocide on the Palestinian people.
Perhaps you are also distressed about the attacks happening in Somalia, the Congo, Southern Lebanon, and worried about the disparity of the Global South at large too.
In the absence of anyone imposing punitive measures on Israel, as teachers, what do we do?
I asked a colleague who was involved in activism around dismantling apartheid in South Africa. And she said: community led initiatives were the next most vital thing to do after sanctions.
So I believe the next best thing we can do is to find each other.
We need to feel safe enough to start tackling this, one thought, one conversation, and one lesson at a time.
We know one of the solutions to prevent and stop genocide is rooted in the way we teach and learn.
We also know that to go together means we can go far.
Decolonising our world can start in the classroom.
We need to be assured we are growing together with others those who stand in principled solidarity against genocide, racism and colonisation.
It will not do for us to wait to be told how to do this.
We are already at a crisis point. There are multiple genocides taking place, and educational institutes have shown us that they will remain silent in these cases. The genocide in Gaza should be a wake-up call to us, one that calls us to review how we decolonise a curriculum. We must proactively ensure we teach in a way that prevents apartheid from being allowed to exist.
Such endeavours demand that we join up with others on this path.
A part of our coming together in the membership will be about doing that: joining up.
A note on being a Founding Member
You'll be joining at a phase where we are co-creating this from the ground up.
As you know I recently resigned from Cambridge and I have used the time to brainstorm and develop ways to serve the teaching community in my next steps.
For this reason, by joining at this time as a Founding Member, you are helping to build this 'well' together.
This also means that as a community-led initiative, we will be prioritising establishing things from scratch based on the highest needs of the community.
I will welcome your feedback and insight as we go on this journey together.
I have questions!
How will you make sure this doesn't become a group dominated by one religion or ideology?
Fundamentally, we will come together as a group that has shared moral values and principles connecting us all: a commitment to fairness, freedom, and truth. You do not have to follow any particular religion to be empathetic, and to believe and stand for these things - we are united by our humanity. At present, Founding Members who have already joined the Well Teachers membership are based across the world: in Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, the UAE: both Dubai and Sharjah, coming from Turkey, Pakistan, the Philippines, UK, and Lebanon. I believe there is great strength in diversity and being inclusive.
I’m not a teacher right now, but I want to be (or am looking for work), can I still join?
Yes, for sure. The opportunity to receive feedback on your CV, cover letters may be particularly helpful for you.
I’m a facilitator/aspiring facilitator, can I join?
Yes, yet be mindful that the focus will be on educators, school settings and teacher focused training.
I used to teach, but am retired now / in leadership. Can I still join?
Yes! Please do! You are most welcome if you are an experienced teacher no longer actively teaching then you likely have a wealth of vital experience to share and contribute to other teachers in the group. On live sessions, and in the forums, there will be lots of ways for you to contribute.
I’m based in (name a country here), can I still join?
Yes! This is a global, international initiative. If you have trouble with the payment from your country, please be in touch with me at: +971509225888.
What if the time zones don’t work for me?
We will work together as a group to find the best times, and possibly provide different options. There will be a range of events, but bear in mind that timings will likely be most aligned with countries in the Global South time zones as this is where I am based.
What if I struggle with tech?
You will have onboarding support from me. We'll keep a WhatsApp group, you can email, call - whatever the issue is you face, we’ll sort it out together.
Does it matter what curriculum I teach?
This is an inclusive teacher focused initiative, regardless of curriculum, school, location. You can be teaching any curriculum, any age or stage, or even a home-schooling one. You may not be teaching at present but want to join in, learn, connect and keep growing.
Can I cancel anytime? Yes. At any point you can cancel, no questions asked. That's a promise. You are not locked in to pay continuously for the rest of the year.
Is this right for me?
Should you get involved?
I’m not a teacher, is this going to be right for me?
This membership is for teachers, educators and facilitators who work in education. It is also for former teachers or school leaders who may be in a period of their career where being part of a community may be an ideal time to share and support teachers earlier on in theirs. If you aren’t working in or interested in contributing to the field of education at all, it may not be the right space for you.
I’ve not much time and fear I won’t be able to contribute actively or attend the events... but I still want to join and be a founding member...
Events aside, there are other ways to be part of the community too. At this early stage, if you simply wanted to show your support and commit to a membership fee, this is also so appreciated. You would then be considered a founding member and would still be able to dip in to whatever part of the community membership you have time to dabble in when you can.
I am an introvert and don’t feel comfortable on video calls or in groups...I *hate* group work
If you feel more comfortable on text format only, the private platform is always there for this purpose. You can directly message me, without including others on the platform. The live calls can be joined and observed with video and audio off - whatever you're most comfortable with, we'll find an option that works for you.
I just want to quietly observe and try it for free in the beginning for a week or two, no commitment.
At the moment this isn't available, but it's already been requested... and I'm working on it. Joining as a Founding Member may not be for you at this stage, as by nature it will mean that you will be seen and known as the group bonds and starts learning together.
Let's summarise
Here's what's you'll get as a Well Teachers member:
You'll receive:
1. Access to a private community platform - away from social media
2: A dedicated Community Lead (me! 🙋🏻♀️) holding regular gatherings
3: Personalisable tools to help nurture an area of wellbeing - on your terms
4: Access to my editable bank of training resources
5: Access to book complimentary coaching sessions with a schools-specialist
6: A space to get personalised reviews on your professional work: CVs, presentations, workshops, lesson plans
In addition to:
7: Invitations to monthly wellbeing & personal development meet-ups
8: Invitations to teaching and facilitation skills workshops
9. Invitations to join in-person meet-ups (where possible)
As well as:
10: Opportunity to co-create and contribute to Well Teachers as a Founding Member
Bonus
First Access to everything.
You'll get priority access to everything we do at Well Teachers.
Members will receive first dibs and early access to reserve places on any future workshops, courses, retreats or related events.
When there are opportunities or announcements, you'll hear it first.
What happens next?
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When you click the link 'Go to the next step', it will take you to the Well Teachers platform.
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You should click 'Request to join'.
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You'll need to create a new account and answer the questions about why you'd like to join Well Teachers as a Founding Member.
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Once approved, you'll receive a payment link by email.
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Once paid, you'll be welcomed into the WhatsApp group (if you'd like to be) and introduced to the rest of the members.
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Soon after, you'll receive invitations to join the new platform, see all the upcoming events, and be part of this community initiative.