Welcome to What We Do Matters

Welcome to... 

What We Do Matters: A Journal for Nurturing Overall Health and Wellbeing in Education

Our Journal for Educators is thoughtfully designed to support teachers, administrators, and support staff in the educational system, on their journey towards enhanced mental health and overall wellbeing. In the fast-paced and demanding world of education, it’s crucial to nurture not only the minds of students, but also the well-being of those who dedicate themselves to shaping young minds. 

As Teachers, we are the cornerstone and foundation of society. It’s through our guidance, that young minds are shaped, changed, motivated, and inspired. The connections we make, the lessons we teach, and the opportunities we provide open doors to endless possibilities for our students. With our guidance, students are provided opportunities to set goals, take on new challenges, and chase their dreams. It’s through the lessons we create and teach, whether carefully planned or generated through impromptu opportunities, that our students are provided the opportunities to develop the skills they need to help shape society both socially and economically. As teachers, we set the stage for success, persistency, resiliency, and sticktoitiveness. We also allow for struggle and teach that failure is a part of learning and success. Without failure and being faced with challenges and difficult tasks and/or situations, individuals will struggle to discover their hidden potential. Therefore, as teachers and educators, “what we do matters.”

Whether it’s in our classrooms, the library, the gymnasium, the music room, the drama room, the art room, the wood shop, the foods room, the sewing room, the fitness room, the halls, and/or the playground, the relationships and connections we forge with our students is vital to creating the culture of learning that fosters growth in all of our students. “What we do matters.”

Whether it’s in the early morning before the first bell rings to start a new school day, or at lunch time, or after school when extra-curricular activities usually occur, the time we spend with our students outside of the regular school bell schedule, also plays an important role in our students’ development and the connections we make with them. “What we do matters.”

Every opportunity and moment we spend and create with our students matters and is vitally important to what we do, how we behave, and how se present ourselves daily. How we present ourselves, not only to our students, but to everyone who we are in contact with in or outside the school setting, contributes to the overall effectiveness of the learning environment we as educators try to create. “What we do matters.”

To be prepared and conditioned in order to provide the learning environment and opportunities our students require to grow, develop, and flourish, teachers, administrators, and educational support staff need to care for themselves, and support each other through the long ten months of a school year. As educators, we need to take care of both our mental health and physical wellbeing. By practicing daily habits that contribute to the development of one’s overall wellbeing and mental health, we provide ourselves the opportunity to approach our career as educators with a positive frame of mind, which could, in the long run, allow us to enjoy what we do and stay in the profession longer. “What we do matters!”