No matter where they live, teachers face chronic stress. Four of the panelists who gathered in Hong Kong for the 2024 Yidan Prize Summit had plenty of ideas for helping teachers thrive and become more resilient in the face of constant challenges in an array of countries, sharing some of their own experiences in and out of the classroom.

They offered vastly differing perspectives, but identified common themes and concerns in their work. One that dominated: teachers, wherever they are, need more support, as they juggle the needs of students, the demands of administrators and parents, and constant pressure to increase exam scores, along with political upheaval, climate change, and post-pandemic learning loss.

If that were not enough, teachers in some African countries are going months, even years without a paycheck, according to panelist Dr Dennis Sinyolo, director of Education International’s Africa regional office in Accra.

Each of the panelists spoke of how they are trying to solve these seemingly intractable issues, in ways both large and small.

Fostering compassion in school culture

Angele Law, a Hong Kong native, recalled changing the entire focus of her career to better support educators. She was traveling around the world as a management consultant, but grew increasingly concerned after hearing stories of Hong Kong students dying by suicide, stressed by the high-pressure exam-based culture.

She worried about the students, of course, but also about the impact on their teachers,

“I found myself angry, frustrated, and especially resonating with the sentiment of ‘feeling trapped’ due to lack of resources, opportunities, and, more importantly, the narrow societal definition of success,” said Angele, who is now Director of Strategy and Programs at CATALYST Education Lab, a Hong Kong-based nonprofit.

Angele now works to change the culture of schools in Asia through presentations and workshops, and by helping educators build social and emotional skills. She encourages them to prioritize reflection and group check-ins, a shift in Hong Kong culture, where the work week for educators often exceeds 60 hours. She also works with principals to spark innovation “so that the system can be a place of compassion for everyone involved.”

Fighting systemic challenges through policies and resources

Dennis said he is often at a loss for how he can help teachers in the many African countries where he works, who believe so deeply in the value of educating children they come to the classroom knowing they might be kidnapped. “They are working under very difficult circumstances,” he said.

He wants teachers to be involved in policies that encourage change, although he added that without financing “nothing will happen,” noting that both a lack of money and constant conflict remain serious roadblocks for improving education in Africa.

With such dire challenges, Dennis said, he focuses on ways of improving teaching and learning conditions, along with giving teachers in African countries better tools and technology. He also tries to make their needs and problems better known.

Building respect for teachers

Panelist the Hon Adrian Piccoli said he developed his own theory of how he might best help teachers during his six years as Minister of Education in New South Wales, Australia, where many of the teachers felt beleaguered by competing demands.

“As a minister, I stood a long way from the classroom,” Adrian said, adding that he saw his role as “helping to create and nurture an education profession and education ecosystem,” including making sure that teachers were given time and space “to do what they do best — teach children.”

That requires giving the profession of teaching more respect, Adrian said, and making sure their professionalism is respected by parents, co-workers, school board members, and other key players.

Finding meaning in teaching and learning

Panelist Lauren Minnie, an English teacher at the Yew Chung International School in Hong Kong, said she is still coming to terms with the enormous expectations parents and teachers have for their students, far more than she encountered in her native country, South Africa. That’s why she believes teachers must develop courage to instill a love of learning along with exam preparation.

“In Hong Kong, the demands on teachers and students are incredible,” she said. “I think many teachers get lost in the feeling that there is nothing they can do about it.”

What helps Lauren is the belief that she is respected as a teacher. She also wants students to be more involved and advocates bringing their ideas into the conversation. “We need more student voices and we need to hear what helps to shape their moral and character development,” Lauren said. “We need to bring them in to help shape education.”

The key is community

All four panelists agreed that teachers need places where they can share strategies and have conversations that help them cope with the demands of the job.

“Many are driven to do the work but their resilience falters when they feel alone and overwhelmed,” Lauren said.

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Liz Willen
Editor-in-chief, The Hechinger Report