The DeStress Monday at School Program Is an A+ for Teachers

It’s been almost two years since the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the country’s education operations, and in that time, teachers, administrators, faculty, students, and parents have gone through extraordinary lengths to maintain a semblance of order amidst the confusion. And through creativity, cooperation, and perseverance, they’ve adapted to a difficult situation.

But it certainly hasn’t been easy. That’s why at the start of this school year we shared our updated online DeStress Monday at School (DSMAS) program. Developed with our academic partners at Johns Hopkins University, the 10-week program is designed to help teachers and students find ways to help reduce stress and improve mindfulness so that they can remain focused on learning. Initial responses have been positive, with participants especially drawn to the program’s simplicity and ease of implementation and distribution. All that’s needed to sign-up is a valid email address.

And with the mid-point of the 2021-2022 school year fast approaching, we hope more educators will take advantage of the DeStress Monday at School program, which is free to participating schools. As the holidays wind down and classes resume, it is even more critical for teachers to prioritize self-care and their own wellbeing.

Since its initial roll out in August 2021, the DeStress Monday at School program has been a huge success. Today, more than 3,000 teachers from across the country and around the world have signed up to receive information on a variety of stress-relief and wellness practices, including deep breathing techniques, mindful meditations, and therapeutic movements and stretches. Some teachers are also including this information in their classrooms, where they are responsible collectively for over 22,000 students.

Teachers have weathered the challenges of teaching during COVID-19, and they deserve to have tools that can reduce their stress at their disposal. The DSMAS program is a simple, turnkey option that takes only a few minutes every week to start off with a more mindful, focused approach.