Teacher Wellbeing Cards are here!

Our much-awaited Teacher Wellbeing Cards have hit the shelves!

And not before time. A recent 2023 national survey of 4000 teachers by the Black Dog Institute in Australia found that poor ‘teacher mental health and burnout could halve the workforce’.

Even UNESCO is recognising that we need to have a strong focus on wellbeing if we want to attract and retain teachers, saying:

‘Addressing teacher shortages requires a holistic approach. Beyond recruitment, factors such as teacher motivation, wellbeing, retention, training, working conditions, and social status need attention.’

A fundamental part of being an effective educator is taking care of yourself, but we often neglect to talk about what best practice looks like in relation to self-care. Or if it is discussed, it is in general or broad terms rather than specific, concrete strategies. This is currently resulting in many teachers experiencing burnout before they seek support.

Drawing on extensive research by education lecturer and teacher, Dr Kristina Turner, and psychologist, Professor Monica Thielking, Teacher Wellbeing Cards are grounded in evidence about what works for teachers in terms of increasing wellbeing, and reducing stress, overwhelm, burnout and compassion fatigue.

These evocative cards, with stunning illustrations by artist, Kain White, are perfect for opening-up honest, reflective conversations about building personal and collective cultures of support, meaning, and hope in educational settings.

But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what educators are saying:

‘When I unwrapped these wellbeing cards for teachers, I literally gasped at how good they looked. And then a second gasp, because they’re actually so good. They’re clearly grounded in the evidence base of wellbeing science. I shouldn’t have been surprised, given the amazing authors, Kristina Turner and Monica Thielking, but it’s a good reminder that something grounded in research can also be beautiful and genuinely useful.

Now to get these beauties to all the teachers.’

Kelly Ann-Allen, Associate Professor (Research) & ARC DECRA Fellow

‘In my thirty years as an educator, I’ve never before seen a resource so attuned to the specific day-to-day challenges and life stresses faced by teachers. Well-thought out conversation starters addressing the experiential realities of the teaching life, are augmented by evocative, soulful images designed to help teachers transcend workplace routines in order to reconnect with the deeper well-springs of their profession.’

Dr. Ian Irvine, Tafe teacher and university lecturer for over 30 years

‘The Teacher Wellbeing Cards are a simple yet powerful tool for supporting staff wellbeing. Easy to use and thoughtfully designed, they’re perfect for sparking meaningful conversations, whether one-on-one or in small groups. The open-ended questions allow individuals to reflect in a way that feels comfortable, while also encouraging strength spotting and a shift away from negativity bias. Best of all, they’re grounded in solid research, making them a trustworthy and effective resource for any school team focused on wellbeing.’

Michael Morrissey, Assistant Principal – Wellbeing and Inclusion, Bendigo Senior Secondary College

The Teacher Wellbeing Cards include 32 beautifully illustrated cards with a theme on the front and three sentence starters on the back. Every set also comes with a digital booklet full of ideas for using the cards in different settings, a digital set of the cards, a card hack video, and lots of additional content with suggestions for using the cards.

Use Teacher Wellbeing Cards to have conversations about:

• re-discovering meaning and joy in your work
• the importance of celebrating successes
• establishing meaningful work-life boundaries
• seeking support and building connection
• embedding simple self-care practices into your day.

Designed to be used even when you’re short on time—in that 5-minute break between classes, as a reminder on your desk or fridge, or as a quick prompt in a debrief with colleagues—they are also perfect for staff meetings, professional development, team building and creating a culture of support, respect, kindness and trust.

For all educators—from primary and secondary teachers, to early years educators, trainers and university lecturers—and the people who support them, including wellbeing staff, counsellors and psychologists.

Buy now!