EDUCATOR WELLNESS: AN EXAMINATION OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO KEEP TALENTED EDUCATORS IN THE PROFESSION AND IMPACT STUDENT OUTCOMES

Educator wellness is a critical yet often overlooked component of teacher attrition, retention, and student outcomes. Teaching is a demanding and difficult profession, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. High levels of stress and burnout have led to alarming rates of teacher attrition. It is now necessary to create systemic change to support educator well-being. This study investigates the factors that impact educator wellness and evaluates the existing Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives within District 10. This research explores how school-wide and district-wide Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Initiatives impact educator wellness, examines the factors that influence teacher wellness, and what policy changes could better support teachers in managing the demands of their roles.Through a qualitative research design utilizing semi-structured interviews with middle school teachers, the study identifies key stressors including workload, administrative demands, financial struggles, and negative parental interaction. While SEL initiatives were found to have some benefits, many educators expressed that these opportunities often failed to address systemic issues, identifying a need for more individualized support. Positive influences on wellness included strong professional relationships, supportive leadership, autonomy in teaching, and personal self-care strategies. Findings suggest that for wellness initiatives to be effective, they must directly align with the specific needs of the individual rather than broad, one-size-fits-all programs. The study recommends the implementation of more personalized professional development, policy changes to address workload and compensation, and leadership training that supports educator well-being. These findings contribute to the ongoing discussion of how a focus on educator wellness can create sustainable educational environments that prioritize both teacher retention and student success

The Pathways of Latina Students\u27 Success in Math Education: A Narrative Study

Many Latinx students are failing despite numerous sacrifices, personal goals, and determination. Latinx students endure a range of challenges in and outside of school that significantly impact their identity, mental health, and academic achievement. Many factors impede Latinx students’ success, including a lack of support and meaningful relationships. School systems suppress their identities and follow deficit-oriented mindsets that undermine the rich cultural and linguistic assets students possess. This study explored the systemic and personal obstacles Latina math educators encountered on their path to becoming teachers, while highlighting their resilience. The purpose of this study was to examine how Latina middle school teachers persevered through these obstacles and how cultural identity, family, and community served as vital sources of strength and motivation. This study uses narrative research centered on five Latina math educators, representing diverse backgrounds, school settings, and experience levels, who work with mid-sized to large populations of Latinx students in the Midwest. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and classroom artifacts. These tools allowed the participants to share their lived experiences and how they draw upon their lived experiences to inform their teaching, while connecting identity and culture into mathematics instruction. The participants shared heartfelt memories and complex emotions, expressing pride in being Latina, the nurturing role of families and community, and the silent struggles they endured, including mental health challenges. As educators, they aim to create more meaningful and empowering learning environments. This study highlights the beauty of the Latinx experience and how Latina educators empower their Latinx students in math education. It calls for culturally and linguistically responsive teaching in mathematics education, where students’ identities and backgrounds help foster deeper understanding and academic success

Advancing Equity Through Social and Emotional Learning

This study examines how Chicago Public Schools (CPS) promotes equity through social and emotional learning (SEL) within its Healing-Centered and Equity Frameworks. The research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of these frameworks in addressing trauma, fostering equitable learning environments, and implementing culturally responsive practices. Using qualitative methods, data were gathered from semi-structured interviews with four former CPS leaders and a document analysis of CPS frameworks. The analysis revealed the alignment of CPS practices with equity-focused priorities outlined by the Learning Policy Institute (Hammond et al., 2020). Findings suggest that Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) can effectively mitigate the impact of trauma and promote equity by fostering strong relationships, creating inclusive environments, and prioritizing student-centered learning. However, challenges such as inconsistent professional development and insufficient district support hinder implementation. Key policy recommendations emphasize the need for a unified approach to integrate Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) with academic goals. Recognizing that all learning is social and emotional, educational strategies should consider the connection between brain networks and their collaborative support of social, emotional, and cognitive functioning. Results revealed the need to embed social-emotional learning (SEL) practices within instructional design and provide targeted training and resources. Ultimately, viewing SEL as foundational to school improvement and educational equity rather than an isolated program

A Qualitative Exploration Of Trauma, Familismo, And Resilience In Three Mexican Immigrant Families.

The purpose of this study was to examine how intergenerational trauma and other generational factors impact Mexican immigrant families. While intergenerational trauma has been well-documented among Holocaust survivors, war veterans, and historically marginalized communities, limited research has examined how such patterns manifest in Latin American immigrant populations, particularly Mexican American families. To address this gap, a narrative approach was used to collect the stories and background of nine participants. Thematic analysis revealed three central themes: childhood adversity, familismo (commitment to family), and resilience. While the data did not explicitly demonstrate trauma transmission, the findings revealed the lasting impact of early life adversity on family members. Familismo emerged as a significant cultural value, functioning as a protective factor and a source of internal conflict. Resilience, expressed in different forms across generational narratives, emphasized a collective capacity to adapt, reflect, and grow despite adversity. This study contributes to the understanding of Mexican immigrant family experiences and highlights the importance of culturally informed approaches to conceptualizing generational factors

Breaking Barriers: An Educator\u27s Pursuit to Provide Equity in Student Achievement

There is a sense of urgency to address the widening achievement gaps among minority students, students with disabilities, and English-language learners. This makes immediate school action necessary to create a more equitable learning environment. Without strategic interventions, including improved teacher retention efforts, stronger student support systems, and effective leadership, these challenges will continue to hinder student success and overall school performance. The purpose of this project is to find solutions for schools to institute to narrow the achievement gap by ensuring all students receive the support needed to succeed. Schools can respond to the learning gap by promoting equitable learning opportunities with data-driven professional development, shared accountability, and inclusive teaching practices. The context of my paper includes research on the achievement gap in U.S. public schools, including the history, contributing factors, key populations affected, and legislative efforts to promote educational equity within the achievement gap. My study includes strategies to close the gap by emphasizing high-quality teaching, culturally responsive practices, and increased support for marginalized students through community and school partnerships. Implementing an action plan focused on improving family involvement, providing culturally responsive professional development for teachers, and establishing ongoing training for teachers in differentiated instruction. My anticipated results are improvements in student achievement, thus narrowing the achievement gap

Unveiling Gender Bias: An Examination of Healthcare Provider Diagnosis of Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries. Insights from Case Vignettes

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has gained public attention due to increased awareness of its neurological and physical effects, especially among male athletes. This study investigated how healthcare providers diagnose mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in male versus female patients by presenting 208 physicians with randomly assigned gender-based patient vignettes. Physicians rated the likelihood of mTBI based on symptoms in the vignette, showing no significant difference in diagnosis between the genders of the presented vignettes (female: M = 2.19, SD = 0.47; male: M = 2.17, SD = 0.51). Furthermore, likelihood ratings for other potential diagnoses revealed no gender-based differences, indicating that physicians assessed the likelihood of diagnoses similarly for male and female patients with comparable symptoms. The exploratory hypothesis examined whether the demographics of the healthcare raters interacted with patient gender in diagnostic ratings. The findings suggest that neither gender nor experience level had a measurable impact on diagnostic likelihood decision-making. The study discusses implications and recommendations for future research

Effective and Empowering Psychotherapy for Black Women: A Culturally Adapted Proposed Model

Black women in the United States are a minoritized group that has experienced oppression and suffering explicitly targeting their intersectional and minority identities. The intensity and frequency of stressors result in a negative impact on Black women that prompts a need to cope. Rather than relying on professional mental health care, many Black women rely on their religious and spiritual communities and other cultural and historical methods to cope with stressors. As a field and profession, clinical psychology has been overwhelmingly dominated by White individuals. The profession has a rich history of developing and perpetuating oppressive systems that have ignored or caused significant harm to minoritized patients. In recent decades, the push for inclusivity and acknowledging diversity when practicing clinical interventions with clients has gained traction. Still, it fails to center the distinct psychological needs of Black women. The randomized control trials intended to investigate the efficacy of clinical interventions targeting Black women are limited. Some qualitative data have been collected to assess the perceptions of Black women concerning different clinical interventions and offer some recommendations for working with Black women. Still, a void in the clinical treatment of Black women needs to be addressed. This dissertation proposes a model framework for identifying and addressing the psychological dilemmas that impact Black women to promote culturally competent practice that considers sociopolitical, intrapsychic, and interpersonal concerns and empowers Black women

Lived Experiences of Welfare Dependency, Systemic Entrapment, and the Fight for Dignity in U.S. Low-Income Policy

This paper is poised to look into the welfare dependency situation and policy issues for low-income programming in America. The specific objectives include establishing the lived experiences and perceptions of individuals currently enrolled in welfare or low-income programs regarding their participation in these programs; establishing how socioeconomic, structural, and systemic factors contribute to welfare dependency and entrapment among individuals receiving welfare assistance; establishing the primary barriers and obstacles faced by individuals in transitioning away from welfare assistance towards self-sufficiency and independence: and propose the strategies and reforms to address welfare entrapment and promote economic empowerment within their communities. The Intersectionality theory is applied in this study with interviews of welfare assistance beneficiaries. The results indicate that welfare dependency has persisted due to a collection of factors relating to individual attitudes and choices, program deficiencies, and policy factors. More so to the generic nature of policies and program requirements rather than individual-focused needs assessment. To improve the situation, need policy review, program re-orientation to focus on addressing the personal needs of each individual beneficiary based on needs assessments

Narratives of Latina Teacher Candidates on Subtractive Schooling Experiences and Their Language Identity

The subtractive nature of bilingual education in the United States has long impacted the language identities of Latinx students. Despite being raised in multilingual environments, many are schooled in systems that devalue their home languages and prioritize English-only instruction. This study explored how these dynamics influenced Latina teacher candidates’ perceptions of their own bilingualism and professional identities. The purpose of the study was to examine how Latina teacher candidates understood and constructed their language identities in the context of their K–12 and higher education experiences. The study used narrative research centered on four Latina teacher candidates enrolled in an undergraduate bilingual education program at a Hispanic Serving Institution in the Midwest. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, language portraits, and digital journal reflections. These tools allowed participants to visually and verbally represent their linguistic trajectories and lived experiences. The participants revealed complex emotions related to pride, doubt, and linguistic reclamation. Their reflections showed the lasting effects of subtractive schooling while also highlighting a strong desire and sense of responsibility to advocate for multilingual students. They reclaimed Spanish as both a personal and professional resource. This study provides an understanding of the lived experiences of Latina teacher candidates as they resist linguicism and reframe bilingualism as an asset. It calls for culturally and linguistically affirming teacher preparation spaces where multilingual identities are celebrated, healed, and empowered

Bridging the Gap: Exploring the Intersection of Formal Mental Health Services and Informal Social Supports in BIPOC Communities

Despite growing awareness of mental health disparities, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities continue to face significant barriers in accessing culturally responsive mental health care. This dissertation explores the intersection between formal mental health services and informal social supports such as family, religious institutions, and community networks to understand which systems are more trusted, accessible, and effective for BIPOC individuals. Grounded in Urban Liberation Psychology and guided by decolonial and culturally responsive care frameworks, this qualitative study draws from focus groups and interviews with 33 participants, including both community members and service providers from the Chicagoland area and beyond. Thematic analysis revealed a marked preference for informal supports due to their cultural relevance and accessibility, though these networks often lacked the capacity to address complex mental health needs. Formal services were valued for their clinical expertise but were frequently viewed as inaccessible, stigmatized, or culturally misaligned. Findings highlight the need for integrated mental health models that bridge formal services with trusted community-based supports. The study introduces the Safe Harbor Healing Framework, a practice-informed model that promotes culturally competent, community-centered mental health care. Implications for policy, clinical practice, and future research underscore the importance of reimagining mental health systems through a lens of cultural humility, equity, and collective healing