At the start of the new school year, educators are facing both excitement and stress as they welcome new students and adapt to fresh routines. To support teachers in managing these challenges, Janet Damon, the 2025 Colorado Teacher of the Year and a member of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA), has launched a wellness series focused on mindfulness and self-care.
The first session encouraged educators to reflect on their current experiences by considering questions such as what brings them joy in their work, what feels tough, and what sources of strength they can rely on during the week. This approach aims to help teachers find clarity and renewal through brief moments of reflection.
Janet Damon emphasized the link between balance and productivity. She stated, “We cannot be productive when we are starving, or when we haven’t had a moment to transition, to breathe, to collect ourselves. Our most productive self lies on the other side of balance.”
During the discussion, participants acknowledged that teachers often push themselves too hard and feel guilty if they are not constantly giving maximum effort. Janet addressed this concern by reframing guilt as an early sign of burnout.
“The more that we do the work, the more we also have to give ourselves time to recover from the work. That’s the part everyone misses, there is no recovery time built into the school day,” she said.
She further explained that boundaries should act as “anchors of wellness” rather than barriers. According to Janet Damon, students notice when teachers are overwhelmed but also respect when adults model self-care.
“In times of stress, we have to deepen our commitment to self-care. The highest stress has to be met with the highest care,” she added.
The session served as an opportunity for educators to acknowledge their own well-being and recognize its importance in sustaining their work. Future sessions in Janet Damon’s series will introduce additional tools such as breathing exercises, reflection practices, and yoga.
