Teaching from the W.E.L.L.: Sustaining Teacher Well-being and Classroom Climate

Presenters

• Zsa Zsa Davis, Georgia Southern UniversityFollow

First Presenter's Highest Degree Earned

Specialist

Year First Presenter's Degree Was Awarded

2006

First Presenter's Field of Study

Education

Institution Where First Presenter Received Highest Degree

Albany State University

First Presenter's Institution

Clayton County Public Schools; Georgia Southern University

First Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation

Zsa Zsa Davis is the principal of Kemp Elementary School in Clayton County, Georgia, with over 25 years of experience in education, including 17 years in school leadership. A doctoral candidate at Georgia Southern University, her research explores the intersection of teacher social-emotional competence and school climate in Title I schools. Zsa Zsa is passionate about fostering teacher well-being, strengthening school culture, and developing emotionally intelligent teaching and leadership practices.

Location

Ballroom E

Document Type

Individual Presentation

Primary Strand

Restorative Practices

Relevance to Primary Strand

This session aligns with the Restorative Practices strand by helping educators cultivate mindfulness, emotional balance, and reflective practice that support both teacher and student well-being. Teaching from the W.E.L.L. (Well-being, Equity, Learning, and Leadership) provides a practical framework for reducing stress, improving focus, and promoting skills needed to implement restorative practices. Participants will explore the competencies and equity-centered strategies that enhance collaboration, strengthen teacher resilience, and foster sustainable engagement. Grounded in emerging research on teacher social-emotional competence and school climate, this session supports educator retention and longevity through emotional awareness and purposeful classroom leadership.

Alignment with School Improvement Plan Topics

Professional Capacity

Brief Program Description

Teaching from the W.E.L.L. (Well-being, Equity, Learning, and Leadership) empowers educators to cultivate mindfulness and emotional balance while strengthening collaboration and professional capacity. This interactive session provides classroom-ready mindfulness and reflection practices that reduce stress, improve focus, and nurture the leader within every teacher. Grounded in emerging qualitative research on teacher social-emotional competence and school climate, participants will leave reenergized and equipped with tools that enhance retention, resilience, and longevity—ensuring they have the competencies needed to implement restorative practices.

Summary

Educators face increasing demands that can leave them physically and emotionally depleted. Teaching from the W.E.L.L. offers a restorative framework designed to help teachers integrate mindfulness and well-being practices into daily routines while nurturing the leader within. Grounded in four principles—Well-being, Equity, Learning, and Leadership—this model supports balance, focus, and professional purpose, key contributors to teacher retention and longevity in the field.

Participants will engage in hands-on, classroom-ready activities that reduce stress and strengthen emotional awareness. The Well-being segment introduces quick “Mindful Minutes” to calm transitions and model emotional regulation. Equity features “Compassion Circles,” brief reflections that foster empathy and collaboration among staff and students. Learning includes guided journaling to promote reflection and growth. Leadership invites teachers to create a personal W.E.L.L. action plan for sustaining self-care and leading with authenticity.

Each component blends mindfulness and social-emotional competence with real-world classroom application. Participants will receive printable templates, reflection prompts, and adaptable strategies to enhance focus, collaboration, and job satisfaction.

While the research informing this session is ongoing, it draws from emerging findings of a qualitative study examining teacher social-emotional competence and school climate in Title I schools. Insights from this work highlight mindfulness, equity, and emotional awareness as essential to sustaining teacher well-being and effective classroom leadership.

Evidence

The Teaching from the W.E.L.L. framework is grounded in established research on teacher social-emotional competence, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and positive school climate. Studies on educator mindfulness and emotional regulation have shown significant reductions in teacher burnout and improvements in focus, empathy, and instructional effectiveness (Jennings et al., 2017; Roeser et al., 2013). Similarly, evidence from social-emotional competence frameworks highlights that teachers who practice mindfulness and self-awareness cultivate stronger classroom relationships and foster positive learning environments. The W.E.L.L. model builds upon these proven strategies by integrating four interconnected components—Well-being, Equity, Learning, and Leadership—to promote sustained educator resilience and retention.

This session’s content will be informed by findings from an ongoing qualitative study exploring teacher social-emotional competence and school climate in Title I schools. The framework will also be piloted with teachers prior to the conference to gather feedback, refine activities, and strengthen its practical classroom applications. Early responses are expected to confirm its value as a promising, research-informed approach to supporting teacher well-being and professional longevity.

Learning Objective 1

Participants will be able to apply the W.E.L.L. Framework—Well-being, Equity, Learning, and Leadership—to integrate mindfulness and emotional balance into daily classroom and school practices that support teacher well-being, retention, and longevity.

Learning Objective 2

Participants will be able to implement practical, evidence-based strategies such as Mindful Minutes, Compassion Circles, and Reflective Journaling to reduce stress, enhance focus, and strengthen collaboration among teachers and students.

Learning Objective 3

Participants will be able to develop a personalized W.E.L.L. Action Plan that promotes self-care, models mindful leadership, and contributes to a positive, sustainable school climate where both teachers and students thrive.

Start Date

6-2-2026 1:00 PM

End Date

6-2-2026 2:00 PM

Recommended Citation

Davis, Zsa Zsa, "Teaching from the W.E.L.L.: Sustaining Teacher Well-being and Classroom Climate" (2026). Southeast Conference on School Climate. 49.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/secsc/2026/2026/49

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.