One of the key words on the lips of psychologists, psychiatrists, and popularizers is "well-being." This concept, which we all understand as evoking feelings of peace, tranquility, calm, and equanimity, becomes very elusive when it comes to making well-being visible and, above all, practicing it in our daily lives. Well-being is a necessary element for personal development and a catalyst for change toward a fuller and more satisfying life.
The public administration has also joined this wave of "well-being" to apply it to educational centers. But the peace, tranquility, calm, and equanimity that educational centers require for the well-being of the entire community are distorted when "well-being" is demanded of teaching staff through programs, projects, or protocols.
Thus, the reality in educational centers is far removed from this materialization of the concept. Tranquility, serenity, and calm are not usually hallmarks of school life, especially in these times of information overload, technological overload, and bureaucracy, which create situations requiring the swift and efficient attention and action of education professionals. But haste is rarely a good advisor, especially when it comes to something as intangible as learning.
Time has become a key element in education. Time management in schools forces teachers to always prioritize the urgent, generally linked to administrative or monitoring tasks, compelling them to act reactively. What is important is relegated to "later," which often never comes. This situation does not foster personal or collective well-being, as there is a feeling that what truly matters is not being achieved, and the original purpose of what is essential in education is forgotten.
Focusing on what is important requires time for individual and collective reflection, for conversations, for sharing perspectives, for building trust, and for creating a shared space within the educational community, especially among education professionals. The satisfaction of feeling that what you do has a positive impact on a student's learning and of supporting their personal growth also generates a sense of peace and equanimity among teachers regarding their work.
Therefore, the pedagogy of well-being is closely linked to the balance among the multiple relationships in which we human beings are immersed, both with others and with ourselves. This is particularly evident in a complex organization such as any educational institution.
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