Indicators of Success and Neuroeducation

Relationship between teacher well-being and overall performance

There is a direct and demonstrable correlation between teacher emotional health and internationally standardized indicators of educational quality, such as the OECD eva luation frameworks.

Often, institutions are obsessed with improving academic test scores by pressuring students and increasing teaching loads, ignoring that the most influential variable is the state of the driver of the process: the teacher.

A balanced, motivated and emotionally healthy teacher creates a classroom climate conducive to high achievement.

Research suggests that to raise success rates in reading, math or science, we must first "raise" the morale and health of those who teach those subjects.

If we seek to improve our position in global rankings, the smartest investment is not in more books or software, but in human development programs for the teaching staff.

Taking care of teachers optimizes the transmission of knowledge and reduces absenteeism and turnover, factors that destabilize learning.

Therefore, teacher well-being is not a "human resources" issue, but a high-level pedagogical strategy to achieve academic excellence.

Neurobiological foundations of learning

Neuroeducation provides us with the scientific evidence that supports the need for a wellness-centered approach.

The human brain, both teacher and learner, cannot process complex information or consolidate long-term memory if it is in a state of threat or stress.

When the amygdala in the brain detects tension, fear or anxiety in the environment-often projected by a stressed teacher-it hijacks cognitive resources and blocks access to the prefrontal cortex, where higher executive functions such as reasoning and planning reside.

For learning to occur, a safe and calm environment is a biological requirement.

A teacher who applies interventions from his or her own well-being is able to regulate the emotional states of his or her students, opening the neurological "doors" to learning.

In contrast, attempting to teach or learn under chronic pressure is physiologically inefficient.

Understanding that the brain needs to "feel good to learn well" radically changes the way we manage the classroom and our own emotions as educators.

Summary

There is a direct relationship between the emotional health of teachers and the overall academic performance of students. A motivated teacher creates the optimal climate for school excellence.

Neuroscience shows that the brain does not process complex information under states of threat or fear. Stress blocks the higher executive functions necessary for reasoning and planning.

For learning to occur, it is a biological requirement to ensure a safe and calm environment. Investing in the human development of the teacher optimizes the transmission of all knowledge.