Why Small Wellbeing Practices Create Big Change in Schools

Written by Navin Amarasuriya, CEO of Contentment Foundation. Most conversations about schools start with test scores, budgets, or curriculum plans. Ours begin with the inner worlds of educators. 

It comes at a time when outer worlds are challenging. In the U.S., educator pay is shrinking considering inflation. Despite increases in some states, teachers are making about 5% less than a decade ago. This mirrors global trends observed in the countries we operate in. 

A large Oxford-led randomized controlled trial found that school-based mindfulness training led to short-term improvements in teacher wellbeing, however sustaining benefits has proven difficult. Most effects weren't maintained at the one-year follow-up, with researchers noting that lasting change required ongoing support and organizational change for schools. Given the challenges of reduced education funding, we need to adapt our tools to meet the current environment. 

The Contentment Foundation is evolving how we support schools, especially schools facing serious resource constraints.  While whole-school wellbeing implementation is a beautiful aspiration, we know most educators need something more realistic right now. So we're betting on something simple: Small, daily micro-practices and educator-centered interventions that support educators with room to catch their breath, connect more deeply with themselves and one another and create calmer classrooms. These micro-practices are:

• Short and repeatable

• Evidence-based

• Designed for tired educators with limited time

• Powerful when done consistently
  

Real examples from our school partners:

• Bhutan: A 10-second pause every hour when the school bell rings. Teachers and students stop, breathe, and begin again.
  

• Kenya: A student-led Peace Corner that anyone can step into when emotions run high. It has helped students 'cool off' and repair their own relationships, even inspiring educators to use the space to resolve conflict. Early results are encouraging: smoother transitions, less tension in classrooms, and more space for compassionate conversations. 
  

So we’re betting on what is simple and repeatable. Not on heroics, but on endurance. Whole-school change, if it comes, should lie in the emergence of daily habits. I don’t have tidy answers and I’m curious to explore the questions. If you're an educator or simply someone who cares about serving schools, I'd love to connect.

Photo of an educator circle in Siskiyou County where our resources, training and community offerings serve schools.