Increased class sizes, student behavior problems, high-stakes testing, tight funding, and limited autonomy are just some of the stressors that place teachers in contention with nurses for the top spot for most stressful occupation.

As teachers receive social-emotional training, they become models to their students for healthy behaviors, researchers said. After all, it’s hard for students to learn skills to cope with stress or anger if the person teaching them is frazzled or unkind.

Social-emotional learning programs for students are becoming more popular, and rightly so, as research points to gains in academics, graduation rates, and earnings. But what’s missing from these programs is support for the social-emotional needs of their teachers, who are experiencing stress and burnout. Research shows that if teacher needs aren’t addressed, students feel the impact.

Read the full article on social-emotional support for teachers by Kate Stringer at The 74