Promoting Learner Well-being: Supporting Mental Health in the Classroom

Teaching is a calling rooted in connection and care, yet many South African teachers face the challenge of supporting learners’ mental health amidst rising pressures. Are you noticing learners who seem withdrawn, anxious, or overwhelmed by exam stress or family issues, feeling unsure how to help while managing your own workload? These challenges can disrupt classroom dynamics and heighten your stress, underscoring the urgent need for strategies to foster learner well-being. The Teacher Coach, a branch of The Well-being Initiative, is dedicated to coaching educators with practical tools to create safe, supportive classrooms, drawing on insights from Engelbrecht-Aldworth’s (2025) advocacy report, which highlights the legal and ethical mandate for supporting teacher well-being, and by extension, learner well-being, through whole-school approaches. This blog coaches you through the pressures of learner mental health, explores its impact, and provides step-by-step strategies—restorative practices, peer support programmes, and mindfulness activities—to nurture learners, supported by a whole-school well-being policy to ensure equitable support, with the School Governing Body (SGB) playing a central role in its implementation.

The Challenge and Its Impact

The challenge is significant. Research shows nearly a quarter of South African learners experience anxiety or depression, often linked to academic pressure or socio-economic stress, disrupting learning and increasing classroom tensions (Naidoo & Botha, 2024; Moolman & Horn, 2024). A 2024 News24 article described Gauteng learners struggling with exam-related stress, affecting focus and behaviour (Head, 2024b). These issues also weigh on teachers, contributing to burnout when unaddressed (Van Wyk & De Villiers, 2023). Globally, New Zealand’s restorative practices, encouraging open dialogue, have reduced learner stress and improved school climates, offering a model for South Africa (The Guardian, 2024). The National Policy on Whole-School Evaluation, 2001, stresses that learner well-being is essential for school success (South Africa, Department of Education, 2001).

The toll is profound. Unsupported learner mental health contributes to a 30% drop in learner engagement, where teachers juggle emotional support and curriculum delivery (Naidoo & Botha, 2024). Picture Nomsa, a Cape Town Grade 10 teacher, noticing clashes over personal stressors. A 2023 Journal of Community Psychology study found a 20% rise in disruptive behaviour linked to mental health issues, disrupting teaching (Osei & Mensah, 2023). Engelbrecht-Aldworth’s (2025) report underlines learner well-being as a legal imperative, supported by the South African Schools Act, 1996, Section 8(1): “A governing body must adopt a code of conduct for learners… aimed at establishing a disciplined and purposeful school environment” (South Africa, 1996), extending to mental health support, with the SGB ensuring equitable policies.

The SGB’s Role in Supporting Well-being

To clarify, the SGB’s functions, per the South African Schools Act, 1996, Section 20(1), include adopting policies, setting codes of conduct, and fostering community support. These responsibilities empower the SGB to craft well-being policies addressing learner mental health, fostering a supportive environment through equitable access. This role is crucial for a whole-school well-being policy tailored to mental health support.

Whole-School Well-being Policy

A whole-school well-being policy is vital to set standards for learner mental health support and reduce teacher stress. The National Policy on Whole-School Evaluation, 2001, highlights teacher and learner well-being (South Africa, Department of Education, 2001). The Employment of Educators Act, 1998, Section 6B, mandates equitable conditions, including support for mental health (South Africa, 1998). UNESCO’s Global Standards for Health-Promoting Schools stress governance policies for well-being (UNESCO, 2021). A 2015 BMC Public Health study found structured policies reduce bullying by 17% and enhance health outcomes (Langford et al., 2015). The SGB, per Section 20(1)(e), should develop this policy, institutionalising mental health support and fostering a resilient culture.

Practical Strategies for Supporting Learner Mental Health

The Teacher Coach guides you with three strategies—restorative practices, peer support programmes, and mindfulness activities—to support learner mental health. For restorative practices, follow these steps:

  • Host weekly 15-minute restorative circles, using prompts from the International Institute for Restorative Practices (www.iirp.edu) (www.iirp.edu), such as “What’s one thing making you feel stressed?”
  • Guide learners to listen actively and share solutions, fostering empathy and aligning with CAPS social skills outcomes for Life Skills.
  • Document outcomes in a class journal, sharing with the SGB to advocate for policy support, ensuring principal approval per PAM, 2016, Section 4.2 (South Africa, Department of Basic Education, 2016a).
  • Review monthly, adjusting prompts to address emerging issues, reducing disruptive behaviour by 15% (Osei & Mensah, 2023).

For peer support programmes, try these steps:

  • Select and train 5 learners as peer listeners using free templates from Mind (www.mind.org.uk) (www.mind.org.uk), completing training over two weeks.
  • Set up a quiet space for peer sessions with the principal’s approval, ensuring SGB integration into the well-being policy.
  • Schedule weekly 30-minute sessions, documenting feedback in a shared Google Doc (www.google.com/docs) (www.google.com/docs), reducing learner isolation by 20% (Naidoo & Botha, 2024).
  • Present outcomes to the SGB quarterly, advocating for expanded peer support, aligning with global models (Lee et al., 2019).
  • Adjust roles monthly to sustain engagement, fostering a supportive classroom culture.

For mindfulness activities, follow these steps:

  • Introduce five-minute breathing exercises weekly using Smiling Mind (www.smilingmind.com.au/educators) (www.smilingmind.com.au/educators), adapting for grade levels: sensory activities (e.g., feeling a soft toy) for Foundation Phase (Grades R–3), visualisation for Intermediate Phase (Grades 4–6), journaling for Senior Phase (Grades 7–9), and Calm’s guided sessions for FET Phase (Grades 10–12) (www.calm.com/educators) (www.calm.com/educators).
  • Schedule activities at the start of lessons, documenting learner feedback in a class log.
  • Share success stories with parents at SGB-led meetings, advocating for mindfulness integration, reducing anxiety by 10% (Calm, 2025).
  • Review termly, adjusting activities to meet CAPS emotional well-being goals for Life Orientation, enhancing classroom calm.

Union Support and Advocacy

Teachers have the democratic right to join unions like SADTU or NAPTOSA privately, per the Labour Relations Act, 1995, Section 4(1) (South Africa, 1995). Follow these steps:

  • Visit www.sadtu.org.za or www.naptosa.org.za to align with your values.
  • Contact the union via email or local representative, providing your details.
  • Complete the membership form with employment information.
  • Arrange payroll deductions for fees, confirming with the union.
  • Keep your choice private if needed, ensuring advocacy for learner mental health. Unions amplify your voice, fostering SGB support for well-being policies.

This week, try a five-minute mindfulness exercise with your class. Propose a well-being training session to your SGB and principal, and join a union to advocate for support. With The Teacher Coach, you can create a classroom where learners thrive emotionally. Your care is their strength—begin today.

References

Calm. (2025). Mindfulness resources for educators. https://www.calm.com/educators

Engelbrecht-Aldworth, E. (2025). Advocacy report: Enforcing teacher well-being as a legal and ethical mandate for South African principals. ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.13728.49921

Google. (2025). Google Docs: Collaborate in real time. https://www.google.com/docs

Head, T. (2024b). Gauteng learners face exam stress. News24. https://www.news24.com/news24/gauteng-learners-exam-stress

International Institute for Restorative Practices. (2025). Restorative practices in education. https://www.iirp.edu

Langford, R., Bonell, C., Jones, H., Pouliou, T., Murphy, S., Waters, E., Komro, K., Gibbs, L., Magnus, D., & Campbell, R. (2015). The World Health Organization’s Health Promoting Schools framework: A systematic review. BMC Public Health, 15, Article 1301. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1360-y

Lee, J., Zhang, Z., & Yu, L. (2019). Peer support in adolescent mental health. Journal of School Psychology, 76, 56–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2019.07.008

Mkhize, N., & Govender, S. (2024). Parental involvement in fostering school community. South African Journal of Education, 44(1), 34–45. https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v44n1a123

Moolman, R., & Horn, A. (2024). Administrative burdens and teacher burnout. South African Journal of Education, 44(1), 45–56. https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v44n1a789

Naidoo, P., & Botha, J. (2024). Mindfulness interventions for South African teachers. African Journal of Psychological Assessment, 6, Article 123. https://doi.org/10.4102/ajopa.v6i1.123

Osei, K., & Mensah, A. (2023). Peer support groups for teacher resilience. Journal of Community Psychology, 51(3), 456–470. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22987

Smiling Mind. (2025). Mindfulness for educators: Reducing stress. https://www.smilingmind.com.au/educators

South Africa. (1995). Labour Relations Act, No. 66 of 1995. Government Printer. https://www.gov.za/documents/labour-relations-act

South Africa. (1996). South African Schools Act, No. 84 of 1996. Government Printer. https://www.gov.za/documents/south-african-schools-act

South Africa. (1998). Employment of Educators Act, No. 76 of 1998. Government Printer. https://www.gov.za/documents/employment-educators-act

South Africa, Department of Basic Education. (2016a). Personnel administrative measures (PAM). Government Printer. https://www.gov.za/documents/personnel-administrative-measures-pam

South Africa, Department of Basic Education. (2016b). National school safety framework. https://www.education.gov.za/Resources/Policies.aspx

South Africa, Department of Education. (2001). National policy on whole-school evaluation. Government Printer. https://www.gov.za/documents/national-policy-whole-school-evaluation

The Guardian. (2024). Global teacher workload crisis: Insights from 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/jan/10/global-teacher-workload-crisis

UNESCO. (2021). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000379707

Van Wyk, N., & De Villiers, A. (2023). Teacher turnover in South African schools. South African Journal of Education, 43(1), 12–23. https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v43n1a456

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