Date of Submission

8-6-2021

Document Type

OIP

Degree

Doctor of Education

Department

Education

Keywords

Ontario Teachers' Mental Heath and Wellness, Catholic Elementary School, Critical Theology, Catholic Social Justice Principles, Appreciative Inquiry, Authentic-Servant Leadership

Abstract

Abstract

The purpose of this Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) is to present a Problem of Practice (PoP) at Trinity Forever Catholic School (pseudonym: TFCS). This is the limited focus on teacher-leader mental health and wellness (MhW) stemming from a lack of resource organization by school and board leadership levels. Current MhW resources are not focussed on the health and well-being of educators. It is necessary to navigate resources that minister to the common good and dignity of all teacher-leaders. This exercise is important to the work of a teacher-leader who is serving TFCS under long-standing conditions that impair MhW. Catholic principles of social justice viewed through Gregory Baum’s critical theological lens is featured. A Christian view of critical theory will provide further support. A multi-faceted frame scrutinizes the status quo at TFCS and stays faithful to the Catholic mission and vision of the organization. Through iteration of the guiding questions, authentic-servant leadership coupled with Ai and theological reflection demonstrate what is good and positive at TFCS and begin a transformation by placing teacher-leader MhW in full view of the school community. The change model being employed is AKDAR (Hiatt, 1996; Hiatt & Creasey, 2012), to affect the elimination of the PoP. Teacher-leader MhW needs an equitable place in education discourse, beginning at the school level, and perhaps proceeding to the board level and faith-based conferences, to reach more teacher-leaders in wider contexts. Valuable knowledge can be shared through communities of practice. Teacher-targeted MhW resources need to be discoursed on a regular basis.

Keywords: Educational leadership, elementary school, critical theology, Catholic social justice, teacher wellness, ADKAR

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