‘Everyday heroes’: Nurturing teachers’ well-being in Lebanon and beyond

At Porticus, we want children living in adversity to receive an education that supports their social and emotional development, enabling them to develop to their full potential and succeed in life. But that kind of education is only possible if their teachers’ own social and emotional needs are met, a particularly big challenge when educators are also facing adversity.

Emotionally present and resilient teachers can foster stronger connections with learners, even more critical in conflict zones or among displaced communities, where socio-emotional learning and psychosocial support are vital for student success. 

Lebanon, one of Porticus’ focus countries, hosts the highest number of refugees per capita and per square kilometre globally. Government estimates indicate that 1.5 million Syrian refugees and more than 11,000 refugees from other nationalities live here. That’s one reason it’s a key country for Porticus to support education programmes — not only for students but for teachers themselves.

Yanal Moussa is an English teacher and a Project Fellow with the Quality Holistic Professional Learning project in Lebanon, led by the Center for Professional Learning at Childhood Education International. Through this project, teachers co-create professional development materials like courses, toolkits and micro-credentials. Teachers connect with each other in Communities of Practice to share resources, learn and support each other’s well-being. The open educational resources are available in multiple languages. Promoting teacher leadership is essential, enabling teachers to take an active role in transforming education—not as passive recipients of professional development materials, but as active creators.

In recent weeks, Lebanon has been repeatedly bombarded amidst the ongoing conflict in the region. More than a million people are displaced and homes and basic infrastructure are destroyed. Despite this, Yanal remains resilient: 'We must keep going,' she says. In this article, Yanal highlights the importance of nurturing teachers’ well-being and how she and other teachers are doing that. 

 

A passion for teaching from an early age

By Yanal Moussa

From the start, I didn’t believe in simply standing in front of a board and lecturing. Despite the lack of professional training opportunities at the time, I found myself naturally crafting engaging lessons. My philosophy was simple: if I couldn’t reach my students or touch my students’ lives, I couldn’t teach them. This made a significant difference. English isn’t always a popular subject in Lebanon, but my former students, now engineers and lawyers, still reach out to me, remembering the impact our classes had on them.

A transformative moment in my career came 12 years ago when I began working with Syrian refugees. Teaching these students, who had fled their homes and left their lives behind, required me to adapt in ways I hadn’t anticipated. My role extended beyond teaching English — I became a source of emotional support for students dealing with trauma, often dedicating sessions to those who had lost family members. 

The work was incredibly rewarding, and its impact still echoes today. Some of those students, now living in Europe, have reached out to offer their support for my current initiatives [for displaced students], reminding me just how deep the connection runs. This is especially relevant given the current situation in Lebanon, where bombings could strike us at any moment. With the conflict, we often don’t know if we’ll wake up the next day to go to work. That’s why we must keep going with our mission as teachers.

Prioritising teacher well-being

One of the highlights of my career has been my involvement with the Quality Holistic Professional Learning in Lebanon (QHPLL) Project. I’ve been able to share my experiences with other teachers on a global stage, motivating and training other educators. 

Over time, I’ve come to focus heavily on teacher well-being. Teachers, especially in Lebanon, face a myriad of challenges — from financial struggles to personal losses. Teachers are part of the same communities they support. If teachers aren’t well, they simply can’t teach effectively. 

This belief has shaped the way I conduct training sessions for other teachers. I dedicate significant time to well-being activities, using music and reflection exercises to help teachers reconnect with themselves. In one activity, I ask them to close their eyes and think only about themselves, not their families or students. The emotional reactions are profound. Many teachers realise they’ve been neglecting their own needs for years. 

I also emphasise practical steps for self-care. If a teacher is angry, upset, or frustrated, these emotions will inevitably affect their teaching and their students. Teachers need to find moments of personal joy, whether that’s as simple as having coffee by the sea or taking a shower in peace. These small actions help them manage stress before entering the classroom. 

Teaching is about being emotionally present, making eye contact, and building connections with students. Through the QHPLL project, we introduced interactive activities. Teachers in Lebanon had never experienced such approaches before, and the results were remarkable. From balloon activities to music in the classroom, these methods are simple yet effective, and students love them. 

Empowering teachers through collaboration

The key to our success is building on teachers’ own experiences and letting teachers experience the activities themselves first, feeling the impact personally before implementing them with their students. This practical, experience-based approach ensures that our training isn’t just theoretical but transformative.

Collaboration has been key throughout this journey. We learn from both our successes and failures, constantly adapting our approach based on feedback. We worked with NGOs and learned how to tailor our methods to different contexts, from Lebanon to Kenya and beyond. Patience, sharing experiences, and understanding that we’re all learning together were essential to our growth as teachers and education leaders. 

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that teachers are everyday heroes. They don’t need to be invincible. Teaching is one of the most demanding professions, and it’s crucial for teachers to find balance in their lives. I often remind my colleagues that it’s okay to be human, to feel overwhelmed at times. But I also encourage them to recognise their inner strength, to see themselves as the real heroes they are.

Ultimately, teaching isn’t just another job. It’s a calling, much like motherhood. Just as a mother draws energy from seeing her child succeed, teachers find renewed strength when they see their students thrive. We must nurture this sense of purpose, helping teachers embrace their role as everyday heroes who make a lasting difference in the lives of their students.