Teachers at Colégio Adventista de Vitória (CAV) , in Espírito Santo, started to receive emotional support during the return to classes as part of ‘The Pedagogical Parads’, a dedicated room within the school that offers educational guidance and emotional support to staff at the CAV. The center includes a living room with ambient lighting and aromatherapy to promote relaxation. On the day of the writing of this report, two teachers were sitting with their feet in the water while listening to the pedagogical coordinator talk about some ideas that can be developed in the classroom. 

One of those teachers was Jackelinne Alves, who teaches Kindergarten. “I get calmer and calmer. It is so...healthy and also caring. I felt welcomed.” Welcoming was exactly what Sueila Goese, Creator of Pampering and Pedagogical Coordinator of Early Childhood Education, intended for this part of the center. She explains that she felt there was a need to do something that could provide physical and emotional support to the teachers after they were done teaching classes for the day. Currently, the College has 57 professors and more than 1,100 students.

“I noticed the emotional lack in all the teachers. I think the isolation, the home office, made everyone more distant. So I realized this and decided to take advantage of the moments of Paradinhas Pedagógicas to work on this issue of care, zeal, welcoming, and concern for emotional health”, says Sueila.

Emotional distress 

A survey by the ProjeThos Study pointed out in December of last year the emotional exhaustion of educators. The data revealed that 80% were interacting less with peers; 60% said they were tired and 67% were having difficulty planning for the future.

Feeling that its team was part of this reality, Colégio Adventista de Vitória surprised the group. Teachers have already held meetings while helping themselves to tea, footrests in water, popcorn, and even massages. Weekly, they are surprised by something new.

Capixaba Adventist Education 

Currently, Adventist Education in north-central Espírito Santo has four educational institutions. Colégio Adventista de Vitória, Escola Adventista da Serra, Escola Adventista de Barra de São Francisco and Colégio Adventista do Espírito Santo (Edessa). The network has 108 teachers and more than 2,000 students under its umbrella. Last year, the region had a 10% growth in the number of students enrolled in relation to the previous year.

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site