Teachers are the most crucial factor in the education system and are responsible for students
’achievement, satisfaction and well-being. Thus, teacher well-being has utmost importance for the
success of education. This is the report of an exploratory study which draws on the experience of
50 secondary school teachers randomly selected from different schools of North India. Key questions
include 1) what is well- being?) 2) what are the various factors affecting teachers’ well-being? and
3) how we can enhance teachers’ well- being through professional learning activities?
The Well-being Index (WHO-5) was used to assess the level of well-being of teachers. It was found that
65 % (32) teachers scored low on this scale. Semi- structured interviews were also conducted to find
the factors affecting well-being of teachers. The study indicated that relevant factors are individual,
relational and also external. Results revealed that both the institution and the teacher are important
in maintaining and improving well-being. Teachers’ well- being is not an individual’s responsibility
only but requires that schools, society and other stakeholders of education should work together to
plan activities for improvement of teacher well-being at pre-service stage and professional learning
programs. The study also showed that initiating a continuous focus on teachers’ well-being might be
the best way to provide fertile ground for teacher’s personal and professional development.