Window of Tolerance: a practical exercise for teachers and education staff

This is a practical tool to help teachers and education staff understand emotional regulation, beat stress and burnout, build resilience, and support wellbeing in education settings.

Guides / 1 min read

An illustration of a woman looking out of a window

The Window of Tolerance, developed by Dr. Dan Siegel, describes the optimal zone for a person to function in everyday life.

When we’re within this window, we are emotionally regulated and have the capacity to cope with everyday challenges. But when stress pushes us outside of it, we may feel overwhelmed, shut down, or react in ways that aren’t helpful to ourselves or others.

In schools and education settings, where emotional demands are high, understanding this concept can help teachers, leaders, and staff build greater self-awareness, compassion for each other, and better respond to the pressures of their roles.

What is included in this free activity for teacher stress management?

This downloadable activity is designed for use in team meetings or wellbeing sessions. It includes:

A visual explanation of the Window of Tolerance to share with colleagues
A simple group check-in to use in meetings to open up discussions about staff wellbeing and stress levels in your school or education setting
Guided reflection questions for school leaders and managers to spark discussion and insight in teams

Whether you're a school leader, wellbeing lead, classroom teacher, or another member of the staff team, this tool can help foster emotional intelligence and strengthen relationships across your team.

How can this free activity help teachers cope with stress?

Helps educators recognise and regulate emotional responses
Builds compassion and understanding among colleagues
Supports resilience and wellbeing in high-pressure environments
Encourages open, reflective conversations in teams

Use this tool to support your team’s wellbeing and emotional awareness.

Download the Window of Tolerance below and give it a try!

Download the exercise

Window_of_Tolerance_26

An illustration of a man with speech bubbles looking thoughtful

Call our free helpline for teachers and education staff

Teachers and education staff can call Education Support's free emotional support helpline, open 24/7: 08000 562 561

Support our charity

Education Support is the only UK charity dedicated to supporting the mental health of teachers and education staff. We only provide free resources thanks to the generosity of our community of donors. If you’ve found these resources helpful, please consider making a donation today.

About the author

Emily Kenneally is a UK-based communications specialist working across teacher mental health, social prescribing, and workplace wellbeing in education. She has over 10 years’ experience in the charity sector.

She is a trauma-informed mindfulness practitioner, trained in non-clinical Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) at NHS Sussex Mindfulness Centre, and holds a Master of Design from the University of Brighton.

Since 2019, she has delivered wellbeing workshops to 1,400 adults and children across education and healthcare, including at the University of Surrey and NHS Sussex.

She joined Education Support as Content and Media Manager in 2022, co-producing 100+ teacher wellbeing resources with educators and partners, including The Mental Health Foundation and NAHT, contributing to BBC News reporting of the Teacher Wellbeing Index.