Faculty of Education D r K a r e n C o l l e t t t o p aC h i e v e r
Healthy work-life balance difficult to manage during Covid-19
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HEN asked about how she has been managing over the a continuous challenge, particularly when it comes to the timepast year, Dr Karen Collett’s response is blunt and to the consuming work of online learning and virtual engagement. point: “I have not managed to create and sustain a “Finding the time to do the deep reading and thinking rehealthy work-life balance during this time, nor am I quired for academic work is increasingly a chalaware of any colleagues who have managed lenge.” to do this.” Dr Collett has a particular interest in Dr Collett is a Senior Lecturer in school teacher well-being, school leadership leadership and management in the development and the development Educational Studies Department of schools as thinking and learnof the University of the Western ing organisations. From 2016 to Cape. For the last 29 years, 2019, she was the South Afrishe has worked in the area can co-ordinator and co-initiof school and teacher develator of an Erasmus Plus partopment through NGOs and nership focused on teacher higher education institutions well-being and language in South Africa and Namibia. diversity, in collaboration “What helped sustain me with partners in Norway, during this difficult time Denmark and Ireland. were strong and support“I am currently researching ive relationships with colthe relationship between leagues and friends. These leadership in schools and relationships have helped to teacher well-being. I am inbuild such an important space terested in extending my refor care and attention, both at a search by investigating the personal and professional level. relationship between teacher Writing together with colleagues well-being and professional learnhas helped inspire me, and has kept ing communities in schools.” the energy and commitment towards Together with a colleague from the Edusubmitting articles for publication going. cation Faculty, and the UWC Writing Cen“The boundaries between home and work-life tre, she will be working on a participatory action for women in academia have become learning and research project linked to increasingly blurred, as the homespace “Being able to switch off and distance the integration of academic literacies is now also the workspace. Being able from work is a continuous challenge, in faculty courses and programmes. to switch off and distance from work is
particularly when it comes to the timeconsuming work of online learning and virtual engagement.”
