Restructuring Learning and Teacher Health in the Face of Post-Pandemic Pedagogical Demands

Abstract

The present study analyzes the interactions between teacher distress and policies for learning recomposition in the post‑Covid‑19 pandemic context in Brazil. It starts from the observation that, after the gradual return to in‑person classes, deep pedagogical gaps in students’ knowledge became evident, while physical and mental illness among teachers increased, including cases of burnout, absences and abandonment of the profession. The objective is to discuss how pressures for results, precarious working conditions, expanded workloads and neoliberal policies interact with the demand to restore essential learning. Methodologically, it is a theoretical review of recent studies addressing teacher health and recomposition measures, supplemented by data from international organizations on dropouts and educational inequalities. The results indicate that the recomposition process involves more than recovering content: it requires identifying gaps, flexible curricula, diagnostic assessments, active pedagogies and socio‑emotional support for students. However, the absence of policies for valuing and supporting teachers also compromises the effectiveness of these initiatives, amplifying distress and the feeling of abandonment of the profession. It is concluded that, to reconstruct interrupted educational trajectories, it is necessary to articulate pedagogical actions with care for teacher health, invest in critical continuing education, improve working conditions, promote psychological support and redefine evaluation and financing policies. Only by integrating learning recomposition and professional appreciation will it be possible to guarantee an equitable and high‑quality public education in the post‑pandemic period.