Spotting Teacher Burnout

It’s Monday morning again, and Geri dreads getting out of her bed for another miserable Monday.  She is emotionally exhausted, unhappy, and irritable with her family, friends, and students.  Dragging herself out of bed, she picks up the phone to call the sub-system to report yet another absence.  Then she realizes she must be at school for a PLC meeting she is leading with her buddy teacher.  Geri used to love her job, but this is her 3rd year of teaching, and she lacks enthusiasm, feels inadequate, and hates the little autonomy she has in her classroom.  She finds herself in the lounge frequently listening and joining in on the conversations with other teachers who complain and gripe at everything that happens at school.  These were the same colleagues she ran away from her first two years of teaching, but negativity is like a virus, and that virus has invaded her work life.

It sounds like Geri is experiencing teacher burnout.  Teacher burnout manifests as physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress and overwork. Teachers may experience chronic fatigue and insomnia, feeling tired all the time but having difficulty falling or staying asleep despite feeling exhausted.  Many stressed-out teachers may become depressed or anxious, detached and cynical, habitually absent from school, and show decreased performance and effectiveness, which can negatively impact the teacher's well-being and their students' learning experiences.

Family members, friends, administrators, and colleagues must recognize these signs early, as it is crucial for helping the teacher seek support and develop strategies to promote a healthier work-life balance. Ensuring teachers access resources, support systems, and self-care practices can significantly help mitigate burnout and foster a more positive and productive teaching environment.

We have to keep teachers, like Geri, stay in their chosen profession by providing support and help when times become challenging.  Creating a supportive community safe place, promoting work-life balance practices, and implementing social-emotional strategies can help teachers avoid this trap.