teacherburnout

Laura Ferrell

Article

#teacherburnout - Voices from the Front Lines

91%

According to a recently published EdWeek Research Center article summarizing the state of affairs in the teaching profession, this figure is the percentage of educators who report experiencing job-related stress. The research also articulates what teachers feel they need to counteract this stress and what administrators plan to do about it. The data further reveals that these two metrics are at odds, while well-meaning administrators may not be implementing the type of practices that alleviate stressors.

This data set, along with a host of others, outline a steadily growing pandemic in its own right—teacher burnout. Staff shortage issues across Illinois and the nation are a regular part of the news cycle as districts scramble in a daily dance of classroom coverage. Tack on increased discipline issues, learning loss and Covid variants, and a recipe exists for a mass exodus from the teaching profession. A recent post by NPR cites these “layers of stress” as forcing some educators into crisis. In the article, Peter Faustino, a school psychologist based in New York is quoted, “We’re seeing, I think the effect of the pandemic and all of those issues really now in the forefront of our work, where students and families are really saying, ‘I can’t keep going like this. I need help.’”

While research studies paint one part of the portrait, Twitter has long been an open forum for folks in any profession to unabashedly share their realities and educators are no exception. In combing through tweets related to the hashtag #teacherburnout, themes emerge, namely self-care, time and leadership. Can Twitter hashtags provide insight into the current state of school culture and what teachers on the front lines really need to remain in the profession and reinvigorate their practice?

Self-Care

One thing is abundantly clear: self-care advice is plentiful as a potential remedy for teacher burnout. A good number of the most popular tweets offer links to blog topics, planning guides and even products intended to build resilience and relaxation.

@SLPinthebigCITY, a Speech Language Pathologist in the Bronx tweets: “The craziest thing is when all you’ve needed is a break but then you’re checking your work email nervously as if you can’t allow yourself to have a break??”

While several users remark on the importance of self-care, many feel that the quantity and quality of these experiences are limited or unfulfilling. Reading, journaling, arts and crafts and exercise are all noted experiences that help to care for the mind and body, yet various tweets remark that while educators understand the importance of these strategies, finding the time to complete them while balancing responsibilities in and outside the classroom is near impossible.

Tweeter @PamHall2Inspire, educator and author, notes that self-care should be a “systematic habit” rather than just one more thing to do.

Exploring the hashtag #teacherselfcare, one finds a sampling of educators reminding each other to step outside, take the mask off and renew their mindsets, if only for a few minutes.

Tweeter @metaxas_ari, teacher in Florida tweets, “Teachers if you are not taking your mask off for 8 hours every day, like me, please step outside for regular mask off/oxygen ‘minute’ breaks. I am reminding you to remind myself! #TeacherSelfCare”

Time

Several tweeters report the need for more planning time. An article posted by The Hechinger Report discusses how one school district in New Mexico reimagined professional development days to include time for physical exercise and smoothies. While all school districts may not have the resources to achieve such a shift, where can time be

“...schools need to acknowledge their role in the problem and put in place the structures, practices, and time for self-care, reflection, and general wellbeing among educators, school staff, and the leaders themselves.” This is a tall but necessary order...

provided to educators where it did not exist before? Further, how can leaders reimagine the time traditionally allocated for development to include experiences that could better attend to current professional need?

@ReadWriteChai tweets: “This sem. of teaching has been the longest ever. I’m not ready to go back. I’m still exhausted, even after almost 2 weeks off. Desperately trying to figure out a way to include movement & writing in my day-to-day but even thinking about it all overwhelms me.”

@SDoanut, Assistant Professor of Technical Communication at Kennesaw State tweets, “Anyone else spending their break trying to store as much rest as possible for the semester like a burnout camel?” This particular tweet received over 9,000 likes.

Multiple tweeters report feelings of guilt in taking time off while others remark that it is difficult to leave their classrooms due to substitute shortages. Other educators take a tweeting opportunity to celebrate when districts provide time for preparation, thus creating a feeling of preparedness. Tweeter @GCHSMrsDavis remarks, “Thank you @bcsdschools for a work day today! I was super productive and am ready to meet my new students tomorrow. That also means I can enjoy my evening stress free with cozy socks & pjs…”

Leadership

@MariMagdalenna tweets, “What makes it worse, we are asking for help for our own mental well being…and it seems like no one is even listening.” Other tweeted pleas for leaders to listen exist, especially when surveys are distributed to teachers and seemingly ignored.

To combat this, Sarah Gonser, writer for Edutopia points out that schools themselves should be responsible for helping teachers alleviate stress. She writes, “...schools need to acknowledge their role in the problem and put in place the structures, practices, and time for self-care, reflection, and general well-

being among educators, school staff, and the leaders themselves.” This is a tall but necessary order to regain a sense of motivation and accomplishment.

@sofiageorgelos, Social Studies teacher tweets, “Continue to focus on the positives and the progress we (Ts & Ss) are making, especially when it comes to teacher evaluations.”

@drmattparker, educator, tweets: ”I’ve been seeing lots of posts about teacher burnout (or at least being over-stressed/ over-worked/emotionally exhausted). It occurred to me that the phrase ‘teacher burnout’ blames the teacher. I feel like people are experiencing ‘systems burnout’. #teacherburnout”

Turning the Tide

While the current tone in education may be troublesome, educators remain resilient. A review of the #teachertwitter hashtag reveals the following thoughts from educators who persevere even during troubled times:

@MissBattick, an educator from Birmingham, UK tweets, “I’ve decided this term that if it isn’t done by 9pm, it will just have to wait. Time to take control of this work-life balance!”

@MrsOTeachesK, educator in Minnesota remarks, “Tuesday…let’s triumph today. Push aside the tiredness, frustrations, and anything that brings you down. Greet your students with your big smile and make today terrific!”

Lastly, perhaps @headofsixthform, educator in South East, England, summarizes best: “Tired. Feel like I’m not winning. But tomorrow is another day and I shall get up and say ‘I can sail this ship!’ And we will start again.”

References

Davis, W., Chang, A., Zamora, K., &

Dorning, C. (2021, December 23). Teachers thought 2021 would be better. instead, some say it’s their toughest year yet. NPR. Retrieved

January 6, 2022, from https://www.

npr.org/2021/12/23/1067077413/ teachers-pandemic-schoolclassroom-return-to-in-personlearning

Gonser, S. (2021, February 11). Schools, not teachers, must reduce stress and burnout-here’s how. Edutopia.

Retrieved January 6, 2022, from

https://www.edutopia.org/article/ schools-not-teachers-must-reducestress-and-burnout-heres-how

Melhado, W. (2021, November 23). Teacher wellness should probably be a school district priority. The Hechinger

Report. Retrieved January 6, 2022, from https://hechingerreport.org/

with-teacher-wellness-hangingby-a-thread-one-district-trieswalking-and-smoothies/

Will, M. (2021, December 24). The Teaching Profession in 2021 (in charts). Education Week. Retrieved

January 6, 2022, from https://www.

edweek.org/teaching-learning/ the-teaching-profession-in2021-in-charts/2021/12?utm_ source=tw&utm_ medium=soc&utm_campaign=edit

Dr. Laura Ferrell is an assistant professorial lecturer at Saint Xavier University (SXU) in Chicago. She received her BA in Elementary Education from Loyola University Chicago (Go Ramblers!), her MA in Educational Leadership from Concordia University Chicago (Go Cougars!) and her EdD from University of St. Francis (Go Saints!). Her area of focus during her doctoral studies was the impact of adaptive learning platforms on student growth. A self-proclaimed nerd since her youth, her current research interests include how technology can influence the way people learn and what role curiosity can play in American classrooms. Go White Sox!

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