How to Avoid Teacher Burnout

Online, February 19, 2010 (Newswire.com) - If you're like most parents, you ask your child every day: How was your day at school?

When was the last time anyone asked you that question?

In a recent Inside the School online seminar, author Nathan Eklund asked teachers to think of their school not just as a place where students thrive, but as a workplace where teachers thrive, too

It's important for teachers to work together to make the workplace more enjoyable and to help one another avoid the symptoms of burnout. Eklund said that teachers spend their workdays at school with other educators who share the same core values and understanding of the profession.

"Look out for each other. There is a good chance you are going to spend more time with your colleagues then with your families," Eklund said.

Part of looking out for one another, Eklund said, is for teachers to show the same caring and consideration for their colleagues as they would for their students.

"Ask teachers: How was your day at school? Did you have any difficult decisions to make? How did you sleep last night? How much preparation do you have for tomorrow? These are concerns that affect teachers," Eklund said.

Sometimes these simple reflective questions can be overwhelming to a teacher who is already overwhelmed. How can a teacher with several preps, too many students, and a stack of papers to grade have time to sit and reflect on her day, let alone make changes?

"A semester is too long to wait, a year is too long to wait to be in that sense of improvement," Eklund said.

It's important for teachers to reflect on how they're feeling and make changes for the better, if necessary, he said. Having teachers in a positive mind set is the best way to produce a positive school climate. Students will respond better to happy teachers in an uplifting environment.

"The quality of a student's education cannot exceed the quality of a school's staff," Eklund said.

Good teachers in the right mind set will help students succeed. Fancy technology and the newest text books will not benefit students if their teachers are not at their emotional best. The staff quality will impact student's ability to learn the most.

"Socrates didn't have a smart board. At the end of the day it's going to come down to the individual in front of the young people," Eklund said.

The right mind set isn't a solo journey. Quality teachers need an ongoing sense of belonging and appreciation. They need to work together, socialize together, and rely on one another.

"An end-of-the-year barbeque isn't collegiality. A tray of donuts once a semester isn't collegiality. Teachers should own their actions everyday," Eklund said.

To improve staff culture and create a positive climate, Eklund offered three questions for reflection. The first question teachers should ask themselves is, what makes a good day at work for you?

Each teacher will have a different perception of what made a good day. Some may think being productive or spending time with colleagues led to a great day. Eklund believes teachers should find out what it is and make those positive moments a common occurrence.

The second question is, what makes a bad day? Sometimes it may be a lack of control, a bad moment with a colleague or a stressful time with a student. Eklund recommends finding out how to avoid those bad days and moments.

"If department meetings are wearing on you, recommend having them outside of school or not having them," Eklund said.

The third and final question is, what can save a bad day at work?

"Think about how you got to a rough day when it's 1:00 in the afternoon. What could turn it around? Is it seeing your family, a good joke? Find out what it is and get there," Eklund said.

Eklund admits that no day will be perfectly good or perfectly bad, but teachers can and should find out how to have more good teaching days then bad teaching days.

"Don't let the job change you for the worse. Find ways to sustain your positive feelings," Eklund said.

Eklund concluded that burnout really is out there and that is a very real thing.

"There are articles and examples of it (burnout) everywhere. Teachers have that idea that they care about students so much that they don't care about themselves," Eklund said.

But burnout is preventable, he said. Teachers need to take the time to build a supportive educational community, reflect on their practice, and take care of themselves.

Inside the School provides practical resources for middle and secondary teachers online in free weekly e-zines, online seminars, articles and printable reports.