Monthly Archives: November 2018

Redefine and Combat Burnout

Redefine and Combat Burnout: An Educator’s Perspective

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Talk About Burnout

Educators across the country talk about burnout. Teachers, principals, and administrators want a way out of the profession. They cannot take the stress of all of the demands put on them. Unfortunately, support for them is minimal and there is a “suck it up” mentality. Eventually, that mentality runs out, and burnout becomes a reality. So, its time for educators to take matters into their own hands. It’s time to redefine and combat burnout on your own terms.

Definition of Burnout

First, let’s take a look at the definition of burnout. It is usually defined as physical or mental collapse due to overwork or stress. You can experience mental or physical exhaustion. According to Psychology Today, “Burnout is not simply a result of long hours. The cynicism, depression, and lethargy of burnout can occur when a person is not in control of how the job is being carried out.”  

As a teacher, you want to teach and run your classroom based on the needs of your students. Principals want to manage and administer based on the needs of the students, teachers, and families. Often central office personnel dictates policies and mandates. Then school personnel feel unsupported and left out of the decision-making process. Teachers and principals feel the weight of the mandates such as additional paperwork, reports, and too many assessments. Continue reading