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 →

Teaching, Learning, and Leading with Emotional Intelligence 

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Emotional Intelligence

Using emotional intelligence is a part of life whether it is in school, work or one’s personal life. Learning the elements of emotional intelligence can happen in the classroom and continue throughout the school building. Teaching, learning, and leading with emotional intelligence can be the catalyst to propelling students and staff to new academic, social, and emotional heights.

Mostly, you read about emotional intelligence in business. It is applicable in the education realm, too. A successful school administrator leads with emotional intelligence. In that building, teachers create classroom spaces where students learn to think and be socially responsible. Children are comfortable sharing their emotions, empathy, and experiences. Altogether it is a school building where these five elements work: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Let’s take a look at how the parts of emotional intelligence work the areas of teaching, learning, and leading. Continue reading →

Five Reasons Why African-American Students Lag Behind

Five Reasons Why African-American Students Lag Behind: A Principal’s Point of View 

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Why African-American Students Lag Behind

Each school year we read about test scores of students across America. Data, data, data is what politicians and school leaders spout off to parents and community members. The quality of rhetoric depends on whether or not it’s an election year. One thing that remains a constant story or question is why African-American students lag behind their white counterparts.

In urban school districts, the principals and teachers were instructed to think and focus on African-American students because the data continues to show they are not making the expected increases in growth and attainment. Two things that were not mentioned are root causes or a plan on how to improve African-American students’ progress. Administrators and teachers in the trenches know that there are many variables that contribute to the students’ progress or lack of progress.

Research is Ongoing

Research on why African-American students lag behind is ongoing. The Brookins Institute did an in-depth study, The Black-White Test Score Gap: Why it Persists and What Can Be Done as far back as 1996. Over 20 years passed and educators still have the same questions and responses to why African-American students continue to play catch-up. Actually, the subject has been around much longer. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

It’s a continual conversation seen on Facebook posts from educators’ groups or on Twitter. The conversation is heard in schools, district offices, and teachers’ lounges. Views and opinions tend to focus on five reasons why African-American students lag behind their white counterparts. Continue reading →