Preventing teacher stress and burnout is possible with careful planning and care about yourself as a teacher! 
Ten years later, and still teaching in the schools, I am now working with many young colleagues who are going through similar difficult periods. I have started a page devoted to teacher stress management hoping to share both my personal struggles and success.
So in the last post we talked about techniques to preserve yourself as a teacher when difficult situations arise. Now let’s look at the school year itself and planning your Spring wisely for stress free teaching.
Teacher Burnout Symptoms and Causes
- Spring carries a very different flair. We tend to think lighter on things. However, in the educational system things are quite the opposite. This is the heaviest time in terms of testing, parent and student demands. This is where many conflicts and burnout happen.
- Many school districts schedule standardized testing February-April. Most school in European countries, including my own, schedule these after the end of the school year. The very last week is devoted to testing only. This way the students have learned the entire school curriculum. However, most districts in the US schedule testing before the end of the year. Once students are done, the student focus drops. For many teachers this becomes either a period of many discipline problems or an empty period which they have to “fill”.
- The students know that the school year is coming to its end. They start getting more impatient. The old “tricks” teachers use fail to work.
- Parents? This I do not know why…..but the most conflicts between parents and teachers happen this time of the year …..do I have statistics? No. Do I see it around me? Every day. Could it be because they too are tired and they need an outlet?
I think it is important for a teacher to put things in perspective and to know that they are not alone with many of their struggles in the profession. It is also important to recognize things that happen outside of your control and be able to detach yourself a bit so that you can cope with things in a balanced way. Easier said that done. Still, there are things we can do.
Prevent Teacher Stress & Burnout This Spring
- Re-focus your instruction so that the students can experience your classroom in a new way. That may mean both slowing down or speed things up. This could be more projects and interactive experiences. It could be wrapping up the year and doing projects that summarize what was learned. It may mean slowing down by doing assignments in a different way. That may also mean that students direct their instruction and assessment more than at the beginning of the school year.
- Allow students to have rest as well. They are feeling the burn out from the year just the way teachers do. This does not mean that you don’t teach. Simply pair difficult activities with ‘DOWN TIME”.
- Think about the last months as time for reflecting on the whole school year! Rather than pushing forward and working as hard as you did in September, take the time to think about what was working for you and what you need to change. Have your students do the same. I give my students opportunities to write about the school year, we have class interviews with them reflecting on their work. I also have them pick one or two of our projects at this time. All of this “breaks up” the pace while the students are still engaged.
- Do the same for yourself! If you have a difficult day, pair it something or somebody that you enjoy after wok. If you are stuck doing paperwork or being frustrated at a teacher’s meeting, then schedule an activity where you can be creative and balance out the negative energy.
- Find a quiet inspiration outside your work, a place or activity where you can just be and recharge. That can mean different things for different people. Many teachers take time off in order to grade papers and organize activities. Find the time for yourself! //clicktotweet.com/l8V8s
- Often teachers feel that the situation in their classroom happens ONLY in their classroom. It is very natural for people to turn to themselves when things get difficult. That makes the situation worse at the end. Find a teacher you could trust and share your experiences. Using this blog for it? Absolutely!
- Don’t underestimate burn out! Take time off.
- Don’t control or react to all situations. If you feel that you are getting burned out, let things just be. This is what we all need the most practice on…
How did I came up with these rules for preventing teacher burnout? By making plenty of mistakes! Last year I went trough a huge burn out. I almost thought that I would give up teaching in the public school system.
I was trying to do everything at once. I scheduled many activities for my students. I was surprised by having twice as many “activities” scheduled from my administration. I was getting quite sick after our last music festival, when I started receiving emails from one of my parents. They were difficult to respond and had to do with that person more that they had to do with what was happening at school. The pressure of everything happening at the same time prove too much for me.
As I was talking to a former mentor of mine, she mentioned “Young teachers need to space themselves to prevent burn out not only within the school year but also in the years to come“. Well, I was not doing that very well back then. However, I do think that I am getting a much better balance between doing my job well and keeping myself at a good place.
Books That Will Help You Prevent Teacher Stress and Burnout
I absolutely love everything by Rafe Esquith. This book is great for teachers who are burnt out and overwhelmed with the system. And the book is not about that…but it indirectly has the effect of preventing teacher burnout. I have hera this from all teachers I have talked to. I am one of them. This book is a memoire of Rafe Esquith’s personal journey and struggles as a teacher. You will find out that each chapter of the book is probably a chapter in your teaching career too. Just reading it makes you feel like you are not alone. It makes you feel a subtle support and reassurance to keep doing what you are doing. I strongly recommend that book! It is really that good!
Rate Esquith has a new book out, Real Talk for Real Teachers: Advice for Teachers from Rookies to Veterans. I have read it and I think it is also excellent. It would have a similar effect on having a teacher realize they are not alone in their struggles. To me the first book ad a bigger effect. That of course may depend on the reader.
The book has good ideas about managing your time as a teacher to prevent burnout. Often we need to be intentional about working LESS and scheduling our time wisely in order to complete all demands. I love her chapter about email. I think the book is worth it just for that one chapter. If you feel your stress may come from having too much, or if you feel that you may need a better strategy for managing the never-ending demands in education- this book will help you!
I am reading this book right now. I have heard very good things about it. I will be back to report my findings. Let me know in the comments what you think if you have read it. Know another wonderful book on preventing teacher burnout or have an article about it? by all means, link it up in the comments!
How do I Avoid Teacher Burnout Now?
- I am now getting much wiser when scheduling events. I make sure that I space extra events so that I don’t have more that two concerts or evening activity per week.
- I take time off! I make sure that I re-charge before I get back to work.
- I start planning for lessons much earlier having in mind difficult periods in my school schedule.
- If I have had a difficult day at school and I have had discipline, colleague, or parent problems, I balance that energy after the work day.
- At the end…I think I am a much better and happier teacher for my students!
I would love to hear your comments and see you share your own experiences about preventing teacher burnout!
Teacher Stress and Burnout
I really feel that your blog post is speaking about everything I'm feeling right now in school. You are absolutely right about the time of year, crazy parents, stressed out teachers and everything! Recently I started looking at different job postings thinking that the "grass is greener" somewhere else. What's really important is to take a step back and realize what is going on with these school situations. Also, It is important to realize that no matter where you are, what school you are in, what the socio-economic demographic of the area you are in, the situation would be the same wherever you are. I really like your idea about changing things up and beginning the reflective process. I think this time of year is a bad time to begin "revving" up for another adjudicated performance. Putting that stress on the kids is just going to reflect back on you in a negative way. I think I'll try coming up with a few low-stress, fun activities that are student centered which will greatly improve the overall atmosphere in my classroom. If you have any ideas for this I'd greatly appreciate it. Perhaps something like Solo/ensemble, Pop's concert. Anything would be appreciated. Keep blogging, this is great!
I agree with you that Everything is happening at the same time and at every school regardless of the demographic area of the school. Also, yes, when you push students who are already very tired, it reflects back on you. They will express it in way that may not be what you want! I am glad that the blog post has made you think about using some low-stress activities to end the year with! You mentioned doing Solo and Ensemble. I love this idea and this is exactly what I am doing with my kids now. I love that our solo and ensemble festival is scheduled at the end of the year. It changes the pace of the classroom completely after working so hard on large group festivals. I make all of my students learn one solo or ensemble. In class some students play while the others watch, give feedback, and fill out rubrics about the performance. It helps students get lots of feedback on their oen playing but also provides that "low time" that we are talking about. Extra bonus-provides critical thinking (filling out rubrics, expecting critical feedback) here is my ovation form the administration! It could be done in class without having to go to a festival (if yours is in the Fall)or you could invite a judge to have a "mini festival" within your class. You can also have different quertets/ensembles compete withing you program. Let's say the judge can give freebies 🙂 or lessons to the winners.
Ok….that is the end of a VERY long answer to a blog post. I will be blogging more about it, please stay tuned!
It is interesting to read this blog post and know that you re not alone! It is so important for teachers to communicate and support each other! I love that you provide solutions and I love your thoughts about stepping back and designing your teaching to fit the students' minds! I would love to read more on how to change things up!
Teacher
Thank you for taking the time to comment! I am glad that you found the blog helpful.Yes, more ideas on changing things up in the classroom, as well as planning your teaching so that you don't get burned out are coming soon!!!
This is a great post and it's something that people don't often talk about. Teaching is so demanding and under appreciated. I taught for ten years but the last three here in the states definitely started burning me out the most. When I go back to work after the children are older I will try and have more balance and be okay with doing less and getting less done.
Georgia,
Yes you are correct. People don't often talk about their frustration- it is just more difficult. What is more, the teaching professions is getting more and more stressful. This is why I have been working on these issues with the hope of helping some teachers on the way.
I couldn’t agree more with the idea of taking time off and carefully scheduling things far apart. As music teachers, we wear so many different hats, and I think we sometimes beat ourselves up for not being able to do everything perfectly every time. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. #fermatafridays
Appreciate the recommendation. Will try it out.