I teach because, for me, it’s the most effective and most enjoyable way to change the world. – Elena Aguilar
There are many reasons that educators are brought into the teaching profession. And there are highs and lows that are unique to educators. For example, a 2024 report by Gallup found that K-12 teachers enjoy higher well-being compared to other professions. Additionally, they are also more likely to feel connected to the mission and purpose of their work. However, teachers also reported experiencing higher burnout and disrespect at their jobs compared to other professions.
High levels of chronic teaching stressors can lead an educator to experience teacher burnout, which is a syndrome characterized by:
- Emotional exhaustion – feelings of emotional distress, depleted emotional resources, loss of energy, and fatigue
- Depersonalization (also referred to as cynicism) – negative, detached feelings and behaviors towards students, irritability, loss of idealism, and psychological withdrawal
- Lack of feeling of accomplishment in one’s work (also referred to as low sense of professional efficacy) – loss of feelings of competence and efficacy at work, reduced productivity, demoralization, and inability to cope with work demands
Teacher burnout is not a new phenomenon, yet it has been receiving more attention because it is a global problem that negatively impacts teacher retention. This is a serious issue because teacher turnover has negative consequences for schools in terms of teacher quality and student achievement.
Here’s what we will cover in this blog:
Causes of Teacher Burnout
There are many reasons why teachers are more likely to experience frequent burnout compared to other professionals. They are less likely to have the materials and equipment they need to do their jobs, and are less likely to feel respected at work. Although disrespect may not necessarily be coming from coworkers or school leaders, stress from managing student behavior, low salaries, and administrative work outside of teaching are other frequently reported sources of job-related stress.
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Teacher Burnout Statistics
Job-related stress is a part of every profession, and prolonged experiences of job stress over time is what leads to “burnout”. In the United States, K-12 workers have the highest burnout level of all industries nationally. These statistics show that, unfortunately, the burnout gap between K-12 workers and all other workers has increased. A recent report found that, when compared with similar working adults, about twice as many teachers report experiencing frequent job-related stress or burnout. Additionally, roughly three times as many teachers reported difficulty coping with their job-related stress.
Signs of Teacher Burnout
When district and school leaders know what teacher burnout looks like, they can make efforts to support educators who are struggling and provide support as early as possible. While teachers may experience burnout to varying degrees, the American University School of Education includes the following as signs of teacher burnout to look out for.
- Constant Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the first symptoms of stress that teachers may experience. In a manageable situation, an educator’s level of fatigue ebbs and flows. Unfortunately, for overburdened teachers, fatigue can remain a constant. It can interrupt sleep, cause irritability, and affect their eating habits.
- Self-Doubt
Teachers that are feeling the effects of burnout may begin to question whether teaching is the right profession for them. When teachers are less sure of themselves, it can be a sign of burnout.
- Withdrawal
Teachers who are burned out may socialize with their colleagues to a lesser extent than they had in the past, may take mental health days more often, and may participate less in faculty and department meetings. Look for changes in how much they collaborate with their peers.
- A Loss of Inspiration
When teachers lose interest in activities they used to enjoy, this is a common sign of burnout. If these activities now feel like a task to overcome, it could be a sign that they are (hopefully temporarily) losing their passion.
The Administrator’s Role in Addressing Teacher Burnout
Despite these challenges, many teachers remain committed to the profession. The quality of the work environment significantly impacts teacher retention, satisfaction, and effectiveness. Therefore, principals, superintendents, and other district leaders must ensure that teachers feel genuinely supported. Teachers who do not feel supported by administrators are more likely to leave the profession.
Recent research confirms that burnout can be temporary and that district administrators and school leaders can alleviate it, even when external environments beyond the school present challenges. District administrators can empower central office leadership teams and school administrators to help them identify exactly what it is that teachers need and are asking for to support their well-being.
Curious about how schools and districts are addressing teacher burnout with the help of Everyday Speech? Explore the case studies here.
Strategies for Reducing Teacher Burnout
Broadly speaking, district administrators can utilize their position and influence to proactively address burnout by setting clear expectations for educators in their district and allocating resources towards professional learning that is designed to reduce burnout and improve well-being. What could this look like in practice?
A recent EdResearch brief includes many strategies based on key findings from research literature into this topic. Selected findings from that brief are summarized here:
- When leaders protect teachers’ time, and prioritize teacher learning, we can expect higher levels of teacher satisfaction.
- Be intentional about supporting teachers’ own professional growth. Higher levels of support helps teachers feel supported and they are more likely to be retained.
- When you can minimize administrative paperwork and set clear expectations for students and families, you can relieve pressure on your teachers.
- When leaders involve teachers in how student learning opportunities are designed and implemented, we can expect higher levels of teacher morale and student achievement.
- This strategy relates to teacher autonomy, and is based on research findings that teachers value their instructional team time when they have sufficient agency in determining how the time is used and a safe environment where they can openly examine their practice. Teacher morale is higher in environments where teachers have the autonomy to exercise their professional judgment, be creative, and make decisions about how best to teach their students.
- This strategy relates to teacher autonomy, and is based on research findings that teachers value their instructional team time when they have sufficient agency in determining how the time is used and a safe environment where they can openly examine their practice. Teacher morale is higher in environments where teachers have the autonomy to exercise their professional judgment, be creative, and make decisions about how best to teach their students.
- When leaders openly communicate with educators and collect data on teachers’ professional concerns, you can more accurately identify and address the root causes of teacher dissatisfaction.
- To better understand the causes of teacher loss, Gallup studied 845 K-12 teachers from a 2019 Gallup workforce survey who also completed a Gallup survey in 2023. Teachers who remained reported receiving recognition or praise for doing great work and were more likely to have someone at work talk to them about their progress in the past six months. This suggests that frequent conversations focused on recent successes and future goals can engage teachers enough to keep them at their jobs. School leaders can aim for similar results by creating a workplace culture that regularly recognizes staff members.
The EdResearch brief also provides guidance on what not to do:
- When leaders fail to approach teacher well-being as an ongoing and long-term goal, we should expect their efforts to be treated as superficial, siloed, and short-term.
- Designating one day, one person, or one initiative to represent wellness in your district does not account for the diversity among teaching staff. Different professionals experience burnout in different ways, and for different reasons.
- Although district administrators help establish what strategies will be used to promote wellness and reduce burnout, “prescribing” these strategies without teacher involvement – and overly focusing on their compliance with the strategy – often results in low levels of buy-in.
Best Practices for Implementing Social and Emotional Learning Programs to Support Teachers
Research has shown that teacher burnout symptoms may be driven by the particular social and emotional demands of teaching. Examples of these social and emotional demands include classroom management, and time management needs that result from their workload. This becomes stressful when they don’t have access to needed social and emotional resources in their environment such as institutional support, or there’s not enough time for them to engage with other teachers. Since teaching-specific stressors are often social and emotional, adult social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions designed for teachers have increased rapidly over the last decade.
SEL programs for teachers often promote strengthening of their own social and emotional competencies in five interrelated areas: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. These competences enable teachers to adapt to and face job-related challenges through personal development and positive interpersonal relationships, in addition to effective and ethical work and performance.
A recent meta-analysis by Olivera and colleagues (2021) investigated the effects of SEL interventions for teachers. Results of their review indicated small to medium effects that favored the teachers that participated in adult SEL interventions compared to those that did not. Positive outcomes for participating teachers included their social and emotional competence, well-being, and reduced levels of psychological distress.
While it is important for district administrators to know that there are effective adult SEL programs, what can they do with this information? The answer starts with learning what it is that educators in your district specifically need and are asking for. The adult SEL programs that were reviewed in the Olivera and colleagues meta-analysis may have been designed for specific grade levels, have different durations that may or may not fit into your professional learning calendar, and may or may not target the specific skills or root causes that educators in your district are looking for support around. It starts with finding out what your educators need.
Conclusion
Addressing teacher burnout requires a holistic and sustained approach that prioritizes both the emotional and professional well-being of educators. By creating supportive environments, reducing administrative burdens, and fostering opportunities for professional growth, district and school leaders can play a pivotal role in alleviating the pressures that lead to burnout. Additionally, implementing adult SEL programs can strengthen teachers’ social and emotional competencies towards managing the demands of their complex work. Ultimately, a concerted effort to listen to teachers’ needs and involve them in decision-making will help cultivate a healthier, more resilient teaching force.
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