Teacher BURNOUT: It Can Be Prevented!
This week I decided to look up ways to not get burnout in teaching. I came across this article/story of a teacher whom prior to school starting, was transferred to a different school. While being transferred she was to come up with lesson plans for four freshman English classes and two language arts classes! On top of that she was facing personal problems which ranged from going through a separation from her husband of a 30 year marriage to having to cope with her son being diagnosed with cancer and having become a father a few weeks later. While teaching at this new education environment she faced teacher bullying by her students which increased the pressure of stress factors gaining up on her. All these stressors lead her to become burnout as a teacher. After reading this story I meditated on how not to burnout as a teacher.
I came up with a few pin points:
1. In teaching and in any profession there will always be stress factors either personal, physical, or educational.
2. Have a realistic view of teaching. It is not that we do not know what to expect about teachings, instead it is that we are unrealistic.
3. Remember why you chose this profession. What were the reasons that lead you to become a teacher?
4. Look past the situations that may arise. Focus. Look for the change being done, as small as it might be, in the life of your students.
5. Don’t Give Up!
6. Wake up each day with a positive attitude. Find something to look forward every day. “Many individuals mess up every new day with yesterday.” Start each day fresh!
Below is the article/story that I read:
http://neatoday.org/2011/06/07/surviving-teacher-burnout-2/
I really like the information you've shared! Its very informative. I really agree with your sixth point, "Wake up each day with a positive attitude. Find something to look forward every day. “Many individuals mess up every new day with yesterday.” Start each day fresh!" This is true for anything, teaching, other professions, and even your every day life. You have to find your passion. I found this link "Teachers staying positive in trying times" http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-staying-positive-trying-time-heather-wolpert-gawron I think its a nice article with very good tips on staying positive and not growing away from you passion.
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ReplyDeleteThis topic is so interesting and very important to consider. I love point #2! It is very important to know that during your first few years you will not be the best teacher ever. There are many obstacles that will come during the first year of teaching, but we shouldn't get discouraged because we weren't able to become that perfect teacher we imagined ourselves to be that first year of teaching.
ReplyDeleteI have found this link ("Avoiding Teacher Burnout") which contains other tips to help avoid the burnout. Hope you like it!
http://k6educators.about.com/cs/helpforteachers/a/avoidburnout.htm
Thanks for sharing this Alondra. I believe that this topic is one that every teacher is going to face at some point. Life is hard and as soon-to-be professionals we need to learn to keep business apart from personal life. Although this might be difficult we must learn to do so. The tip that stuck with me the most was the third one. We often get so caught up in the negative details of life that we forget important details of life. Reminding myself why I am making the decision of becoming a teacher will help me during those difficult situations of the day. Thanks again, and God bless.
ReplyDeleteBurn out is an unfortunate thing to have happen. We all get it and it dose not get any easier. We sometimes have to learn to cope with the life challenges that we have especially in teaching. We have situation after situation brought before us and everyone of them is different, not one the same. And when it is to the point of no return we have to look back at why we became teachers in the first place?, why we chose this profession?, and see what it really was that drew us into teaching. The students of course. This one day at my school I was having a rough day. one of my students came and wanted to talk with me. He told me when grew up he wanted to be just like me. He told me how much he appreciated everything that I had did for him.(This was in a nutshell) He gave me inspiration and that let me know that I was doing something to benefit someones life and that is why I became teacher.
ReplyDeleteThe pin points are definitely helpful. As a first year teacher I'm sure you are very stressed and panicked. It's something new and different. But you need to stay positive and have confidence that you can do it!
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