teacher burnout powerpoint

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TEACHER BURNOUTANALYSIS OF A SPECIAL EDUCATION ISSUE

By: Lenora ButlerWalden UniversityDr. Tontaleya Ivory

The Special Educator as Instructional LeaderEDUC-6720P-3

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Working in an urban school district can be very challenging coupled

with many forms of stress. Witnessing the teacher retention rate dropping

yearly at my school, peeked my curiosity as to why this is occurring. The No

Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) impacted the teaching profession as well as

having many consequences for students. This is a major topic of debate for

many educators. Teachers feel overwhelmed by standardized test scores

becoming the most important accountability measure used to evaluate

schools. The pressure to raise student test scores causes teachers to

experience stress and job dissatisfaction. Many educators resent

streamlining the curriculum and stifling creativity in favor of teaching to the

test.

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There are those that complain about the students, parents and

the administration daily. Teachers deal with their challenges and

stresses in many ways. Some teachers are unable to manage their

workload while others are discouraged and become bitter. On the

other hand, many teachers find ways to disassociate themselves

against a hostile school environment. I will investigate how many

of my colleagues feel or suffer from “Burnout”.

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Fourteen percent of American teachers leave after only one year, and forty-six percent quit before their fifth year

(Lambert, 2006).

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Teachers deal with their challenges and stresses in many ways.

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Some teachers are unable to manage their workload while others are discouraged and become bitter.

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Many teachers find ways to disassociate themselves against a hostile school environment.

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Freudeinberger (1974) identified burnout as a form of occupational stress that is an inevitable struggle for all helping professionals who work with others, no matter how dedicated, committed, and skillful they may be. Kottler, Zehm & Kottler (2005) suggest; that burnout is an insidious, progressive form of self-neglect. Kyriako (2001) attributes the major causes of teacher stress to 1. When teachers teach students’ that lack interest in school, not completing their assignments, and who exhibit high instances of poor behaviors. 2. There are many poor relationships among colleagues. 3. Teachers feeling overwhelmed by heavy workloads placed on them. 4. The school has poor ethos.

Carter (1994) defines teacher burnout as physical, emotional, and attitudinal exhaustion that begins with a feeling of uneasiness and mounts as the joy of teaching begins to fade.

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DEFINITION OF TEACHER BURNOUTFreudeinberger (1974) identified burnout as a form of occupational stress that is an inevitable struggle for all helping professionals who work with others, no matter how dedicated, committed, and skillful they may be.

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Students lack interest in school

Students exhibit high instances of poor behaviors

Poor relationships among colleagues

Overwhelmed byHeavy workloads

Poor School Ethos CAUSES OF TEACHER BURNOUT

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SYMPTOMS OF TEACHER BURNOUT1. Teachers are reluctant to discuss their

work with others. 2. Teachers exhibit attitudes of cynicism,

negativity, and callousness toward the students, parents, and colleagues.

3. When teachers lack the enthusiasm and experience emotional exhaustion.

4. Demonstrate decreased effectiveness in their job performance and feel powerless to alter their situation.

(Maslach, 1982)

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TOP FIVE SOURCES OF JOB STRESSTravers and Cooper (1996) conclude that the five top sources of job pressures derive from change.

Lack of information and communication

on how to implement changes

Lack of support for

teachers from

government, school

districts and school leaders

Constant changes through school reform

Diminished social respect for the

teaching profession

Current move towards a national curriculum

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Evaluation MethodI initially conducted informal interviews with three regular education and four special education teachers with varied amounts of teaching experience. These teachers were to elaborate on the subject of teacher burnout and state what is causing burnout at their school. Several of the teachers sighted student behavior as a crucial factor. Some believe that poor attitudes by students, parents, colleagues, and administration led to their burnout. Two special education teachers described paperwork and lack of support as the key issue. After reviewing the causes of burnout sighted by the group of teachers, I formulated a survey and anonymously issued it through staff school mailboxes. They were asked to return it to a folder placed in the mailroom.

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Survey ResultsI analyzed the survey by first determining how many of the teachers that

suffer from burnout. There were fifty surveys issued to teachers and thirty returned them for analysis. Out of the thirty teachers that participated in the survey twenty-seven (ninety percent) of them indicated that they presently suffer from teacher Burnout.

Reviewing the results of the teacher survey showed that twenty-seven of the thirty teachers cited the major cause of teacher burnout was the attitudes of students, parents, and colleagues. Secondly, The issues associated with the NCLB Act, eleven of the thirty (thirty-six percent): The third major citing was school leadership ten of the thirty teachers (thirty-three percent); and the fourth key issue cited was student behavior eight of the thirty ( twenty-seven percent). Seven teachers (twenty-three percent) cited lack of teacher respect, school politics (thirteen percent); new laws, professional development, and empirical issues were all at (seven percent). The teacher survey consisted of ten factors that contribute to teacher burnout. The teachers were to indicate if they suffer from burnout.( See Table 1)

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In conclusion, I began my investigation of teacher burnout because of the poor moral among my colleagues which I feel has had a negative affect on student learning. After reviewing the teacher surveys it is apparent that teacher burnout is rampant in this school environment. Teacher burnout can affect any teacher with any level of teaching experience. Having the desire for a better working environment and for students to receive a quality education; somehow we must find a solution.

Conclusion

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SUGGESTIONS TO REDUCE BURNOUT1. SMALLER CLASS SIZES2. REDUCTION IN PAPERWORK3. MORE SUPPORT AND INTERACTION FROM

COLLEAGUES, ADMINISTRATORS, AND COORDINATORS4. OBSERVATION OF COLLEAGUES FOR DEVELOPMENT AND

COLLABORATION PURPOSES5. PLANNING PERIODS6. MENTOR PROGRAMS7. WORKSHOPS DESIGNED FOR DEALING WITH STRESS8. DEVELOPMENT OF CLEAR JOB DESCRIPTION9. PROPER PLACEMENT OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

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REDUCE YOUR WORKLOAD FIGURE OUT WHAT THE MOST STRESSFUL PARTS OF YOUR TEACHING LIFE ARE, AND FIND SOLUTIONS

PREVENT BURNOUT

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RECHARGEEAT PROPERLYEXERCISERELAXSLEEPHAVE SOME “ME TIME”

PREVENT BURNOUT

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RECONNECTPREVENT BURNOUT

• BUILD A PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT NETWORK

• ATTEND CONFERENCES

• BLOG

• TAKE CLASSES

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PROMISING SCHOOL PRACTICES T O HELP PREVENT TEACHER BURNOUT

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AT THE DISTRICT, SCHOOL, AND CLASSROOM LEVELS, EDUCATORS SHOULD REVIEW PRACTICES THAT ARE NOT WORKING TO ADDRESS ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND ACADEMIC PROBLEMS AND ELIMINATE OR MODIFY THESE PRACTICES.

SCHOOLS SHOULD ESTABLISH APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES FOR ALL STUDENTS DIRECTED TOWARD EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEM BEHAVIORS AND ACADEMIC SKILL NEEDS. EARLY IDENTIFICATION IS ESSENTIAL TO DESIGNING EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS.

DEVELOP A SCHOOL-WIDE APPROACH TO MODIFYING THE LEARNING CLIMATE IN ACCORD WITH RESEARCH ON EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS

EMPHASIZE STAFF DEVELOPMENT AS ONE OF THE TOP SCHOOL PRIORITIES, AND ALIGN STAFF DEVELOPMENT TO BUILDING GOALS AND PROGRAMS. ONGOING STAFF DEVELOPMENT IS ESSENTIAL IF PROGRAMS TO REDUCE ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND IMPROVE ACADEMIC SUCCESS ARE TO BE EFFECTIVE.

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Professional Ethics and Legal IssuesTO PURPOSED SOLUTIONS

Responsibility to Colleagues and Professional Associates

•The ethical code promotes the qualities of cooperation, fairness, respect, and objectivity.• Educators who are ethical display regard and respect for the profession and other professionals.•Educators are ethical when they inform themselves about the services provided by others that would benefit their students.• Ethical Educators keep all lines of communication open.

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Responsibility to the School and Community•Teachers often act as advocates of the educational process and the students’ right to their education• Teachers must speak up when any policy or program threatens the welfare of students• Teachers should inform the principal when conditions in the school inhibit a teachers effectiveness in providing a quality education to students• Teachers should build relationships in the community for the benefit of students, parents without benefit to themselves

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Responsibility to Self•Teachers must be cognizant of cultural diversity• Teachers must attend to their own professional development by continuing their education• Teachers need to know when to refer a student to alternative programs or services• Teachers need to practice self-care to avoid burnout and compromise their students

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Responsibility to the Profession

•Teachers should participate in educational associations• Teachers should attend workshops, conferences, staff development to keep abreast of their field• Teachers should behave professionally when in public view

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Maintenance of Standards

•Teachers should know how policies passed by their local school district affects their practice•Teachers should know student’s rights•Teachers should know parents rights

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ReferencesCarter, S. (1994). Organizing systems to support competent social behavior in children and youth. Retrieved from: http; // www.interact.uoregon.edu/wrrc/burnout.html

Freudeinberger, H. (1974). Staff burnout. Journal of Social Issues, 30, 159-165.

Kyriakou, C. (2001) Teacher stress: directions for future research. EducationalReview, 53, 1, 27–35.

Lambert, L. (2006, May 9). Half of teachers quit in 5 years. Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com

Maslach, C. & Jackson, S. (1981) The Maslach burnout inventory. Palo Alto,CA: Consulting Psychologists’ Press.

Travers, C. & Cooper, C. (1996) Teachers under pressure: Stress in theteaching profession. London: Routledge.

http://www.interact.uoregon.edu/wrrc/burnout.html

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Annotated Bibliography

Fore III, C., Martin, C., & Bender, W. (2002). Teacher burnout in special education: The causes and the recommended solutions.

High School Journal, (86) 1, 36.

This journal describes the teacher burnout and teacher retention problem in the special education field. Provides the results of

research conducted on the issues of special education teachers burnout and the factors that affect new teachers. The authors

suggest steps to eliminate teacher burnout.

Thompson, G. (2008). Beneath the apathy: reaching the reluctant learner. Educational Leadership, (65) 6, 50-54.

This article explores research conducted in a low performing, predominately minority high school in southern California

concerning student perceptions in a low performing school. A group of one hundred twenty-one teachers and two hundred sixty-

eight students completed questionnaires, in addition one hundred forty-six students participated in focus groups. An analysis of

the survey and focus group results revealed a number of areas of school life about which educators and students had vastly

different perceptions. Awareness of these differences can guide educators in improving the school experiences of black and Latino

students.

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Annotated Bibliography (continued)

Wood, T., & McCarthy, C. (December, 2002). Understanding and preventing teacher burnout.

Eric Digest. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov

This digest explains that burnout results from the chronic perception that one is unable to cope

with daily life demands. Teachers must face classrooms full of students every day; negotiate

potentially stressful interactions with parents, administrators, counselors, and other teachers;

contend with relatively low pay and shrinking school budgets; and ensure students meet

increasingly strict standards. This can result in a form of burnout at some point in their careers.

The digest looks at the nature of the stress response, describes the development of the burnout

construct, and examines several types of prevention that can be useful in helping teachers contend

with an occupation that puts them at risk for burnout. Primary prevention includes organizational

practices which allow teachers some control over their daily challenges. Secondary prevention

focuses on early detection of problems before they emerge as full-blown disorders. Tertiary

prevention involves ameliorating symptoms of burnout. The digest concludes that primary

prevention is preferable, but all types can be effective.

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APPENDIXTeacher Burnout Data Table 1

Teacher Burnout Reason Teachers Citing The Reason Percentage Rate

Attitudes of Students,

Parents, Colleagues

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90%

School Leadership 10 33%

Student Behavior 8 27%

School Politics 4 13%

Respect (Lack of) 7 23%

Documentation/ Paperwork 5 17%

Legal Issues 2 7%

Professional Development 2 7%

NCLB 11 36%

Personal Issues 2 7%

Do you suffer from teacher

burnout?

YES

90%

27 OF 30

NO

3 OF 30

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THE END