Burning
out and
Lightening
Up
The difference between May and September to a teacher is
comparable to summer versus winter, north as opposed to south,
a sprint instead of a crawl. And contrary to what people think,
it isn’t because teachers begin dreaming of beaches
and ski boats. What they yearn for is peace, quiet and a chance
to regroup to keep burnout at bay.
The B-word looms in many teachers’ minds in May, so
summer serves as rejuvenation time—and it should. Studies
have advocated many things to combat burnout. But before teachers
can consider remedies, they must first recognize the signs.
Burnout is a culmination of stress caused by unruly students,
uninvolved parents, too much paperwork, little recognition
and less-than-stellar pay. For some, according to Teacher
Magazine, burnout is more than a rough patch. It can be a
career-ending crash. Paying attention to your emotional, mental
and physical state is imperative, and for those with the means,
one euphoric avenue is a “part-time break.” Another
cure can be one of several more feasible mental exercises.
Each can give you renewed fervor to continue doing what you
love—motivating kids to be better, do better, think
better.
“Teachers are by nature centered on the needs of their
students instead of their own,” says Julia G. Thompson,
author of First Year Teacher’s Survival Kit. “One
of the major reasons so many capable and bright young professionals
leave our profession is because they lack the necessary coping
skills to handle stress while it is still manageable.”
How do you know if you’re nearing, or already consumed,
by burnout? Some key signs Teacher Magazine notes are lack
of energy, enthusiasm, satisfaction, motivation, interest,
zest, dreams for life, ideas, concentration, self-confidence,
and possibly the most crucial, a sense of humor.
If you’re panicking because these all describe you,
there is still hope. You can beat it, avoid it, or prevent
it altogether. According to medical professionals, there are
six methods to alleviating stress-induced burnout:
- Laugh more. In a poll by the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse,
long-term teachers unanimously chose “take care of
yourself and find time to laugh” as the primary piece
of advice for first-year teachers.
- . Pause and take a deep breath. When stress builds or
a confrontation heightens emotions, take a mental time-out
and count to ten. It’s old advice but good advice.
Remind yourself that a week from now, the problem will be
a distant memory.
- . Manage your time. This is a major key to balancing
your life. Allot time for friends, family and a good book.
Reading an enthralling novel is like a mini-vacation. If
grading papers, meeting with parents and school meetings
begin to shadow your personal life, step back and reassess.
Even the most dedicated teacher must keep in perspective
that school is not your life, though your life may revolve
around school. There is a difference.
- Spend some time alone. Health professionals suggest an
hour a day of quiet time reading, doing a crossword puzzle,
or sitting down for a breather can do wonders. Dr. Jeff
St. John, author of “Creating Quality Time for Yourself,”
an article from the Complete Idiot’s Guide, says that
teachers should close their doors, turn off the lights,
and spend five minutes alone at some point during the day.
That brief reprieve can do wonders for a person’s
state of mind.
On the opposite side of that coin is that you should never
spend too much time alone. Turn to other teachers or peers
for support. Educators with more years of experience may
offer insight into dilemmas and newer teachers can inspire
optimism.
- Take care of yourself first and foremost. Whatever ails
you spreads to your students and your peers, no matter if
your bug is the flu or negativity.
- Take five minutes to meditate, or drink a hot cup of
coffee by yourself not thinking or talking to anyone about
anything.
Psychologists also recommend new hobbies such as dance,
volleyball, art, guitar, even yoga. These activities simply
force you to consider other areas of your life, not just your
eight to ten hours (and sometimes more) at school. Teacher
Magazine also suggests a designated day for schoolwork at
home. Otherwise, leave it at school. Choosing one evening
a week for your designated “planning” or “grading”
night will reduce the feeling of that oppressive umbrella
of “having so much to do.” This allows you to
spend your other evenings and weekends guilt-free with your
family or by yourself.
Once you’ve identified your source of burnout, you
must take measures to curtail or eliminate it by choosing
one of several “cures.” These vary from taking
a “part-time break” to small mental exercises
that can alleviate immediate stressors.
A “part-time break” is exactly as it sounds—taking
a year to teach only a few hours while pursuing a dream, no
matter what it is.
Two vital pieces to the part-time puzzle are strong collaboration
with your peers and flexible administration.
Students stand to benefit most from re-energized teachers,
but educators have to remain active with their department.
If the move creates a gap between full- and part-time people,
then the schedule doesn’t work. Be willing to conference
with fellow teachers (either in person or by e-mail), and
always stay abreast of the ever-changing world of education.
Team teaching takes on a new look when one of the partners
isn’t around before and after school, but if communication
is strong, it can work.
Taking that step, whichever road you choose to alleviate
burnout, is important.
Burnout is a real medical condition, and most teachers are
under stress without full awareness of the severity and the
toll it takes until the damage is significant. If a sit-down
with your principal can lead to productive results, take that
step. It isn’t just your own well-being at stake. If
you’re truly stressed, think how many worlds you’re
affecting with your stress. If your choice is one of the more
immediate, stress-reducing options, take them seriously and
take them often. There’s no such thing as too much relaxation.
In education, teaching is all about learning. Are you still
doing both? If not, then burnout may loom on your horizon.
Meet May with the same enthusiasm as September and realize
the elements of education that frustrate you (tough schedule,
too much paper-work, and too little time to do it all) are
in your control.
Weekends don’t have to be just two days to catch up
on grading, and summers can be a time to live life outside
of the confines of the school building. The beauty of teaching
is that we are all students of life. Just because we’re
teachers doesn’t mean we don’t have a lot to learn.
by Barri L. Bumgarner
sb,
summer '08
_____
Past Missouri NEA member Barri L. Bumgarner,
currently pursuing her PhD with the hopes of motivating teachers
to stay motivated, is the author of Slipping, Missouri Writers’
Guild Best Fiction 2005 runner-up. Her first thriller, 8 Days,
was nominated for Missouri Book of the Year for 2004. Her
most recent story, “Retribution,” appears in Mysteries
of the Ozarks, Vol. II.
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