TEACHER DEVELOPMENT

Teacher Burnout: Impact, Signs, and Causes

24 April 2024/ By Zineb DJOUB

We, as educators, often find ourselves grappling with moments of doubt, defeat, frustration, and exhaustion, which can divert our attention from the joy of teaching and lead us to contemplate leaving the profession. This vulnerability places us at risk of burnout, a concern highlighted by various researchers (e.g., García-Carmona et al., 2019, Pyhalto et al., 2019). Recent statistics underscore the severity of teacher burnout, revealing alarmingly high rates of teachers leaving their jobs in numerous countries worldwide due to burnout. This growing phenomenon demands our immediate attention, not only to survive but to thrive personally and professionally.

Have you ever thought of leaving teaching? If so, you are not alone. Like many, I never considered leaving the profession until I encountered burnout firsthand. In this blog post, I will delve into the complexities of teacher burnout, examining its impact, signs, and causes while sharing my personal experience.

What is teacher burnout?

“Job burnout is a psychological syndrome that involves a prolonged response to stressors in the workplace” (Maslach, 2003). It’s not just feeling stressed or tired, but a state of chronic stress that teachers experience due to the working conditions. This can negatively affect their physical health and work engagement.

But, teacher burnout goes beyond just experiencing chronic stress; it also encompasses a state of mind that may lead to the intention to quit the job.

Research shows the profound effects of burnout on teachers’ mood, well-being, and mental health, including links with depression, anxiety, and lower life and work satisfaction (e.g., Capone et al. 2019, Hakanen et al. 2006).

To this end, burnout has been considered an important mental health indicator.

In addition, there is evidence that teacher burnout has an impact on student performance, with studies indicating declines in academic success and the level of student motivation (Madigan & Kim, 2021). These outcomes can ultimately lead to teachers considering leaving the profession (Billingsley & Bettini, 2019).

So, we can conclude that teacher burnout is not merely about stress but also about the mindset and feelings associated with considering leaving the profession.

Symptoms and signs of teacher burnout

With the teaching profession’s highly demanding nature, researchers have been concerned with identifying teacher burnout’s core dimensions or symptoms (Maslach et al., 2003). These are:

• Emotional exhaustion: This is characterized by an actual stress reaction, which is highly related to work overload.
• Feelings of cynicism and detachment from the job: This involves possessing negative attitudes, a lack of empathy, and feeling emotionally drained, disinterested, or disconnected from students, colleagues, and the work itself.
• A sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment: This refers to feelings of incompetency and reduction in productivity.

However, experiencing teacher burnout isn’t always about having all three symptoms simultaneously; even encountering one or two can be profoundly impactful.

Feeling overwhelmed and demotivated on a daily basis was enough for me to think of leaving the job I love.

When every day begins with a sense of dread about work, it triggers a cycle of overthinking, emotional drain, frustration, and yearning for time off. This initial feeling is often the first sign of burnout.

Without passion for the job, your productivity dwindles, and the energy and resilience needed to overcome challenges fade away.

Therefore, it’s essential to recognize these early signs to prevent burnout from taking a toll on our personal well-being and professional effectiveness.

Causes of teacher burnout

Teaching is known for its demanding working conditions. Researchers divided working conditions into two main categories: job demands and job resources.

Job demands: These refer to physical, social, or organizational aspects of the job that require sustained physical or mental effort such as high workload, managing discipline issues, supporting low achievers, increasing time pressure, and pressure from the parents of the school children.

Job resources: These include the necessary tools, technology, information, training, and support teachers need to cope with workload or emotional strain and develop personally and professionally.

Studies have shown that high job demands, specifically workload levels, lead to heightened emotional exhaustion. Additionally, when there’s a lack of resources, emotional exhaustion becomes more intense, ultimately contributing to burnout (Pogere et al., 2019).

Indeed, job resources play a crucial role in reducing job demands and stimulating personal growth and development.

For instance, Littrell, Billingsley, and Cross (1994) showed that when principals are emotionally supportive and provide informational support, teachers report greater job satisfaction, occupational commitment, and health.

Alongside working conditions, our lifestyle plays a significant role in fostering stress and burnout, which I personally consider the primary factor behind my burnout experience.

Despite my belief in the importance of self-care, I struggle to find time for personal relaxation, exercise, and leisure activities. The constant demands of work, both at university and home, leave me perpetually rushing to meet deadlines. Additionally, my dedication to my family often leads me to neglect my own well-being.

Therefore, my current focus is on mastering the art of achieving work-life balance to prevent experiencing burnout again.

In conclusion, teacher burnout is a significant concern that requires our attention. We all need to understand its signs and causes to implement proactive measures to promote our well-being and resilience in the education profession. So, let’s prioritize mental health, and self-care and cope with any feelings of burnout.

In the upcoming blog post, we will delve into effective strategies to combat burnout and foster a culture of well-being among educators.

References

Billingsley, B., & Bettini, E. (2019). Special education teacher attrition and retention: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 89(5), 697–744.

Capone, V., Joshanloo, M., & Park, M. S. A. (2019). Burnout, depression, efficacy beliefs, and work-related variables among school teachers. International Journal of Educational Research, 95, 97–108.

García-Carmona, M., Marín, M. D., & Aguayo, R. (2019). Burnout syndrome in secondary school teachers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Social Psychology of Education, 22(1), 189–208.

Hakanen, J. J., Bakker, A. B., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2006). Burnout and work engagement among teachers. Journal of School Psychology, 43(6), 495–513.

Littrell,P.C, Billingsley, B.S, Cross, L.H. (1994). The effects of principal support on special and general educators’ stress, job satisfaction, school commitment, health, and intent to stay in teaching. Remedial Spec Educ. 15:297–310.

Madigan, D. J., & Kim, L. E. (2021). Does teacher burnout affect students? A systematic review of its association with academic achievement and student-reported outcomes. International Journal of Educational Research, 105, Article 101714.

Maslach, C. (2003). Job Burnout: New Directions in Research and Intervention. Curr. Dir. Psychol. Sci. 12 (5), 189–192. doi:10.1111/1467-8721.01258

Pogere, E. F., López-Sangil, M. C., García-Senorán, M. M., and Gonzáles, A. (2019). Teachers’ Job Stressors and Coping Strategies: Their Structural Relationships with Emotional Exhaustion and Autonomy Support. Teach. Teach. Educ. 85, 269–280. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2019.07.001

Pyhalto, K., Pietarinen, J., Haverinen, K., Tikkanen, L., & Soini, T. (2021). Teacher burnout profiles and proactive strategies. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 36, 219–242.