The Great Resignation of 2021 continues to plaque employers into 2022, and K-12 schools are not immune. Teachers continue to take on extra roles to fill in gaps left by colleagues who resigned, which will only accelerate burnout. As schools scramble to find substitutes and hire replacement teachers, educators may find the most immediate relief by securing their own support networks and methods of reducing stress. Here are 3 ways teachers can be (SEL)fish to protect against burnout.
- Journaling
The school year has a general trend of high energy at the beginning of the year, which flags during the middle of the year, and then continues to dissipate throughout the school year until the last school bell marks the start of summer vacation. So how do teachers who still believe their passion lies in education manage their feelings of wanting to give up? Device-free journaling is one way. Tracking thoughts can help educators distinguish the normal ebb and flow of energy throughout the school year from an inordinate amount of stress and exhaustion.
2. Declare a No Grading Day
Teachers need downtime. Finding a day to away grading may provide a small respite from the demands of teaching and to-do lists that are often unmanageable. Also, using classroom management software like GoGuardian teacher, can ease the burden of managing a classroom.
3. Break up the routine
Both teaching and learning are difficult when teachers are overwhelmed. Taking time to laugh and build relationships with students can make it more fun to wake up and head to school for both teachers and students alike. Try playing silly games. Some teachers switch out reading or writing lessons for interactive options like letting kids act out plays or record podcasts.
Share your thoughts in the comments below. Do you have suggestions to reduce teacher burnout?
Sources:
https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/getting-serious-about-teacher-burnout
https://www.edutopia.org/article/6-things-consider-leaving-teaching
https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-ways-school-leaders-can-work-prevent-teacher-burnout
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/31/the-great-resignation-is-still-in-full-swing-heres-what-to-know.html
VARconnection 