Written by: Ragini Hildreth Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As a mentor and coach for teachers, I have had the honour of working with teachers as they begin their careers. They can start nervous and quiet or bursting with confidence and idealism. Their innate creativity, talents, and skills shine through as they grow during their early career.
However, for some, the luster soon begins to erode as their passion and enthusiasm for teaching are swamped by waves of relentless pressure.
The Guardian reported that a survey of 1,788 teachers in England, found that 44% of teachers plan to leave by 2027. In the US, a Gallup poll of 12,319 full-time US employees reports more than 44% of K-12 employees to feel “always” or “very often” burned out.
Is Teacher Burnout Inevitable?
I believe that teachers can build a long-lasting teaching career without sacrificing their well-being. I also believe that family and friends are a hidden key in supporting teachers during challenging times.
In my experience of teaching, leading, and coaching in education, it is clear that family and friends of teachers easily see when the work-life balance of their loved ones has deteriorated.
They notice the negative impact of workload on their health.
They watch as family life is affected when a teacher’s professional life swamps their personal life.
They want to help but are unsure of the best way to support their loved ones.
Family and friends are in a unique position to help teachers avoid burnout in 3 simple ways.
1. Help by Listening
School life is packed with events, initiatives, and functions beyond the classroom. Daily, teachers are surrounded by hundreds of people – children, colleagues, parents, or contacts from outside agencies. Each relationship requires a level of interaction that can be draining, especially when teachers deal with painful experiences.
Just having the space to share in a caring conversation can effectively reduce stress.
2. Give Reminders to Prioritise Self-care
Teachers can be over-givers and often neglect to give themselves time to spend on their wellbeing. Self-care is not the only answer to avoiding teacher burnout but helps teachers reclaim control by focusing on improving a specific area. For example, starting a bedtime routine to improve sleep or planning a daily 15-minute walk are simple steps to prioritize self-care.
The danger of not having systematic self-care routines is that when new pressures or challenges arise, there are no extra reserves to deal with the additional responsibilities.
A gentle reminder to leave blocks of time to rest and recuperate can help to alleviate overwhelm.
3. Support Teachers to Set Boundaries
Developing a mindset that sets clear boundaries without feeling guilty takes time.
It also takes tenacity to set and maintain work-life boundaries. And to ensure that work doesn’t creep into home life, teachers who want to build a long career have to learn to say no. Attending every school activity can be draining so there is wisdom in being selective when making commitments to participate. This can be particularly challenging at the start of a career.
Loved ones offering support in establishing boundaries is an invaluable confidence builder.
Hidden Keys
Government policy, education systems, school culture, and social change are just a few of the avenues of discussion that could be had about the root causes of why teachers leave the profession prematurely.
On a practical level, dealing with constant overwhelm; managing workload, and seeing no way out leads to a loss of passion for teaching.
Teachers need support to be as well as they can be so that, ultimately, children flourish. That is why having the support of loved ones who will listen and let them share their feelings; who will remind them to set aside time for self-care and who will boost their confidence is special. Family and friends are the hidden keys to helping teachers avoid burnout.
Finally, to learn more about how I help teachers visit my website or connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, I look forward to meeting you.
Ragini Hildreth, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Ragini Hildreth is a passionate educator. A specialist in primary education, she has been an Assistant Headteacher, Governor, curriculum leader, coach, and mentor to newly qualified teachers and emerging leaders. However, there were times when she didn’t know if she could continue teaching because she was burning out. That’s why she is on a mission to empower the next generation of teachers to flourish.
