More than 40% of American K-12 teachers are “always” or “very often” burnt out. That percentage surpasses all other industries, including healthcare and law. While discouraging, this news is not surprising.
Teaching has always been a meaningful but challenging profession. However, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing challenges and introduced new ones to teachers already facing numerous stressors, resulting in a higher rate of teachers leaving the profession.
Those committed to teaching need support to ensure they don’t reach burnout levels that prompt them to quit or that impact their well-being. School districts must take action by demonstrating their appreciation for teachers and offering them support at all levels.
Here are four ways school districts can champion their teachers:
Reimagine classrooms
Classrooms—no matter the size—usually only have one teacher to meet the academic and emotional needs of students. Attending to 20 to 30 students (or more) can be physically exhausting and mentally draining for teachers, who often lack personalized materials, supplies or simply an extra set of hands.
To protect teachers’ physical and emotional well-being, school administrators should reimagine classrooms. One option is to deploy a team of volunteers and interns to work with small groups or provide one-on-one instruction that meets students’ unique learning needs. Assigning additional adults to a classroom alleviates pressure on teachers and prioritizes student education, demonstrating that leaders care about the mission and understand teachers’ challenges.
Build a caring culture and community
Teachers need their schools to provide a strong support system. When a school district creates formal and informal communities of educators, it cultivates a sense of belonging for them, and this belonging promotes self-care. To help build teacher communities, districts can set aside a space and carve out designated time for educator collaboration. For example, schools can allocate time for specific content-area teachers or grade-level teams to collaboratively plan lessons or special events.
2 principals to watch: How they are inspiring positivity and school spirit
School leaders can also develop more formal communities where seasoned teachers serve as coaches, sharing experiences and insights with their peers. Offering teachers an opportunity to discuss questions, issues or concerns with each other helps reduce stress levels. This type of sounding board can lead to the implementation of proven solutions.
School administrators must remember that building a community doesn’t require fancy tools or expensive resources. It requires initiative and consistency. Further, community-building and culture-enhancing opportunities should provide targeted support to help teachers focus on instruction.
Celebrate accomplishments
While teachers hold an important and essential job, only 46% of teachers feel respected and seen as professionals by the public. That’s a 31% dip from 2011. School districts must work to change this perception, prioritizing teacher appreciation efforts both within classrooms and in the community. When district and school leaders celebrate teachers, they:
- Make teachers feel appreciated and valued.
- Improve overall staff culture.
- Increase individual and team confidence.
- Strengthen individual and team relationships.
Public praise doesn’t have to be costly. It can look like a special shoutout during a school meeting, in a newsletter or on a school website. Or, school leaders can offer extra planning time by assigning recess, dismissal or other extra duties to staff or volunteers. Something as simple as a handwritten note or an email with positive feedback can also show gratitude and make a difference in a teacher’s day.
Evaluate compensation
Despite the huge responsibility of educating the youngest generations, teaching comes with a low monetary return. In fact, teachers make just 80.8 cents on the dollar compared to similarly educated professionals. And that’s despite having to maintain certifications and participate in continuing education courses.
Low compensation is a significant contributor to teacher burnout, especially when more than 20% of teachers have to take a second job to make ends meet. This is unacceptable. More organizations must advocate for increased teacher salaries, and districts must develop creative and implementable solutions for realizing fair and equitable educator wages.
An educator’s role is essential to society. But, without the proper reinforcements, burnt-out teachers will continue fleeing the profession. School districts must offer more support—extra hands in the classroom, supportive communities and recognition and respect—so they can positively impact the future of our young people.
