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Teacher burnout
- By Mahend Gungapersad
- Published 15th February, 2008
- Category: Education
- Views: 147
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The expression ‘teacher burnout’ depicts a profound professional malaise. It affects not only the immediate victims (the teachers suffering from the burnout effect) but also the pupils, the administration and parents who have entrusted their wards to these teachers. While some teachers openly admit that they are undergoing a difficult phase in their professional life, others take a longer time to realize they are actually experiencing burnout.
Stress and burnout is an occupational hazard which all members of helping professions are exposed to, including teachers. Hendrickson (1979) defines teacher burnout as "physical, emotional, and attitudinal exhaustion" that begins with a feeling of uneasiness and mounts as the joy of teaching begins to gradually slip away. Although the symptoms of burnout may be very personal, they are generally "lack of" symptoms (McGee-Cooper, 1990). The list includes lack of energy, joy, enthusiasm, satisfaction, motivation, interest, zest, dreams for life, ideas, concentration, and self-confidence.
Surprisingly, many teachers surveyed in Mauritius were not aware about this phenomenon. Others had some vague notion about it while some had read a little about it. Allowing such a situation to continue unchecked can be as harmful to the teachers as to the administration, students, parents and the educational system at large. Still, very few have dared to highlight this problem in concerned quarters.
Causes of stress
Many teachers find the demands of being a professional educator in today's schools difficult and at times stressful. When work stress results in teacher burnout, it can have serious consequences for the health and happiness of teachers, and also the students, professionals, and families they interact with on a daily basis.
For instance, a negative report by an inspector, an unpleasant comment by the head of school or the failure to meet certain professional targets may have far reaching consequences at the level of the teachers’ psyche. Many teachers go through hours of rumination, monologues and mental debates, sometimes in self recrimination and live with a guilt feeling.
Symptoms of stress in teachers can include anxiety and frustration,
impaired performance, and ruptured interpersonal relationships at work and home (Kyriacou, 2001). Researchers (Lecompte & Dworkin, 1991; Farber, 1998; Troman & Woods, 2001) note that teachers who experience stress over long periods of time may experience what is known as burnout.
However, according to research carried out in Mauritian Primary and Secondary schools, the causes of stress and burnout are:
• Dictatorial heads of school
• Too much of parental influence in the daily work of teachers
• Victimisation by heads of school, or the educational system
• Lack of professional recognition
• Backbiting by colleagues
• Inability to cope with professional responsibilities
• Too much of pressure at home (kids’ exams, financial problems, chronic health problems etc)
• Inability to cope with turbulent pupils.
• Inability to meet deadlines-correction of exam papers, reports etc.
• Managing work and MIE or other courses at the same time.
However, it is quite surprising that other interesting reasons for burnout were noted in the research carried out in Mauritius. They are namely:
• Some teachers have other part time responsibilities (too much of private tuition, part time business as those who own shops, video clubs, restaurants, contract vans or who work for Insurance Companies or Computer agencies etc)
• Political involvement (especially when the party is in the opposition and or there is political victimisation)
• Frustration when junior colleagues make it to the top (very often because they are better qualified)
• The work becomes too repetitive and monotonous, doing the same thing for twenty or twenty five years, sitting at the same place, meeting and talking with the same people.
• Stressful company-some people are very good at fuelling a burnout phase in a burnout-prone teacher.
• Abrupt transfer from one school to another (very often called punitive transfer)
• Vices ( alcoholism, drugs, gambling etc)
• Domestic problems like divorce, extra marital affairs, delinquent children etc.
• Tragedy (loss of a close relative, family member etc).
While there may be some differences in the findings of the research carried out in America and Mauritius, there are also common problems faced by teachers overseas and locally.
Stress and burnout is an occupational hazard which all members of helping professions are exposed to, including teachers. Hendrickson (1979) defines teacher burnout as "physical, emotional, and attitudinal exhaustion" that begins with a feeling of uneasiness and mounts as the joy of teaching begins to gradually slip away. Although the symptoms of burnout may be very personal, they are generally "lack of" symptoms (McGee-Cooper, 1990). The list includes lack of energy, joy, enthusiasm, satisfaction, motivation, interest, zest, dreams for life, ideas, concentration, and self-confidence.
Surprisingly, many teachers surveyed in Mauritius were not aware about this phenomenon. Others had some vague notion about it while some had read a little about it. Allowing such a situation to continue unchecked can be as harmful to the teachers as to the administration, students, parents and the educational system at large. Still, very few have dared to highlight this problem in concerned quarters.
Causes of stress
Many teachers find the demands of being a professional educator in today's schools difficult and at times stressful. When work stress results in teacher burnout, it can have serious consequences for the health and happiness of teachers, and also the students, professionals, and families they interact with on a daily basis.
For instance, a negative report by an inspector, an unpleasant comment by the head of school or the failure to meet certain professional targets may have far reaching consequences at the level of the teachers’ psyche. Many teachers go through hours of rumination, monologues and mental debates, sometimes in self recrimination and live with a guilt feeling.
Symptoms of stress in teachers can include anxiety and frustration,
However, according to research carried out in Mauritian Primary and Secondary schools, the causes of stress and burnout are:
• Dictatorial heads of school
• Too much of parental influence in the daily work of teachers
• Victimisation by heads of school, or the educational system
• Lack of professional recognition
• Backbiting by colleagues
• Inability to cope with professional responsibilities
• Too much of pressure at home (kids’ exams, financial problems, chronic health problems etc)
• Inability to cope with turbulent pupils.
• Inability to meet deadlines-correction of exam papers, reports etc.
• Managing work and MIE or other courses at the same time.
However, it is quite surprising that other interesting reasons for burnout were noted in the research carried out in Mauritius. They are namely:
• Some teachers have other part time responsibilities (too much of private tuition, part time business as those who own shops, video clubs, restaurants, contract vans or who work for Insurance Companies or Computer agencies etc)
• Political involvement (especially when the party is in the opposition and or there is political victimisation)
• Frustration when junior colleagues make it to the top (very often because they are better qualified)
• The work becomes too repetitive and monotonous, doing the same thing for twenty or twenty five years, sitting at the same place, meeting and talking with the same people.
• Stressful company-some people are very good at fuelling a burnout phase in a burnout-prone teacher.
• Abrupt transfer from one school to another (very often called punitive transfer)
• Vices ( alcoholism, drugs, gambling etc)
• Domestic problems like divorce, extra marital affairs, delinquent children etc.
• Tragedy (loss of a close relative, family member etc).
While there may be some differences in the findings of the research carried out in America and Mauritius, there are also common problems faced by teachers overseas and locally.
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1 Response to "Teacher burnout" 
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said this on 15 Feb 2008 6:28:36 PM MUT
We, teachers, need recognition from everyone, for the fabulous work we do everyday. people say that we are lazy people working only 6 months a year. which is absolutely false. our salaries must be increased. and we should get promotions at 15 years of service only.not when we are 60 years old!!!!!!!!!this is the only way to valorise our proffesion and to MAKE THE BURNOUT WORTH IT!
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