Learning to Overcome Teacher Burnout and Thrive in the Classroom

A Journey

I remember when I first started my graduate program, I was told that about 80% of teachers in my state leave the profession within their first five years. Through more research, the numbers don’t quite seem as high, but the fact remains…teachers are leaving the classroom at an alarming rate. This seems to have compounded since COVID-19 (but we have honestly reached a point where we need to stop blaming something that took place years ago and take a good hard look at what we’re doing now to support our students and educators).

I thought there was no way that I could ever be a part of this statistic of defeated educators. Wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, I set off with great zeal and passion to change the lives of students. Because after all, if they only had a caring adult in their life they would go on to achieve great things. Sound familiar? You’re in the right place.

I am now at the beginning of my eighth year in education, and my fourth year as a full time teacher. To be honest, my overwhelming compulsion is to become a mere tick mark in the statistics of teachers who leave. And I know that I’m not alone on this one. On many days (more than not) I feel absolutely defeated. “When will things change?” “There’s nothing I can do.” “The administration”…”the parents”…“the students.”

Oh yeah…the students. The reason I dove head first into this profession in the first place. The most fulfilling part of my career. The reason I haven’t left yet. Nothing beats the feeling of leaving a lasting positive impact on a students’ life. But it’s hard, and something that needs to be fought for on a consistent basis.

I’ve had the privilege and the downfall of being able to work in many classroom environments. I was an elementary teacher and ran an after school program at one of the most prestigious private schools in our country. Then, I got a degree in education and completed my student teaching at a Title I inner-city school. Now, I work at a charter school that supports both in-person and homeschool students. This results in what I believe is a unique look into the field of education.

So why is this a downfall?

The disheartening truth is that across all three schools (private, public, and charter) I was face to face with the same problems.

Teachers who are overworked and underpaid
Rampant Nepotism
Lack of Student Accountability
Lack of Parental Support
Administration Far Removed from the Classrooms

And the list goes on.

This reality destroyed the fantasy of “Oh. If I just worked at a better school, things would be okay.” The truth is that our education system is facing the desperate need of a complete redesign. At this juncture I don’t think it’s sustainable (here’s to hoping I’m wrong).

BUT, I’m not ready to give up just yet. My educational mentor tells me on a frequent basis, “just focus on your zone of control.” This has been incredibly disheartening because my zone of control has felt so microscopic. I took that as, “just focus on the classroom while everything around you falls apart”…which to be clear is not the message that was being sent. My mentor is a phenomenal educator, and has been in this field for a long time. I watch her tireless support administration, teachers, parents, and students with grace and apparent ease. She clearly has many traits that I desperately need to grow in, which is what I have purposed to do.

This year, I have set a goal to increase my zone of control. My goal is to support educators who may be feeling similarly to myself, to recognize and be grateful for the moments that bring me joy in the classroom, and to do something that leaves a larger impact on education than I’m capable of within a school setting.

My purpose: to hold on to that hope I started with when I became a teacher, and to provide resources and advice to other educators as I learn along the way.

I hope that you join me on this journey. I hope that my candid nature cuts through the fluff and buzzwords of what we hear as educators, and provides practical, applicable support to your careers. And I hope…though I don’t yet know how, that I am able to defeat teacher burnout in my own life, and support others in the same.