Charmelle: Trying to Avoid Burnout, Part One

I must say I love teaching and I truly feel that it is my calling to be a special education teacher. I enjoy the connection that I make with my students and having the opportunity to support them in being successful, but being a special educator can also be very challenging. Underneath all of the paperwork, deadlines, scheduled meetings, writing IEPs and lesson planning, I know so much more could be added to that list and it can become overwhelming, stressful and hectic. At times I feel like I’m performing my own juggling routine and sometimes wonder if I will learn how to better balance all of these tasks.

Recently, I read an article “How to Keep Your Special Education Teacher” by Leah Washburn-Moses. The article discussed teacher burnout and attrition rates in the field of special education, and suggested how administrators could better support their special educators. Washburn-Moses says: 

“The annual attrition rate for special education teachers has been estimated between eight percent and 10 percent and special education teachers are leaving the field in much greater numbers than their peers in general education (Washburn-Moses, 2005).”

That is a significant loss of special education teachers each year in a field that is already considered to have a national shortage. This made me start thinking how I can avoid becoming a statistic of “teacher burnout.” I have also read that new special education teachers do not stay in the field longer than five years; this means we, as new teachers, are a significant part of that percentage each year.

Like I said earlier, I love my job and I see it as a career that intend to build upon, but I wouldn’t be honest if didn’t say I haven’t ever felt at the end of the day it might be just too much or perhaps I’ve shed a couple of tears from shear exhaustion.

Thankfully, I am lucky to have a very supportive family that continues to encourage me, but how do we as special educators continue to be intrinsically motivated to pursue our passion for education when we sometimes have so many extrinisic factors that make it challenging?

I am interested to hear from new teachers, veterans, as well as student teachers to get your perspective on how you continue to motivate yourself. What challenges you have overcome in the process as well?

Comments

[HollieMason]

As a graduate school student/resident teacher/person trying to have some kind of life, I feel this burn-out especially this year. Last year, at this same time, I found myself working three jobs (one of them in mental health, and the other two to support the gas mileage it took me to get to my mental health job) and going to the doctor to try to figure out what was "wrong" with me. I was gaining weight (despite healthy eating habits and exercising semi-regularly), COMPLETELY exhausted (as in, almost falling asleep driving to and from work daily), emotionally unstable, and at the point that I was taking mental health days at least once a week (luckily, I had the "sick" time to use). I was flabergasted when the doctor told me I was just working too much and nothing was technically "wrong" with me.

I'm getting to that point again this year. The difference? I love what I do and know that being a student is only temporary. I will be done soon, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. However, I'm wondering what happens when I have kids of my own and I'm working full time? Or if I have a particularly trying case load. Is this feeling going to be a yearly thing from now on? I barely have time to take care of myself (if I want to work out, I have to get up at 4 am to do it... that doesn't really happen). I would love some tips on what people do to de-stress in these situations. I feel like I am handling it well this year, and that last year's experience of going to the doctor and just being reminded that I do too much is a great lesson to me to help me truly understand that I am not invincible, but I would love some extra tools to hold on to for the future.

[Jeremy]

I am also starting to feel the effects of burnout, this being my fourth year of teaching. At the beginning of the year I switched to a new school district in a new state which requires more information on IEPs and has higher expectations on special education teachers. Not to mention administration does not allow teachers any time to plan and meet as teams. If anyone has suggestions on how I can start to enjoy my career again it would be greatly appreciated.

[Kathy Malas]

Burnout? This is my first year and I started in April 2012. I taught K-3 in a resource room. This year I was prepared to be back in the same resource room and was then moved to the 4th and 5th grade resource room. I currently work 6-7 days a week and usually work between 10 and 12 hours a day. I had to write a grant for two computers for my students and I just received textbooks at the beginning of December. So needless to say I have complete burnout. I am an older adult who switched careers and the only reason I will stay is because of my students. I have joy when I am teaching my students. The burnout comes from all of the data driven work that is expected of us that really does not have to do with teaching.

[Valerie music]

Keep in mind that you may be the best part of many of your students' lives. Time spent with you in your classroom may be the only thing they have to look forward to. Keeping a sense of humor is also helpful! I was a resource classroom teacher for 22 years (3rd and 4th grade). For the past four years I have been a behavioral consultant for students with emotional and behavioral problems. We need more teachers like you in the field!

[Heather]

Burning out is something I am really worried about. I'm just finishing my last week of student teaching. I was in a general ed 1st grade class for 10 weeks and a severe special ed room for 6. The burn out rate for elementary and special education teachers is a high percentage and that worries me. I have already felt burned with all the homework I have on top of my time as a student teacher. I have often thought about how I will avoid being burned out when I am a certified teacher and have a classroom of my own. I think the one thing that I plan on doing is trying to balance my life and take time for myself and my family. I want to always try to set time aside that I can do something fun with my husband and family. This is something that has worked for me while doing student teaching. Whenever I feel like giving up I try and do something small for myself or go somewhere with my husband. Exercise has also been another escape for me. After I work out I feel refreshed and ready for a new day ahead of me. These are just some things that have worked for me and I hope they help someone else as well.

[Interspedfirst]

Nice post...do you have a link to the article you cited? I'd like to read it....

[NevadaBenton]

Preventing burn out is always a topic fresh on my mind. This is my third year teaching as a HS SPED teacher and right away I was told that I was a candidate for burn out because of my devotion and extra hours I put in. My second year into the position I went to a SPED conference in Anchorage (ASSEC) and did an informal survey of how people had managed to stay in their positions and not get burnt out.

These were some of their answers:
1. re-invent yourself; meaning specialize, or change up your job duties
2. different administration; at the time I didn’t know what was meant by this, but some administration is more supportive of SPED departments than others and sometimes a change within the district can reawaken and refresh
3. go to a conference; this provides the opportunity to talk with others who are doing the same thing, also gives you the opportunity to learn new skills which can help how successful you feel in your position
Lastly, and I feel most importantly, lead a well balanced life. Often times the great need of our students leads us to neglect ourselves and our families. The important thing to remember is that we need to take care of ourselves, for our students, so that we are the best we can be, not only for ourselves, but to best serve them.

I wanted some more answers than what I had gathered at the conference. So I started reading up on the topic. Also, I started a blog to support SPED teachers. I will also present on burnout prevention at the upcoming Alaska Statewide Special Education Conference in Anchorage the first week in Feb. This time I will conduct a more formal survey and will post the results on my blog by the end of Feb. 2013.

If you are interested, here is the link:
Transitions: Serving Each Individual Student without Losing Yourself;  a blog with resources to support special education teachers
http://transitions.nevadabenton.com/

We need the best and the brightest to choose to work in Special Education and stay with us; thank you for all of your hard work.