How to Prevent Burnout Contagion in Your School
Burnout contagion is a fancy (kinda intimidating) way of describing what happens in many schools across the country.
When one teacher gets burned out, research suggests that other teachers are likely to soon follow.
And it doesn’t just affect the teachers. Further research shows that when teachers get burned out, it impacts the stress levels of students as well.
Luckily, there are steps your organization can take to prevent widespread burnout in your community.
Steps to Prevent Burnout Contagion in Your Organization
Decrease the number of teacher evaluations - especially ones offering large rewards and large consequences. Opt for occasional constructive feedback and consistent encouragement instead.
Allow teachers more autonomy over what and how they teach their subject matter. Encourage projects and collaborations that make you and the teachers you work with excited (that excitement will get students excited, too!).
Encourage teachers to take mental health days when they need, and encourage teachers to schedule in mental health days ahead of time if they notice a particularly busy month coming up. If your reading this, start practicing this yourself.
Encourage a culture where all teachers pause to take their lunch break.
Avoid scheduling meetings during teacher planning periods.
Encourage a balanced lifestyle for your team - Especially normalize taking most evenings and weekends off.
Keep an eye out for hustle culture (“I never get enough done!”) and encourage a more balanced attitude towards work (“Once I accomplish a reasonable amount, I’m done for the day.”).
Ask teachers what excites them most about coming into school. If a teacher is starting to get worn down, ask what would reenergize them in the classroom.
Do not request new, excessive, or last minute tasks of teachers that are exhibiting signs of burnout.
