Stopping Burnout Before it Starts: Prevention Measures at the Preservice Level

Abstract

Although a great deal of attention has been focused recently on the problem of teacher burnout, very little has been done at the preservice level to prevent it. If, as many believe, burnout is most likely to occur in the first three years of teaching, steps should be taken during preservice training to help future teachers deal more effectively with the challenges and stress they will undoubtably encounter. The authors develop this rationale and identify four possible components of a burnout prevention curriculum, including 1) the development of realistic expectations, 2) the encouragement of detached concern, 3) a better understanding of classroom successes and failures, and 4) an introduction to various stress reduction strategies. F or MORE THAN A DECADE, many popular and professional periodicals have carried articles examining the growing and increasingly serious phenomenon of teacher burnout. Defined as a work-related stress syndrome, burnout is characterized by physical and emotional exhaustion, with negative effects upon motivation, attitudes, and personal relationships (Maslach, 1982). Large numbers of teachers in every area are affected (Cunningham, 1983;Gold, 1984), but according to the Office of Special Education Programs (Schrag, 1991), the attrition rate in special education is three and one-half times higher than what is found with regular teachers. In the context of critical shortages of special education teachers, attrition has significant implications for learners who have exceptionalities and for educational systems as a whole.

The effects of highly engaged field experiences and multi-faceted mentoring stategies on ameliorating pre-service teacher concerns.

“…However, supporting evidence of teacher concerns of STEM teachers was lacking. Interestingly, components of pre-service teachers' curriculum could significantly lower these concerns and attrition tendencies before entering their teaching career (Greer & Greer, 1992). The present study focused the extent to which increasing the number of highly engaged field experiences and amount of quality mentoring during a preparation program reduced teachers' self-preservation concerns, and consequently, reduced attrition tendencies before they began teaching professionally.…”

“…revealed links between teacher maturity evident in the affective domain arena and the programs during pre-service teaching experiences and in induction programs (Greer & Greer, 1992). However, supporting evidence of teacher concerns of STEM teachers was lacking.…”

“…While most student teachers viewed the student-teaching practicum as a necessary component of their educational training, it was the most stressful experience they had encountered (Black-Branch & Lamont, 1998, Greer & Greer, 1992. The scope of stressors in the student-teaching practicum differed from those of the practicing teacher because of the dual role that the student teacher has:…”

“…Another school of thought is to provide burnout intervention techniques in educational pre-service programs before teacher candidates enter the workforce (Gold, 1985b;Greer & Greer, 1992;Murray-Harvey, et al, 2000).…”

“…Novice teachers often leave teaching during their first three years of service (Hemberger & Stone, as cited in Greer & Greer, 1992) Studies have shown that this early occurrence of the "burn-out syndrome" can be attributed to: (a) unrealistic expectations; (b) lack of mentoring support; or (c) low content knowledge (e.g., Fives, Hamman, & Olivarez, 2007;Gold, 1985b;Murray-Harvey et al, 2000). Fives and others (2007) gathered data from 49 student teachers at two different intervals during their student-teaching practicum.…”