The High Cost of Caring: Educator Burnout

Unpacking Educator Burnout.

In classrooms across the country, teachers are reaching a breaking point. According to a 2022 Gallup pole, 44% of K-12 teachers report feeling burned out at work always or very often (King 2024). Long hours, increasing demands, lack of resources, and the emotional weight of supporting students are leaving many educators physically and emotionally drained.

How might burnout feel, and what emotional responses can it evoke? Burnout can feel like: constant fatigue, even after rest, feeling emotionally drained or overwhelmed, loss of enthusiasm for work or tasks once enjoyed, feeling like your efforts don’t make a difference, difficulty concentrating or staying organized, headaches, muscle tension, or gastrointestinal problems, changes in sleep patterns (insomnia or oversleeping), lowered immunity, leading to frequent illness, increased irritability or mood swings, feelings of hopelessness, anger, resentment, overwhelmn, and/or cynicism. It's a long list, because this persistent state of stress called burnout, can affect many aspects of well-being. And, it doesn’t happen overnight; rather, it builds over time when passion and purpose are constantly met with systemic challenges and inadequate personal support.

In King’s article she lays out a four-level framework for understanding burnout and how to support teachers. As a previous educator I appreciated and connected with the leveling piece, but it also left me with the question of why? Why does it make sense for teachers to need to get to a level 3 or 4 for formal mental health support to be suggested as a strategy? Why couldn’t teachers at a level 1 or 2 when they begin to notice overwhelm and becoming cynical feel supported or motivated to reach out and receive mental health support?

This is where I feel passionately that care at early stages of burnout matters and educators need support navigating not just the physical exhaustion of teaching but the emotional fatigue as well. A place to be seen, heard, and supported—without judgment—just as they support their students, families, and communities alike. A place to learn, practice, and implement coping strategies tailored to your unique life. A place to reconnect with you, your purpose, and your inner light.

King, H. (2024, Spring). Teacher Burnout: Creating a Culture of Support. Cognia – The Source. Retrieved from https://source.cognia.org/issue-article/teacher-burnout-creating-a-culture-of-support/