Question:
A recent study on teacher burnout (see the article here) cites new reasons for teacher stress. What do you feel is the greatest contributor to teacher stress and burnout?
Replies:
Bill Hage - Lakeland, Fl
The combination of No Child Left Behind and the unachieveable expectations of parents have given teachers no time to really teach. With all the extra paper work due to NCLB, time is used that could be better utilized working with students. Parents who think there child is going to Yale or Harvard, when they have a child that is working two or three grades below grade level, hold the teaches accountable for their child's performance. The flustration level gets so great, that even the most dedicated of teachers are beginning to throw up their hands in discust, and walking away from the field. The lack of discipline because of the "political correctness" issue is also causing teachers to rethink their career choice. If a child is a disruption, they are a disruption, regardless of race, religion, age or sex.
Faith Rossell - Ft Pierce, FL
The greatest contributor to teacher stress and burnout is the work overload due to the federal and state government's mandates on education. Considering the unpaid hours teachers are having to put in due to "no child left behind", which is negatively impact children who already have the odds against them, our salaries are so low that if you are not married you have to work two jobs.
Gina - New york, NY
Testing, testing, testing and mire testing. We have been testing (assessing) students since September. So much time is spent on assessing there is little tome to teach.
Teresa Messing - Port Orchard, WA
I believe one of the greatest contributors to teacher stress and burnout is the "No Child Left Behind" legislation. I want all of my students to "meet standard" and I work hard as all teachers do to help their students succeed, but it seems like the focus is on getting schools to meet AYP or face sanctions if AYP isn't met within the required time frame. Also, standards based state assessments are an important part of ensuring students have mastered content, but if a teacher has students who are receiving special education services, I feel it puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the teacher to make sure those students are able to pass the same test as their peers even if those students are cognitively two to three years behind their peers. I am in my sixth year of teaching, and I love my job, but I am feeling the effects of burnout. I feel like my best isn't good enough because all of my students are not meeting the standards for seventh and eight grade, and all of them should not because they are not developmentally/cognitively ready.
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