Teacher Burnout Syndrome, What It Is And How To Avoid It

Teacher burnout syndrome, also known as burnout syndrome, is more common than it seems. In addition to affecting the teacher, it can also have consequences for the students.

If we have children at school or in high school, even if we are teachers, we can find several examples of the burnout teacher syndrome. This syndrome, also known by the name of burnout , has serious consequences not only for the teacher, but also for the students.

A teacher must give an average of 20 hours a week to students of different ages. In addition, he has to deal with classes where the student body may be more problematic than in others. This, added to the responsibility of complying with the didactic programming, generates a lot of stress and anxiety.

Characteristics of teacher burnout syndrome

When a person suffers from the burnout teacher syndrome, they do not enjoy their work. A job, which is also generally vocational. He is in a bad mood most of the time and only thinks about vacations or leaving class to go home. However, we are going to see what other characteristics such a teacher presents:

• Ignore his students: The teacher enters class and begins to give the syllabus as if there were no students. He doesn’t tell them to shut up, he doesn’t listen to them He gives the matter without caring if they are listening to him or not. When class is over, he leaves.
• He punishes by setting homework: As he is unable to manage all the stress he has on him and is very angry, if the students do not shut up, interrupt, ignore him or dedicate themselves to another subject in his class, he will punish them by putting an excessive amount of homework.
• He leaves class: Excessive anxiety and stress can make the teacher leave class at any time, unable to manage what he is feeling. Most of the time this is accompanied by a slamming door.
• Shout out to the students: The desperation you feel makes you shout and show, clearly, that you are overwhelmed by the circumstances. This can cause students to lose respect for you.

What consequences does it have for the students?

The main consequence that students suffer is that they are not able to keep up with the class and, even less, to resolve any doubts that may arise. The teacher will be absent, distant and the students will feel that they are not doing their job, which is teaching and worrying that they understand the subject.

Sometimes, it happens that the burnout teacher syndrome causes the teacher to only pay attention to the “best” students. Those who have desirable qualifications and who do not have great difficulty memorizing concepts will have the teacher’s full attention, since their work is “easy” in this case and will save them a great deal of stress.

The problem is that those who have a harder time learning or understanding the subject will find themselves at a disadvantage. If they tend to get bad grades, they will not improve due to the attitude shown by the teacher.

Ways to avoid burnout syndrome

Teacher burnout syndrome can be avoided or reduced if it has already appeared. But, for this, it is necessary that the teacher is aware of what is happening to him and has an interest in changing it. It should be clear that the fault lies not with the students. A change in perspective and new forms of attitude can prevent burnout syndrome .

More practice, less theory

Students can read the theory at home. What you need is that exercises are done in class and not fall asleep with the teacher’s explanations or the reading of the subject. Therefore, the subject must be approached in a practical way.

In this way, the students will be more entertained doing the exercises, they will be less distracted and if they are talking to each other it is to do something productive, not to waste time. This also helps the teacher, who will have much less stress on him and feel better.

Focus on students learning

It is normal that the whole agenda is not given. Therefore, before trying to condense it and give it quickly, let’s try to do the above and be more practical. We will realize that theory transformed into practice flows and is much better understood.

Likewise, the teacher must focus on the students, attending to their needs, solving their doubts … It would be positive if they could do tutorials in case there are questions that need more time to be solved. This way, class hours are not consumed. These tips can help a teacher regain that pleasure in their work that they thought they lost. This will inevitably increase your self-esteem, help you feel much better and more fulfilled.

Conclution

These are some characteristics that we can find in a burned-out teacher. The “burnout” syndrome also affects other professionals such as doctors, it is not something isolated in teaching.

Currently health professionals can treat this problem in their consultation. So if you are a teacher, or you think you are burned out in your profession and cannot find your way out, do not hesitate to ask for help. Depression is important because this can lead to serious pathologies such as.

Suggestions on how to improve conditions for a burned-out teacher are just that, suggestions. The essential thing is that the person recognizes that he has a problem and tries to solve it. The most important thing in the end is that you can perform your profession correctly and not harm the students.