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Teacher burnout is a topic that, as a new teacher, you hear about quite frequently. In my personal opinion, I believe teacher burnout is on the rise because the gap is widening, and teachers are differentiating and accommodating now more than ever. The profession is no longer teaching 2+2, but also attending to the advanced student who may get bored, the learning support student who may not understand right away, the ESL student who does not speak english, the emotional support student who cannot come to class because they had a rough morning, or the general education student who may have not gotten enough sleep the night before and so much more. The supports are not in place for teachers to be equipped to handle all of these challenges, and yet they are expected to do so with a smile on their face and very little support.

I think to reduce the rise of teacher burnouts, schools can help by reducing unnecessary work loads and by listening to their teachers as a starting line to see what else is needed for their classes to be ran as efficiently as possible.

When it comes to leading change, I believe that effective leadership is when the leaders can focus on what they can control and deal with first, rather than trying to "change the world" and fix everything all at once. Change within a school is most effective when teachers feel heard and supported.

Madison Wynn

One issue that can be viewed through the Four Frames model is teacher burnout. Teacher burnout is on the rise due to multiple factors and has become a common concern for school districts across the nation. Teachers are asked not only to be educators, but also to act as social workers, therapists, guidance counselors, and sometimes even parental figures. They are given heavy workloads, often with little support, a lack of proper resources, and inadequate pay, while also managing behavioral, emotional, and academic challenges from students.

From a structural frame, burnout can be connected to increased responsibilities, unrealistic expectations, and limited planning time to prepare for their classes. The human resource frame burnout can be connected to teachers’ emotional and personal needs are often overlooked, leading to stress and decreased job satisfaction. Politically, teachers may feel powerless when decisions are made without their input. Lastly, symbolically, burnout is reinforced when the profession of educators is undervalued and teachers feel their work is no longer respected.

School districts and local communities can help by showing teachers how much they are appreciated and by pushing for policies that promote education while including the perspectives of educators who are on the front lines in the classroom.

• Structural: Are policies, procedures, and resources supporting teachers effectively?

• Human Resource: Are teacher needs, well-being, and professional growth being prioritized?

• Political: How do power dynamics, stakeholder interests, and competing agendas affect outcomes?

• Symbolic: What are the underlying beliefs, culture, and rituals shaping our school environment?
  

  Teacher burnout is on the rise due to heavy workloads, lack of support, emotional demands, and the constant pressure to meet diverse student needs. To address this, we can:

• Provide mentorship and peer support networks

• Encourage self-care and mental health resources

• Advocate for reasonable workloads and professional autonomy
  

Leading change requires balancing concerns in our sphere of control and influence. We can:

• Start with small, manageable initiatives that improve teacher well-being

• Engage colleagues in collaborative problem-solving

• Communicate transparently to build trust and address resistance
  

• By combining the four frames with a focus on mental health and strategic change, we can create sustainable improvements in our schools.

Teacher burnout is increasing due to the pressures that are compounding across all four frames. Some causes consists of increased workload with no increased time, emotional exhustion and compassion fatigue, teachers caught between parents, administration, policy makers, and public scrutiny, and negative narratives about schools and educators.

To help with teacher burnout we can reduce initiative overload, protect teacher time for planning collaboration, and rest, increase teacher voices in decisions that affect their work, and rebuild meaning and celebration of teaching through recognition and shared putpose.

Leading change doesn't mean you have to control everything. In our sphere of control we must not focus on the things we can't control and stress about them. We have to manage what we can control and make an impact through those things. In our influence, we should rely on each other and a support system and advocate for teachers. Effective change leaders must listen first, communicate often, and move people forward without disregarding their fears.

We don't have to have the right answer, we just have to ask better questions to be able to support our students and each other. We should elad with empathy, clarity, and perspective.

Teacher burnout is on the rise for many reasons: not enough time to accomplish all that we are asked to do, surface talk about self-care without any structural changes, we are exhausted and become cynical, the list goes on. However, there are some steps we can take to overcome these problems like slowing down and breathing, realizing that if everything is not accomplished that it is okay, asserting our boundaries in a respectful and professional way, and having a template to establish routine and for staying organized.

My ideas of Leading Change and mediating concerns in our sphere of control and influence from Zoom 1 are that leading change starts with what you can directly control, grows through what you influence, and requires flexibility with what you cannot change. Simply focusing on what you can do rather than staying stuck on what you cannot will help teachers remain less stressed and more calm.

Kotter's eight steps to accelerate change and four principles for change can inform us as teachers and leaders within our systems and support the change process. The eight steps (create, build, form, enlist, enable, generate, sustain, institute) help us understand that meaningful change happens over time and also requires collaboration, clarity, support, and time. This means change is more successful when everyone is involved, there are no barriers, and success is recognized. The four principles (leadership + management, head + heart, select few + diverse many, have to + want to) inform us teachers and support change in a similar way by focusing on the human side. Teachers will accept change when they feel connected, supported, and empowered.

The leadership ideas in the video "Survive | Thrive: Strategies for Mitigating and Seizing Opportunities" support the change process because it focuses on two main concepts in regards to people's natural responses to change: survive (threat) and thrive (opportunity). Effective leadership helps manage these responses so change does not become stuck in fear or resistance. Teachers can also apply the five tactics discussed (taking stock, understanding triggers, finding passionate people, reducing noise, and celebrating progress) in their own roles to reduce stress, stay focused, build momentum, and make change more manageable and sustainable.

-Rachel Wallace

The Four Frames is a direct approach to analyzing circumstances with different points of view. The ‘structural’ frame sets explicit roles and policies to ensure organized effectiveness. The ‘human resource’ frame provides opportunities to feel valued and grow within the organization. The ‘political’ frame is probably my favorite when it comes to analyzing circumstances because this is where individuals provide their diverse perspectives, dynamics, and conflicts. The importance of having an open mind in discussions is to listen to all perspectives and possible approaches to things. Lastly, the ‘symbolic’ frame addresses cultures, symbols, values, and meanings within the organization. The application of all four frames is a powerful tool for leaders seeking to navigate the complexities of organizational change. 

2. Why is teacher burnout on the rise, and what can we do about it?

In my opinion, teacher burnout is on the rise because teachers can’t just come in and teach because we now have more expectations to factor into our classrooms. Managing diversity, learning levels, and behaviors has become a large part of the learning space. More things keep getting added to the expectations of teachers with less support. They are often accountable for student outcomes, but they feel powerless and undervalued. By using the four frames within education and finding solutions by communicating with those it affects directly (the teachers). 

3. What are some actions we can take to mediate concerns related to teacher burnout and mental health?

Some actions we can take to mediate concerns related to teacher burnout and mental health include focusing on our own circle of influence, the smaller things that we can control, to show small growth of many things over time. Then, create an action plan with a proactive approach towards the circle of influence. 

4. How can we lead change to make a positive impact on our system, our colleagues, and our students?

I have a sign in my classroom that I continually discuss with my students, “Be aware of the energy you bring.” I think that using optimistic energy in any space allows for a powerful positive outcome. Reflecting on the Four Frames, I think we can directly make a positive impact by advocating for ourselves at building meetings, school board meetings, and confronting specific concerns directly. Communication and collaboration amongst colleagues can also make a positive impact.

-The Four Frames allow for leaders to see the problem in its entirety. It helps to see the issue or challenges when all its parts and aspects are included rather than seeing or focusing on one individual thing. When each of the four frames are used, leaders will be able to choose the best course of action to achieve the desired goal. 

Why is teacher burnout on the rise and what can we do about it? 

-In my opinion, teachers are experiencing burn out so quickly because the majority of teachers are not able to come into a classroom and just teach anymore. From my own personal experience, I am managing behaviors more than ever which takes away from academic time, lesson planning, data tracking, grading, etc. After reading the blog post Teachers are barely hanging on. Here's what they need by Jennifer Gonzalez, I realize that I am that teacher that is still in the building well after school hours trying to catch up and still end up bringing an extra 2 hours worth of work home because there simply is not enough time during the work day to get it all done. Which brings me to the fact that teachers have zero time during the school day away from their or out of their classroom to catch up on what they need to or just take a moment to sit in silence. As an Autistic Support teacher, I spend zero hours outside of my classroom. Every minute is spent with my students during the school day and I am often left multitasking all day long. One thing I can say is understanding that not everything is going to get done in one day and that’s okay! It’s important to be kind to yourself while experiencing burnout as a teacher and realizing that you really are doing the best that you can with what you’re given. 

What are some actions we can take to mediate concerns related to teacher burnout and mental health? 

-Some actions to take to mediate concerns related to teacher burnout would be for administrators to listen to their teachers when it comes to needing extra support and resources in their classrooms to make it run as smoothly as possible. 

How can we lead change to make a positive impact on our system, our colleagues and our students? 

-With leading change, it does not mean we have control over everything and that we have the power to fix it all. It is important that we focus more on what is in our control and how we can make changes with what is in our control. I think change within school districts is more powerful when teachers rely on one another, communicate and advocate for each other. 

The structural frame is all about the “how” of a change and includes rules, policies, work environment, and goals.

The Human Resource frame focuses on needs, skills, and relationships; it provides a sense of empowerment.

The political frame is all about conflict resolution and supporting the leader through power-based building. It focuses on power, conflict, and organization. Difficult choices are often made.

The symbolic frame is all about responding to people’s needs for purpose, meaning, and fulfillment in their work. It focuses on culture, meaning, rituals and ceremonies. It is often Inspirational. 

- Teacher burnout is on the rise because too much is expected from teachers. There is simply not enough time to complete all that is expected from us. Lack of funding or support can lead to extra duties being piled onto an already “full plate”. Personally, I believe the number of assessments and data collection is excessive. It also takes away from instructional time. I am not sure that teacher burnout will ever be resolved. But I think administration can help alleviate some of the stress. If additional staff were hired to help support teachers and their workload, that would benefit many teachers.

- It can be hard for some people to embrace change. When you have an effective leader guiding the way, it can be easier and the change will be beneficial. An effective leader should take the opinions/feelings of others into consideration when making decisions that directly affect those beneath them. I like how reframing supports this approach. 

I think it's so important for people to focus their energy on the things they can change/control, rather than stress about things out of their control. 

The four frames allow individuals to see organizational problems and issues from four different perspectives (structural, human resource, political, and symbolic). This in turn allows leaders to make decisions that have a more impactful benefit on the organization because the issue is approached from not his or her perspective alone. This approach is significant because organizations run more smoothly and are more productive when all employees feel heard, appreciated and that their contributions matter. Strategy and goals are put in place, but people's need for meaning and a motivating environment are also met.

Why is teacher burnout on the rise and what can we do about it?

According to the Cult of Pedagogy Podcast #179, there are three main reasons teacher burnout is increasing. These include time, trust, and safety. After returning to in-person school after the Covid epidemic, many school leaders decided to try to play catch-up on all the learning that students had missed out on during virtual learning. Their way of doing this has been to go double the speed and add more frequent testing, more documentation, and more data analysis. In addition, some districts have also added new technology, curricula, and new programs on top of that. Teachers are left in a constant state of rushing and elevated cortisol levels. They are left with no time for deep thinking about classroom practices or studying student work to come up with innovative new lessons.

Lack of trust is another issue because some teachers are required to turn in detailed lesson plans, document interventions on a daily basis, and complete professional development in a setting that can be observed. This is demoralizing to most teachers and takes a lot of extra time.

Safety is the third issue because teachers are dealing with the stress of not knowing if they will become sick with Covid or another disease, and there is unfortunately gun violence in schools now too.

Some solutions to these issues include approaching school leaders with constructive ideas to help take some responsibilities off of educators' plates. These solutions include cutting back on testing, data analysis, have fewer and shorter meetings and allow attendees to join via Zoom. They should hire help for administrative tasks, and compensate teachers for extra duties. In addition, administrators should converse with teachers and use their feedback, stop micromanaging, not broadbrush the faculty if there is a problem with someone, and look for other tasks to drop from teachers.

What are your ideas on Leading Change and mediating concerns in our sphere of control and influence (from Zoom 1)?

It's important to realize that you do not need a title to enact change in an organization. You can use the 5 tactics outlined in the "Change" video clip. These include taking stock of what your survive versus thrive components are now in your organization, understanding your triggers, activating thrive, reducing noise, and celebrating progress along the way. By leading by example and communicating effectively with others, you may be able to enact some changes that will benefit you and your organization. If people respect you and your work, that can build momentum for others to change how they are doing something. Once leaders see improvement, they may also get on board. You can brainstorm areas to improve the way you handle your workload, and this could be finding more efficient ways of doing specific tasks. You could also eliminate unnecessary reports, metrics, and meetings. In addition, by forming working relationships with your coworkers, you could create a community environment. Celebrating small wins as you all progress can go a long way by creating momentum and motivation. You could lead by example by telling a coworker thanks, being fair, and collaborating with them. By keeping the communication lines open and taking into account others' feedback, you can become an advocate and mentor.

The four frames can help us make rationale decisions based on all aspects of a work place. Depending on what the issue is, the leaders can use the frame to focus on the root of the problem. Looking at all four frames can help the organization or leader come to a conclusion that best meets the needs of all parties involved. I believe that in teaching, we often refer to the structural and human resources frames.

Why is teacher burnout on the rise and what can we do about it? What are some actions we can take to meditate concerns related to teacher burnout and mental health?

There are a plethora of reasons that teacher burnout is on the rise. Lack of support from admin, lack of resources, lack of help in the classroom and a heavier workload after COVID. Just 'catch them up' they say. It's not that simple. In todays schools parents are becoming the root of many issues. It's always the schools fault and never their own, teachers get thrown under the bus for things they didn't do. There are simply not enough hours in the day to do all of the work an educator truly needs to do. But, there are several ways we can combat it. One of the biggest, and hardest,is sticking to contract hours. In the article/podcast it talked about teachers being workaholics which is something I 100% relate to. Teachers need to leave school work at school and make time to focus on home at home. Also learning to set boundaries and saying 'no', even to people such as a principal. Teachers put heavy expectations on themselves and often forget how important it is to live and let live when it comes to leaving school work behind contract hours.

How can we lead change to make a positive impact on our system, our colleagues and our students?

It takes a lot to be a leader in the public education system. You need to establish and create meaningful relationships with your colleagues, community, and students. In the video talking about Kotter's model they talked about several key factors to lead to positive change.

1. Survive/thrive- Think about where you are as a district/educator/learning community. Where do triggers come from and how can you connect them to personal growth and achievement?

2. Increase communication- find people who BELIEVE in what you are doing and are positive about it. Recruit them to help with buy-in for others. Find passionate people.

3. Reduce noise- what can you get rid of? Can we not collect so much data? Upgrade to a new and easier way to do something? Have less meetings and more explorative time? What do we need to get rid of in order to create a chain reaction for change.

4. Celebrate progress along the way- this one is HUGE! If you wait too long to celebrate success, you may lose people when it gets challenging. Be sure to celebrate all the small victories and encourage people along the way.

- The four frames support our analysis by helping us look at situations from different perspectives. Instead of making problems seem too simple, they can help us think more deeply about the change, what people need, conflict resolution, and fulfillment. When we use all four frames together, we can better understand situations, become a stronger leader, and make better decisions.

Why is teacher burnout on the rise and what can we do about it?

- Teacher burnout is on the rise from systemic issues, not a lack of effort or passion. I have quickly become burnt out within my first year of teaching, although it only lasted for a few months. I was juggling graduate classes, first year teaching, and two part time jobs. My biggest issue was time. It felt like a never ending to-do list. Teachers do not have enough time to plan, assess, or reflect on their teaching. There are a lot of extra demands that are practically impossible to complete with less time. To help teacher burnout, teachers can become compensated for extra work and planning time outside the classroom. Administrators can implement actual policies that make sure teachers feel safe and supported within their classroom and district. Admin can also help shift the heavy workload culture and expectations so teachers can teach effectively without sacrificing their mental and physical health.

What are your ideas on Leading Change and mediating concerns in our sphere of control and influence?

- I liked how the video said change requires leadership, not just management. When leaders are honest, supportive, and open to feedback, change feels less stressful and more meaningful. Leaders shouldn’t just tell others what to do, but listen to their ideas and make them feel valued. Encouragement and support from administration can help people stay motivated.

Abby Varzaly

Teacher burnout is on the rise for many reasons. Some will state it has to do with lack of support from administration and parents, others state it is because of the behaviors of students in the classroom. It is different for each person who has found themselves in that situation. There is no magic solution to combat teacher burnout because it is different for each person. Some simple things that could be done for it is to support one another, administration should also support their teachers by handling behavioral problems effectively and standing behind their teachers when issues or problems arise from parents or other sources. Other things that help is the age old "take care of yourself." Find ways that work for each person. For some it could be workouts or just decompressing at the end of the day before going home. Leaving work at school could also help with burnout. It will get done eventually, why stress over it and cause your personal life to be affected? As a coach and advisor for student council, I have spent hours on the weekends and after the school days in the building, field house, or on the fields so I get burnout. However, I as long as I have an outlet, like a workout or time spent in the weight room, helps when things get rough.

In regard to leading change and mediating concerns, I have come to the realization that we have to realize we are not always in control of everything. There is only so much that you can do on your own, so it is important to include others when you are making decisions or trying to solve problems. Another thing that I think could help all involved with the leading change is to remember the Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. I use it often because it fits with my mentality and helps me to realize there are other factors that I have no control over, but I can work on the things I can control.

Teacher burnout is a prevalent issue in today’s teaching environment, driven by many factors. It is important for teachers to check in on each other frequently and offer help when possible. Some reasons for burnout involve trust and safety. Teachers have argued that they feel untrusted when they are constantly micromanaged by higher-ups, and that the level of safety in schools has declined. Along with this, it seems that schools like to present awards like ‘jean day’ and other incentives to address bigger problems. Yes, these days are nice and serve as a reward for a job well done, but they are nowhere near a viable solution to issues in schools. Finally, many teachers work more than 8 hours a day. Most teachers are required to bring work home and continue working there rather than spending time with their families. Teachers should be compensated for this extra time, as it is necessary for classrooms.

Leading Change presents a detailed 8-step, 4-principle process that helps address common challenges when implementing change. I found it interesting, simply because it is usually overlooked, that identifying barriers was included. This stood out to me because when movements or goals are put in place, many people get caught up in rushing directly toward them. It is important to pay attention to any possible barriers that may stand in your or your group’s way. Looking at other examples and seeing where they ran into trouble can help in the long run. Applying this to our spheres of influence, we can identify barriers within our spheres of influence and control and recognize what we can control and what we will have to pivot around.

• The four frames help a group to consider multiple perspectives and plan for anticipated problems before they arise. The frames allow everyone, especially leaders of the group, to think about every angle to make a plan as successful as possible. Without the frames, leaders may have difficulty getting the full picture, such as how will the change be implemented and supported or what are the employee needs. A plan with holes in it is much less likely to be successful, so leaders, as well as employees, must make sure a plan is complete for proper implementation.

Why is teacher burnout on the rise and what can we do about it?

• Teaching is not just about getting content across to students and testing them on it. The main reason for teacher burnout is the idea that we have too many tasks to accomplish and not enough time to do them. As a new teacher, I often find my task list never-ending, and it's stressful thinking about the number of tasks I have to complete. To avoid burnout, teachers need to stick together to support one another. We need advocate to admin to make meaningful changes in schools. We also need to find outlets to channel stresses/frustration. I enjoy running and watching comfort shows to relieve stress.

What are your ideas on Leading Change and mediating concerns in our sphere of control and influence?

• When a person or group is attempting to implement change, it is important that they first consider whether the have the power to make that change. If it is a change that can be made, they should use the four change principles and eight accelerator steps to make the change sustainable. In particular, a sense of urgency of the issue, as well as creating a team for action, are some of the most important things that can be done in the process. If the change is outside our sphere of influence, we could find a person who can influence the change. However, considering the widespread teacher-burnout, if that searching process impedes our already long list of tasks, we should evaluate the importance of the issue before continuing forward.

Teachers burnout are rise because teachers have a lot of responsibility and not enough time to do their job properly.

Documenting lesson plan, grading assignments, teaching, creating materials , dealing with disruptive students

Etc. Teachers burnout can decrease by giving teachers more time to plan, prioritize realistic expectations and I would add taking some responsibility out of the teachers, such as communicating with parents and/or deal with disruptive students.

Something that had worked for me to avoid burnout is to focus on what I can do. I don’t work outside contract hour. If we don’t finish we finish the next day. I try to give less graded assignments. I do a great job teaching Spanish. However, I do understand I have a life outside school. Admin can help by giving teachers more time to prepare, trusting that teachers will do their job.

The four frames can support our analysis of situations because all factors need to be addressed in order to make meaningful change. It is necessary for leaders to keep in mind all of the factors so that actual change can occur. Too much focus on one frame could lead to an inability to make change- a balanced change needs to consider the existing organization. Current rules, roles within the school, and schedules need to be considered (structural frame).  The influence a situation has on people needs to be considered. Concerns like mental health, mismatched strengths, and current needs and morale need to be considered and supported when making decisions. The political frame is about what everyone  thinks— resource allocation, tensions that already exist, and current dynamics need to be considered when work is being done to encourage change. All four need to be considered to prevent oversimplification of a solution— the only aspect to change is not holding employees more accountable and work needs to be done outside of the structural frame as well.

Why is teacher burnout on the rise and what can we do about it?

Teachers have a high workload. We plan lessons, design and adapt curriculum materials, attend meetings, have duties and often run clubs and sports teams. Additionally, teachers are required to maintain positive relationships, follow up with families when something isn’t right, and hold students accountable throughout the entire school day. Standardized testing and evaluations create stress and teachers often do not have much support or time to handle the workload. To improve burnout, teachers can have less meetings during planning/ collaboration time. Connecticut has a mentoring program to support beginning teachers called TEAM which requires new teachers to work with a mentor, and work on improving practice. This has actually been a mostly positive experience for me. Teachers also would benefit from improved resources such as more planning time and high quality curriculum.

What are your ideas on Leading Change and mediating concerns in our sphere of control and influence

Improving collaboration across the department to prevent people from reinventing the wheel when it comes to modifying components of the curriculum. Additionally, teachers can maintain healthy work life boundaries and engage in healthy hobbies such as exercise and relaxation routines.

The four frames support analysis of situations by helping leaders step back from a single, narrow interpretation and instead view things through multiple lenses: structure, people, power, and meaning. Each frame has different causes and consequences. Additionally, each frame considers how systems are designed, how individuals experience the situation, how interests and power shape behavior, and how culture and symbols influence interpretation. By using all four frames, we are able to deepen our understanding of what is really happening.

Why is teacher burnout on the rise and what can we do about it?

I think teacher burnout is on the rise because we are being stretched then. Although it seems like we departmentalize (i.e. case managers, instructional coaches, etc.), it seems that there are more and more responsibilities being added to our plates. I think stronger systems need to be in place and delegations of responsibilities need to be reconsidered.

What are your ideas on Leading Change and mediating concerns in our sphere of control and influence (from Zoom 1)?

I believe that leading change starts with acknowledging what we can control. We need to start from the inner circle and work our way out. Collaboration is also key to gaining different lenses and perspectives.