Rieznik M. A.

Oles Honchar Dnipro National University, Ukraine

FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO TEACHER BURNOUT

Helping industries traditionally demonstrate higher levels of work-related stress than most other jobs, and it is common to observe burnout among persons working in helping industries. Teaching is one of such helping industries.

Burnout was first defined by a German-born American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in 1974 as a state of being worn out, or becoming exhausted by making excessive demands on energy, strength or resources. He believed that “the dedicated and the committed” employees are most prone to experience burnout, because they “work too much, too long, and too intensely”.

When first considered, burnout was certainly attributed as an outcome of stress within helping professions, but these professions included clergymen, nurses, firefighters, policemen, and social workers only. Teaching was not identified in this research as a helping profession, and was therefore not grouped into the category of working professionals likely to suffer from burnout. Subsequent research has determined that educators also suffer from burnout related symptoms and that these can be caused by personal and/or environmental and organizational factors.

Initially, work-related stress, such as the inability to help a specific student or an overloaded curriculum, was identified as the foremost cause of burnout. Gradually, additional environmental factors, especially a lack of support and encouragement from persons in positions of authority, were recognized as contributing to burnout. And, most importantly, it was recognized that burnout was a cumulative process associated with helping professions: the causes of burnout were myriad and over time each would contribute to conditions of burnout; even if single factors were isolated and resolved, the remaining factors could still have a negative impact on the teacher’s psyche.

Difficulties and concerns with students and their behavior have been found to contribute to burnout. Friedman and Farber (1992) found that teachers value students’ perceptions of them more than the perceptions of parents or even administrators.

Environmental factors could also contribute to teacher burnout. Friedman (1991) found that organizational culture and climate lead to teacher burnout. He also found specific characteristics of high burnout environments. According to this scientist, in high-burnout environments educational goals are set and measurable and good teachers have extensive knowledge, are dedicated to the job, teach interesting, intriguing lessons, and are achievement oriented. Also, administrative structure is a clearly defined hierarchy, the physical environment is usually clean and orderly, teachers are older, faculty includes fewer females, teachers have more experience and are less mobile.

Lack of support from administrators and coworkers and lack of involvement in decision making is also a significant causal factor of teacher burnout. Bryne (1998) found that problems with administrators dominated the list of the chief causes for burnout. Respondents in the Bryne’s study sensed disregard from those in authority. They felt that administrators failed to alleviate their workload while denigrating them at the same time. Principal perceptions and reactions to stress influence teacher stress, and stressed teachers create negative stress environments for students.

It has been noted by multiple researchers that reducing the causes of burnout may directly correlate to retention rates among teachers. It has also been noted that reducing the causes of burnout may improve the working conditions for educators, help improve job satisfaction, and increase the quality and the consistency of the work by the educator.

Friedman and Farber (1992) found that teachers who feel satisfied with their work are least likely to feel burned out, and those who perceive their work environment as supportive experience lower levels of work stress and burnout.

Regardless of the causes, burnout negatively impacts the teacher and his or her performance in the classroom.

Although stress and/or burnout are a reality of teaching and a natural part of teaching, policy makers and/or administrators should take necessary actions to prevent teachers from burnout in order to cope with the demands of changing schools and provide effective strategies to create a more favourable educational environment.