school management
On reflection
How reflective practice can prevent burnout for teachers and students
By Rochelle Borton
Reflective practice has been adopted by teachers for many years to ensure that they are meeting the needs of students . It helps teachers understand their personal areas of development and addresses underlying beliefs and assumptions about learning and teaching in general .
Over time , a teacher ’ s development of reflective practices ensures that they are focused on continuous improvement , not just for their own development but to also support student learning and growth . Ultimately , it enables educators to learn from the now to develop for the future . It helps grow self-awareness , knowledge and understanding in the most positive way possible .
Self-reflection done well can mean increased effectiveness for all .
It is an important part of any learning process and can highlight the importance of the learning cycle . It can provide an opportunity to see what needs changing , encourage creativity to establish strategies , provide motivation as learning options and thoughts are challenged , and fosters greater levels of analysis .
Over time , the educator and school leader relationship with their teaching roles have become off-balance , which for some , has led to burnout .
In 2001 , Maslach et al ., 2001 referred to job burnout as “ a syndrome of emotional exhaustion , depersonalization , and reduced personal accomplishment ”.
A 2017 research paper that reviewed the degree of burnout for novice and experienced teachers ( Kalantari , S &
Kolahi , S 2017 ) noted that the burnout experienced by a teacher was not dissimilar to that of other provider / recipient professions , and that it was known to reduce not only the physical but emotional wellbeing of teachers . The study goes on to talk about several other studies that highlight the links between reflective practice and burnout , and noted that reflective teachers experienced less burnout .
While it is important to understand the links between burnout and reflective practice , what is even more important to unpack is how to take the learnings and reflections from the current unprecedented times to ensure burnout does not occur .
Most people might assume that reflective practice only refers to the teaching practice , but what the above-mentioned study ( and others ) highlights is holistic teaching reflection . That is , teachers must not forget to reflect on themselves , their wellbeing and what causes them unmanageable amounts of stress .
Unfortunately , despite many systems and attempts to put in place wellbeing programs that support teacher development , many fail to pass on the message and create the environments where teachers are empowered to enact self-care . Furthermore , the explanation of what wellbeing truly is has become diluted and often educators are left scrambling when burnout has already occurred .
Self-care is something that is unique to everyone . No two educators are the same when it comes to the activities they choose to do to actively take care of their mental health and wellbeing . Self-care should be seen as an important part of professional development in the same way reflective teaching practice is .
Reflecting on elements of the teaching role that give you energy , and those which
Teachers must not forget to reflect on themselves and their wellbeing .
increase stress to an unmanageable level , is an important element of reflecting on teaching practice more holistically . When these times become apparent , engaging in activities that lower stress and contribute to overall wellbeing is a necessity , but of greater importance is creating ways in which self-care becomes a regular and ongoing part of teaching life .
Encouraging teachers to reflect on the many elements of self-care despite not all being related to the workplace is important . Creating opportunities and safe spaces for discussions about physical , psychological , emotional , spiritual , relationship and workplace self-care should be at the top of the list when it comes to wellbeing at school .
Working with teachers to set plans that ensure consistency at school , whether school is at home or face-to-face , is vital at this time .
Providing peer support , highlighting the need to work with a critical friend and creating manageable boundaries for work will all decrease teacher burnout . Teachers cannot always do this without the guidance of school leaders , and with even greater emphasis on student results , there is pressure at all levels .
Take this as a reminder to stay the course : looking after yourself first will mean you are in a better position to serve others . ■
Rochelle Borton is the founder and managing director of Eduinfluencers .
24 | educationreview . com . au