in the classroom
Running on empty
Teacher burnout was associated with physiological markers of stress in the students they teach .
Study looks at teacher burnout and how it affects students .
By Wade Zaglas
A study has concluded that teacher burnout affects students in numerous ways , including their achievement levels and motivation .
The study , titled ‘ Does teacher burnout affect students ? A systematic review of its association with academic achievement and student-reported outcomes ’, was written by Dr Daniel Madigan and Dr Lisa Kim and published in the International Journal of Educational Research . Fourteen studies including 5,311 teachers and 50,616 of their students were included in the review .
TEACHER BURNOUT According to the study ’ s authors , “ burnout ” as an actual condition was originally conceived in the care-giving professions in the 1970s . It was conceived to describe “ the gradual exhaustion ” and “ loss of commitment observed ” while working in the teaching field .
“ Based on these observations , burnout was defined as a psychological syndrome that develops in response to chronic work stress ,” the authors state . It is defined by three symptoms :
• Reduced professional efficacy ( feelings of reduced competence and achievement in one ’ s work with people ).
• Cynicism ( an unfeeling and impersonal response toward recipients of one ’ s service , care , treatment , or instruction ).
• Emotional exhaustion ( feelings of being emotionally overextended and exhausted at one ’ s work ).
While burnout occurs in many professions , the authors highlight that “ teaching is considered one of the most stressful professions ”. Stressors that teachers face on a daily basis include managing student misbehavior , high workloads , as well as frequent performance evaluations .
“ Burnout is associated with numerous negative experiences and outcomes for teachers ,” Madigan and Kim state .
“ This includes changes in mood and wellbeing as illustrated by increased irritability and symptoms of mental ill-health . Burnout also affects how likely a teacher is to stay in their job .”
IMPACT OF TEACHER BURNOUT ON STUDENTS The systematic review found “ some evidence ” existed to show that teacher burnout is associated with poorer student academic outcomes .
“ Students being taught by a teacher suffering from burnout tend to perform worse on exams , tests , and receive lower cumulative grades , than those taught by teachers not experiencing burnout ,” the authors state .
The authors posit that such an association may result from teachers who are experiencing burnout having a compromised ability to prepare for lessons , producing sub-standard learning materials , and utilising “ less effective instruction ”.
Kim and Madigan ’ s review also found evidence that student motivation will be negatively affected by teacher burnout on a small-to-medium basis . The authors contend that teachers suffering from burnout may experience interpersonal difficulties , which not only impact their relationships with students , but how such students “ perceive the support that the teacher offers ”.
One of the more surprising findings of the review was the lack of a clear association between teacher burnout and student wellbeing . The authors state that there was “ little evidence to suggest an association between teacher burnout and students ’ depressive symptoms , emotional distress , or attempted suicide ”.
However , they suggest that other “ indirect pathways ” could produce such an effect .
“ The most prominent possibility in this regard is a burnout contagion . There was some evidence that not only were students astute at recognizing burnout symptoms and affective experiences in their teachers , but that teacher burnout was associated with physiological markers of stress in the students they teach ( i . e ., cortisol ),” the authors say .
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE While Kim and Madigan stress that the results are preliminary , both believe recommendations for preventing teacher burnout in the first place is warranted .
The authors emphasise that organisational changes , rather than personal ones , need to be suggested , considering teacher personality “ shows only small associations with teacher burnout ”. These prevention strategies could include reduced workloads for a period of time , improving “ role clarity ”, and increasing rewards and organisational support .
Evidence also exists that affording more autonomy support , social support and positive feedback can help alleviate burnout , while a range of evidence-based interventions exist to help teachers in the throes of burnout .
“ These interventions include those based on cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness / meditation , which could be offered to all or through a self-referral or referral service system ,” the authors state . ■
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