Teacher Burnout: Causes, Consequences, and Insights from Science Teachers
Abstract
Teaching is a demanding profession characterized by challenging working conditions and high stress levels. Within the school environment, various factors significantly contribute to teacher burnout syndrome. These include excessive workload, restrictive school policies and an unsupportive school climate, conflicts between teachers and administration, a lack of teacher involvement in decision-making processes, insufficient recognition, and student behavioral and disciplinary problems. Teachers can experience burnout syndrome irrespective of demographic factors such as age, years of service, or gender. Therefore, understanding the causes and consequences of burnout is critical for both teacher performance and student achievement. In other words, comprehending teacher burnout and implementing preventive measures is essential for fostering a healthy educational environment. A qualitative research methodology was employed in this study. The findings indicate that the primary causes of teacher burnout are excessive workload, lack of administrative support, and disrespect from students and parents. Furthermore, the most prevalent negative consequences of burnout identified were attrition from the profession, high stress levels, and physical and emotional exhaustion.
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