Wow, when the school year started, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and a touch burnt out. This year is my 5th at my current campus, and I’ve taught Social Studies and ELAR the entire time I’ve been here.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my campus, admins, colleagues, and students. I’ve been very blessed to teach here and I want to continue. However, according to the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF), nearly 50 percent of new teachers leave the profession within their first five years. I’ve made it to year 7 total, so I guess I’m beating the odds.
But the burnout is getting stronger and I absolutely loathe that feeling. I’m dreading the idea of another year of teaching the same ELAR curriculum, using the same poorly designed textbook full of typos and misinformation, increasing unnecessary interference via state legislation into educational requirements and of course, the STAAR.
It seems like my students are tested more and more every year. 5th grade is considered a critical year for learning in the great State of Texas, and these high-stakes tests seem to be the be-all and end-all pushed on our students who are trying to navigate the transition between childhood and adolescence. Don’t forget we’ve got beginning of year testing, interim testing, district benchmark assessments, and TELPAS to navigate as well.
Before I let this post become a rant about testing, let’s get back to the original purpose. All of these issues lead toward burnout. In addition, we’re all trying to get back to a sense of normalcy post-pandemic and the mental toll on our students and teachers is enormous.
What shall I do, then, to fight back against this burnout? My first step is to request to teach a different subject next year. I’m optimistic, and I’ll keep you updated on the results.
The second is to pour a little more energy into this blog. Writing can be a cathartic outlet for stress; if I manage to help someone else by sharing my thoughts and experiences, all the better!
Anna Sparkman 