A phrase often used in the education field to describe why teachers lose their passion and even quit altogether is "teacher burnout." Rana (2021) reports that, particularly in schools with a large population of high-risk students, approximately 50% of new teachers quit within their first five years due to burnout; even at the best schools, the rate is still a minimum of 25%. Teachers go into the profession, not for the wealth and fame, but because they are passionate. They are driven by a fire within that helps them get through the toughest moments, but eventually, if they are not cautious, that fire does burn out. So how can teachers be cautious and keep their flame? One word... boundaries.
In life in general, regardless of one's profession, boundaries are critical for balance and maintaining good mental health. I have had experiences, completely separate from my teaching profession, in which I have had to learn to set boundaries, that it is okay to have needs and to express those needs, and that it is okay to say no, or even to say yes and then change my mind. Adelson (2024) points out that, despite common stigmatisms, setting boundaries–both personal and professional–is not rudeness or entitlement but an essential practice for maintaining one's mental health.
There are two simple boundaries that I have set for professional life that have kept me from burning out–so far. When I first decided to set these boundaries, I felt like I was always at work. Even when I was at home or even on vacation, I was checking emails, grading assignments, and creating curriculum. I would stay at school until as late as nine in the evening because I felt like I needed to in order to do my job. I was exhausted and felt my fire diminishing; this was only my second year teaching. I saw a need for my two boundaries but was hesitant to follow through because I was unsure of how others would react–my colleagues, administrators, students, students' parents, anyone. When I finally started to act on what I knew I needed, I was surprised to find that the people I was worried about upsetting were actually impressed and could see the difference it was making for me. I found that I got more done, I was less stressed and tired, and I found more fulfillment in both my professional and personal life. Now, as I go into my fourth year teaching at a Title-One school, I am as passionate and fiery as I was on my first day of year one, just with more confidence and experience. Here are my boundaries.
Boundary #1: Work stays at work
I do not bring work home. I do not grade at home. I do not check emails at home. I do not dwell on the stresses from the day at home. When I am at home, I am at home. This boundary is all about using my time wisely while I am at work and being present in the moment both in and out of school. Whenever I don't think I have time to get everything done, I cut back and reassess what actually needs to be done and what can wait. If I get an email after school or over the weekend, I still see the notification on my phone, but unless it seems like a genuine emergency, I don't fully read and respond to it until I am back at school. Sometimes, I decide to change something in my curriculum or add an element that I need to work on outside of my normal work hours, in these instances, I do take work home but I make sure to remind myself that it is by choice and not necessity, and if I change my mind and decide I don't want to work on it, I know I don't need to.
Boundary #2: Contract Hours
At my school, my only preparation time is before and after school. School is from 9am to 3:25pm; contract hours for teachers are 8:30am to 4pm. One hour each day is not enough time to get everything done, so I am just a little bit flexible with my boundary of sticking to those contract hours. I do not arrive before 8am and I do my best to be in my car and driving away no later than 4:30pm. There are times when my two boundaries conflict, in which I choose to stay at school longer so I don't need to take work home, and that is okay. My students know my boundaries and they respect them. Sometimes I have students that just want to hangout at the end of the day and chat, but they know that I will kick them out when it is time for me to go and there are no hard feelings to be had.
Your Turn
Think about where you are feeling the most burnt out in your teaching profession. What do you need? Set your own boundaries and see what happens. Stick to them as best you can, but remember that sometimes you may need to break them too. These boundaries are for you to care for yourself and get what you need, which could constantly be changing. If you have any good ideas for teacher boundaries or any experiences you would like to share, leave a comment.
References:
Adelson, R. (2024, October 10). Personal boundaries are important to set and respect. Wellness Through Change. https://wellnessthroughchange.com/?s=Personal+Boundaries+are+Important+to+Set+and+Respect
Rana, S. (2021). Teacher burnout. Research Starters. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/education/teacher-burnout
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