This Week at One Schoolhouse: Fighting Burnout

Brad Rathgeber There is a constant refrain when I ask Academic Leaders how they are doing these days: "I'm tired." Me too. We've been working on the challenges of the COVID pandemic since March, and working with increased zeal on the pandemic of racial injustice since May. The work has been intense and exhausting. This week at One Schoolhouse, we're focusing on the challenge of burnout, both personal and for those for whom we care professionally. More than ever, how we lead and support ourselves and our faculty will have a big influence on how our schools recover from the pandemics. Take the survey below, engage in a course on building trust with faculty, read Liz's blog, and join us for our Academic Leaders Webinar on leading faculty when energy levels are low. Two weeks ago, we asked you about faculty morale. The answer was overwhelming: 92% reported feeling moderately or extremely concerned about their faculty's morale this school year. Identifying the problem is only the first step. We want to hear how academic leaders are responding and finding support. Questions of the week: (1) Where are you on a burnout scale? (2) What action is your school taking to address burnout? Taking the Pulse: Flash Survey Now is the time to be developing strategies that build healthy and supportive trusting relationships with your teachers . Building Trust With Faculty: Critical Skills for Challenging Times will help you build a professional culture that mirrors your school's concern for and support of students. When teachers thrive, so can students. Course dates: October 12 - 18, 2020 Learn More & Register for Building Trust with Faculty Liz Katz Two weeks ago at One Schoolhouse, we took the community's pulse on a crucial question: "How concerned are you about faculty morale this year?" A sobering 92% of survey respondents reported feeling moderately or extremely concerned about their faculty's morale this year, with good cause. A recent EdWeek poll found that “as teacher morale declines, there’s a likelihood of a rise in resignations.” Teachers are exhausted, overwhelmed, and isolated. We’re worried about our teachers’ morale because these are some of the tell-tale signs of burnout, and we’re seeing them on campus and in our video calls. What causes job-based burnout? Chronic stress. You might remember that in June 2019, the World Health Organization added burnout to the International Classification of Diseases. Burnout isn’t a buzzword. It’s a real phenomenon that can take a toll on both physical and mental health. Schools are used to seeing teacher burnout at the end of the year, but October is usually an energized time as school is moving into full swing. This year, burnout is popping up just a few weeks into the school year. That means we need to act now to neutralize the effects of chronic stress. Read more. Join One Schoolhouse and Lorri Palko (facilitator of our course, Building Trust With Faculty: Critical Skills for Challenging Times ) for our Wednesday, October 7, Academic Leaders Webinar at 12noon ET to learn some insights gleaned from the September session of the course. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Brad Rathgeber

There is a constant refrain when I ask Academic Leaders how they are doing these days: "I'm tired." Me too. We've been working on the challenges of the COVID pandemic since March, and working with increased zeal on the pandemic of racial injustice since May. The work has been intense and exhausting. This week at One Schoolhouse, we're focusing on the challenge of burnout, both personal and for those for whom we care professionally. More than ever, how we lead and support ourselves and our faculty will have a big influence on how our schools recover from the pandemics.

Take the survey below, engage in a course on building trust with faculty, read Liz's blog, and join us for our Academic Leaders Webinar on leading faculty when energy levels are low.

Two weeks ago, we asked you about faculty morale. The answer was overwhelming: 92% reported feeling moderately or extremely concerned about their faculty's morale this school year. Identifying the problem is only the first step. We want to hear how academic leaders are responding and finding support.

Questions of the week: (1) Where are you on a burnout scale? (2) What action is your school taking to address burnout?

Taking the Pulse: Flash Survey

Now is the time to be developing strategies that build healthy and supportive trusting relationships with your teachers. Building Trust With Faculty: Critical Skills for Challenging Times will help you build a professional culture that mirrors your school's concern for and support of students. When teachers thrive, so can students. Course dates: October 12 - 18, 2020

Learn More & Register for Building Trust with Faculty

Liz Katz

Two weeks ago at One Schoolhouse, we took the community's pulse on a crucial question: "How concerned are you about faculty morale this year?" A sobering 92% of survey respondents reported feeling moderately or extremely concerned about their faculty's morale this year, with good cause. A recent EdWeek poll found that “as teacher morale declines, there’s a likelihood of a rise in resignations.”

Teachers are exhausted, overwhelmed, and isolated. We’re worried about our teachers’ morale because these are some of the tell-tale signs of burnout, and we’re seeing them on campus and in our video calls. What causes job-based burnout? Chronic stress. You might remember that in June 2019, the World Health Organization added burnout to the International Classification of Diseases. Burnout isn’t a buzzword. It’s a real phenomenon that can take a toll on both physical and mental health.

Schools are used to seeing teacher burnout at the end of the year, but October is usually an energized time as school is moving into full swing. This year, burnout is popping up just a few weeks into the school year. That means we need to act now to neutralize the effects of chronic stress. Read more.

Join One Schoolhouse and Lorri Palko (facilitator of our course, Building Trust With Faculty: Critical Skills for Challenging Times) for our Wednesday, October 7, Academic Leaders Webinar at 12noon ET to learn some insights gleaned from the September session of the course.