Job Stress and Burnout Among Teachers in High-Needs Schools

Stress is a universal feature of life, particularly in work situations. Employees often struggle to find work-life balance, impacting performance at work and home (Austin-Egole et al., 2020). Likewise, employers face a similar challenge: finding and successfully executing stress-reduction interventions. In high-needs schools, teachers often experience significant stress, leading to job burnout and reduced instructional quality; burnout is linked to poorer teaching performance and student outcomes (Byrne, 1994; Hoglund et al., 2015). Also, high-needs schools may be prone to higher levels of externalizing behaviors — maladaptive actions directed at one’s environment — among students, which can further contribute to teacher burnout. Responsive and servant leadership principles, characterized by commitment, empathy, and foresight, can reduce teacher stress and burnout, enhancing retention and student achievement.

When I taught for Baltimore City Public Schools, for example, I experienced consistently high levels of stress, primarily because of the extensive behavioral issues in the classroom and the expectation that I deliver exceptional instruction despite these problems. The administrators referred to the handling of behavioral issues as classroom management. At the time, I had recently graduated college, experienced significant life changes, and found myself struggling to provide innovative instruction to students who, at least on the surface, needed more interest in the material. My mentor teacher explained that documentation and classroom management were the missing components to my success in the classroom.

Research-based classroom management programs enable educators to choose the most suitable approaches for different grade levels, school environments, and at-risk students. New research shows a shift from the traditional focus on compliance and obedience, commonly seen in inner-city schools, towards promoting self-discipline and self-direction (Freiberg et al., 2020). Unfortunately, this type of research is not conducted extensively enough to have filtered into practice at the school level, mainly when other discipline-based initiatives are already in place or delegated to the teachers.

Essentially, the onus of maintaining an orderly and disciplined classroom environment fell on teachers during my brief tenure with the public school system with little or no support from the administration. The consequences of this expectation contribute to approximately half of teachers leaving the profession within the first five years (Pas et al., 2012). I left before the end of the first school year. In essence, burnout, turnover, student performance, unaddressed behavioral issues, physical violence, and disillusionment are notable consequences of high-stress work environments like high-needs schools.

As I mentioned, I taught for BCPSS in the early 2010s, and during my interview, when I was hired, the principal made a statement that resonated with me: ‘Mr. Spikes, I don’t do discipline.’ She effectively informed me that managing behavioral issues was my responsibility, and she did not want any disruptive or violent behaviors referred to her office under any circumstances. Her position was simultaneously disheartening and understandable, given the high prevalence of classroom issues that could easily overwhelm her day.

However, further examination of her position reveals a strong correlation between administrative methods and student behavior, emphasizing that administrators must foster a culture of respect and compliance to create an effective learning environment (Omemu, 2017). Specifically, studies indicate increased principal visibility significantly deters student misconduct (Duke, 1986). Therefore, the principal could have more effectively managed disciplinary issues by enhancing her visibility and involvement alongside the dean of discipline and the assistant principal.

A current teacher with BCPSS made the following statement:

A lot of it is this idea that everybody deserves an education when it really should be everyone who wants an education should get an education. When you don’t want one, you shouldn’t be allowed to impair other students’ pursuit of it because that’s a decision you made…a lot of times when you do get an [administrator] to come get the kid, they come back with a soda and a snack. Is that the kind of message we want to send? Act out and you get a reward?

This sentiment should serve as a salient warning to administrators about teachers’ feelings concerning support and the multidimensional nature of student achievement as it relates to overall teacher effectiveness and the value of student-teacher relationships in mitigating pervasive misconduct (Aldrup et al., 2018). It should also be noted that the onus does not fall solely on the administration or district leaders.

Teachers must also take ownership of the classroom using tested tools and methods. Secondary teachers, specifically, report significant stress and burnout from dealing with discipline issues (Browers & Tomic, 2000; Smith & Smith, 2006). Therefore, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of classroom management practices to secure teacher commitment to their implementation and maintenance. Determining the most effective methods to equip pre-service and in-service teachers with relevant content knowledge and providing ongoing support for behavioral changes are crucial for enhancing classroom environments and ensuring teacher retention (Oliver et al., 2011).

The services of an I/O psychologist may be necessary to identify and implement several effective interventions that address systemic discipline issues that result in decreased teacher retention. Initiatives to increase administrator visibility as a deterrent, implementing empirical findings concerning classroom management, and improving the overall culture are often cited as efficacious ways to mitigate teacher burnout and classroom issues. Likewise, responsive and proactive leadership practices help teachers and administrators overcome challenges and positively impact achievement gap scores. Overall, teachers and principals should strive toward servant leadership, characterized by commitment, empathy, and foresight (Dinwiddie, 2022). Engaging a consultant can aid in deploying effective strategies to address systemic discipline challenges, boost teacher retention, reduce burnout, and enhance academic achievement by promoting servant leadership.

In summary, stress is widespread in high-needs schools, causing significant teacher burnout and reduced instructional quality, harming student outcomes. Although not widely practiced, effective classroom management is vital for promoting self-discipline among students. Principals play a crucial role in fostering a respectful and compliant culture, with increased visibility deterring misconduct and improving learning. Responsive and servant leadership principles can alleviate teacher stress and burnout, enhancing teacher retention and student achievement. Employing an I/O psychologist can help implement these strategies.

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