3 Ways to Put Teacher Burnout in Check

Teacher burnout is all too common, especially among theatre teachers. Theatre teachers have to deal with everything from apathetic students to overbearing admin, and that’s BEFORE the production-fueled 12-hour days. That’s why theatre teachers have to constantly push back against the ever-looming spectre of burnout. If you feel like you’re on the edge of burning out, here are three strategies you can use to put burnout in check.

Self-Care

Self-care is at the top of the list. Theatre teachers give and give and give - everything from one-on-one feedback for classroom projects to late-night rehearsals of the impending spring musical. We love our students and we love our programs and we are far too willing to sacrifice our own personal well-being for the sake of that love. However, the MOST important thing to love is yourself! You need to rest and recuperate to have the energy to help your students and run your program. That means you need to unplug and pursue some non-theatre pastimes: Read a book, take a walk, treat yourself to your favorite cup of coffee. These pursuits do not need to be complicated or expensive to be effective self-care activities. Give yourself the chance to recharge your batteries so that you will have the energy in reserve to tackle the projects that are on your plate.

Time Management

Insufficient time management is a leading factor in teacher burnout. Time management challenges typically fall into one of two categories - under-planning and over-commitment - and the two are often connected.

• Under-planning relates to not being properly prepared for class, or rehearsal, or other required school activities - things like not writing lesson plans or maintaining an updated rehearsal calendar. This makes teaching stressful, because it’s incredibly difficult to maintain focus in the classroom when you’re constantly playing catch-up or operating “on the fly.” If you’re under-prepared, take the time to prioritize your most important responsibilities, especially when it comes to things like lesson planning and rehearsals.
  
• If you feel like you never have enough time in the day, it is probably because you are over-committed. As theatre teachers, we love to say yes (and as NEW theatre teachers we sometimes feel that we HAVE to say yes): yes to forming a drama club, yes to volunteering for adhoc committees, yes to special student projects. But your daily responsibilities should be your first priority. When you feel like you’re barely keeping up with your responsibilities, burnout comes quickly.
  

If you find yourself in the weeds with your time management, look for projects or activities that are not part of your required work, and politely excuse yourself from those undertakings. There are only so many hours in a day, and you need to manage those hours effectively.

Remember the Why

It’s easy to have a long, happy career when everything runs smoothly. However, when teaching is no longer fun, burnout usually follows. This is especially true for theatre teachers. Somewhere between the lack of community support, the overbearing admin, and the mandatory incomprehensible ‘district educational initiative’ (that you somehow have to integrate into your curriculum!), many theatre teachers come to realize the love is gone. Being a full-time teacher is a lot of work, and sometimes that work is more frustrating than fun, and that is when burnout can set in.

This is when you need to remember the Why. Remember WHY you wanted to teach theatre in the first place. Most drama teachers pursue this career because of their love of theatre, their love of young people, or both! Take time to remember the joy you feel when you see a student find their passion. Remember the pride on a parent’s face when they see their child light up the stage. Remember when an administrator brags about your production to the entire school. If nothing else, keep in mind that your class is the reason one student came to school today, and that being in your production motivated another student to stay in school and graduate. That is the Why, and the Why helps keep burnout at bay.

Additional Reading:
How to Deal With Rehearsal Burnout
Dealing With Theatrical Burnout: 4 Tips for Teachers
Ten Questions Every Teacher Needs to Ask. (When did you last ask #3?)
Drama Teachers: We See You. We Hear You. We Are With You.
Round-Up: Well-Being and Self-Care for Drama Teachers