Teachers in Transition

Teachers in Transition - 166 - Some Statistics about Stress and Teachers in 2021-22

June 01, 2022 Kitty Boitnott Season 1 Episode 166
Teachers in Transition
Teachers in Transition - 166 - Some Statistics about Stress and Teachers in 2021-22
Show Notes Transcript

In this week's episode, Kitty shares statistics from a recent survey conducted by AdoptaClassroom.org. You can check out the survey results in the article entitled "The State of Teaching 2022."

If the stress of teaching this year and dealing with the lack of resources and support has forced you to think about making a career change, reach out to Kitty at https://teachersintransition.com/calendar for a complimentary Discovery Session to discuss your options.

Speaker 1:

Are you a teacher who's feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. Do you worry that you're feeling symptoms of burnout or are you sure you've already gotten there? Have you started a dream of doing some other kind of job or perhaps pursuing a whole different career, but you don't know what else you're even qualified to do. You don't know how to start a job search. You just feel stuck. If that sounds like you, I promise you're not alone. My name is kitty boy. Not I'm a career transition in job search coach. And I specialize in helping burn out teachers, just like you deal, not only with the stress and overwhelm of your day to day job, but to consider what other careers might be out there waiting for you. Join me for teachers in transition. In some episodes, I'll be speaking to stress management techniques and how you can manage your stress on a day to day basis. In other episodes, I'll be talking about career transition. What tools do you need to be successful in a job search when you're moving from one career into a totally different track. These are questions that you need answers to and I can help you find those answers. My name is kitty boy, not welcome to teachers in transition.

Speaker 2:

Welcome back to another episode of teachers in transition the podcast in the YouTube channel. My name is kitty boy, not I am the owner of boy, not coaching and the founder of teachers in transition. I'm a heart centered career transition and job search coach. I'm also a certified stress management coach. And if you've listened to this podcast in the past, you know that I alternate topics each week, one week I talk about career transition strategies. And then on alternating weeks, I talk about stress management strategies. Now this week, the topic is stress. And as I have shared with you in the past, I feel like I've said just about all I know to say on the topic of stress and stress management that said it doesn't stop me from looking for new resources and suggestions of ways to manage stress more proactively and effectively. And as a result of that search today, I found a, an article that was published by adopt a classroom.org. Now, according to this article, the adopt classroom.org conducted a survey in March of 2022. And since it's just may, it's a recent survey. The statistics seem a bit high to me. Having said that the people who would be responding to adopt a classroom.org would probably express more of a need for resources and supplies than the average teacher who no doubt needs additional resources and supplies because increasingly districts are not providing the budget that needs to be provided for, uh, the proper allocation of resources. So I wanted to share with you the 2022 state of teaching statistics per the adopt a classroom.org survey according and I'm, I'm referring to my screen here where I have the statistics pulled up, according to this particular survey, this is how teaching has changed during the 20 21 22 school year, based on the results of the survey that they conducted in March, 2022. And again, their users would be the expected responders, right? So 81% answered that the overall workload has increased during the 20 21, 22 school year. And I, that that statistic may be high, but I don't think that's a surprising result that, and, and everyone would agree. I think probably a hundred percent would agree that to some extent the teaching workload has changed in the, in the last year. Certainly for sure, in the last two years, 80% suggested that they were spending more time addressing students, mental health. That's not a surprise, either 71% said they spent more of their own money on classroom materials. 69% said they were getting students back to on track from learning loss. 58% reported an increase in classroom interruptions during instruction, 55% reported, less planning time due to staff shortages and other factors. 45% reported that they had had to change their curriculum. 35% had received a smaller budget for school supplies. 30% reported that the schools or district's priorities had changed. 25% said changes to assignments had occurred in their classroom. And 18% said they had less access to instructional tools and materials. So when you're working at a deficit of resources and time not being given the time you need to plan properly for your classes, it would be no wonder that your stress level would start to go through the roof. And you add on the mental stability of the students that you're dealing with, whether it comes from the pandemic or other issues that may be going on at home, it's it creates a tremendous strain on teachers. So the question is, what in the world can you do about it? And the answer is other than recognizing it, understanding that you're not alone dealing with it, perhaps going to the ex to the extent of finding support inside your building, finding other teachers who feel the same way you do not for the purpose of a pity party. That's not going to help anybody in dealing with stress right now, but to find help and support for one another and taking advantage of resources, like adopt a classroom.org and encouraging your family and friends to donate to resources like that. Now, on the other hand, there's the more political view that you need to be part of your local teachers association, which is lobbying your school board and your state legislators on your behalf for additional money, for budgets, for resources. Now at the, at the state level, the money is simply allocated with very broad instructions on how the money is to be used. Some of it is earmarked, but it's still very broad. And in a lot of cases, the local school board gets to make decisions about how particular dollars are allocated for things like school books, computers, paper, pencils, those kinds of things. When you are at the point of having to dig into your own pocket to buy incentives, additional pencils, more paper, even that's when you need support from other places. So find that support, understand that there are other places out there where you can go to get help, and you don't necessarily have to spend your own hard earned dollars to help supplement your classroom. And frankly, in my opinion, you shouldn't have to do that. I know I did it, and that was long before the pandemic ever it back when I was in the, as a, as an elementary school librarian, I bought a lot of materials, supplies, pencils, bulletin board. I love going to the school store as a matter of fact, to buy new bulletin board supplies. And I would often buy those out of my own pocket. So when you are feeling stressed and strange cause of a lack of resources, try to find a, a community like the adopt a classroom. That's just one, one example, adopt a classroom.org, but know that you are not alone in feeling the, the strain. And maybe perhaps just knowing that can help to ease some of your stress. Here we are in may looking down the barrel of the end of the school year. And so I am hoping that you are looking forward to your summer, that you have plans for helping to recharge and rejuvenate yourself. And if you've decided that you're going to use some of your spring break to start looking for a new job, I hope you'll keep me in mind and consider making an appointment for a free discovery session so that we can talk about whether one of the programs that I provide would be useful to you in your search. And that's it for this week. Take care, stay well, stay safe. And I will see you again next week.

Speaker 1:

So there you have it, an episode of teachers in transition. I hope you enjoyed the information and I hope you'll plan to come back. Please subscribe to teachers in transition so that you can be alerted of future episodes. And let me know if you have any questions or topics that you would like me to specifically cover in a future episode, I'm more than happy to help with individual questions as well. So email me at kitty boy, not at boy, not coaching.com. If you are interested in finding a new career or just enjoying your life more, this is the place to start. I'm kitty boy not. And this is teachers in transition.