Avoiding Teacher Burnout

How To Incorporate
The Principles Of Mindfulness
In The Classroom
Catherine L. Knopf
Rall Symposium for Undergraduate Research
North Central College
May 12th, 2015

1. Significance Of Teacher Burnout

2. What Is Mindfulness?
3. Application Of Mindfulness In Schools

1. Teacher BURNOUT

Teacher Burnout
Physical, emotional, and attitudinal exhaustion
that begins with the feeling of uneasiness
and mounts as the joy of teaching begins to fade
and can become an insidious, progressive form
of self-neglect
-Freudeinberger

What does Teacher Burnout look like?

3 Volunteers Please!

Burnout Relevance
How many new teachers quit within their first three years?
11% of new teachers quit after their first year in the classroom.
45% quit within their first five years of teaching.

Graziano

the teaching profession has neither

the status, nor the opportunities equal
to the expectations placed on
teachers.
- Nikolaj & Didde Flor Rotne

HOW BURNT OUT ARE

NCC PRESERVICE TEACHERS??

Survey Stats
56 total respondents
Years:

11 First Years
12 Sophomores
16 Juniors
14 Seniors
1 Fifth Year
2 Certification Only

Majors/Content Areas:
25 Elementary
3 PE
14 Music
2 Art
3 History/Social Sciences
1 English
3 Math
5 Foreign Language

Baseline: Positive Psychology Surveys

Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS)
The SHS is a 4-item scale of global subjective happiness. Two items ask respondents
to characterize themselves using both absolute ratings and ratings relative to peers,
whereas the other two items offer brief descriptions of happy and unhappy individuals
and ask respondents the extent to which each characterization describes them.

RESULTS:
Of the 3 questions asked from the SLS, the sample
had an Average of 5 (Moderately Happy) with
rating the Satisfaction of their Lives.

Baseline: Positive Psychology Surveys

Satisfaction with Life Scale (SLS)
The Satisfaction with Life Scale was developed to assess satisfaction with people's
lives as a whole. The scale does not assess satisfaction with specific life domains, such
as health or finances, but allows subjects to integrate and weigh these domains in
whatever way they choose.

RESULTS:
Composite results had an average score of 82.14%,
which equates to a score of highly satisfied.

Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)

The MBI is the most commonly used tool to self-assess whether you might
be at risk of burnout. To determine the risk of burnout, the MBI explores
three components: exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal
achievement

-Burnout is evaluated at Low, Moderate, & High Levels

RESULTS:
Exhaustion: Moderate Levels of Burnout

Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)

The MBI is the most commonly used tool to self-assess whether you might be at risk
of burnout. To determine the risk of burnout, the MBI explores three components:
exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal achievement

-Burnout is evaluated at Low, Moderate, & High Levels

RESULTS:
Personal Achievement: Low Levels of Burnout

Conclusion
As College Students & Preservice Teachers,
Low levels of Burnout & Exhaustion are expected,
however Moderate levels are cause for concern.

2. MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness is a mental state achieved

by focusing on ones awareness on the
present moment, while calmly
acknowledging and accepting ones
feelings, thoughts, and physical reactions
to events occurring in ones life.

Clouds moving through sky

Workplace Mindfulness

...the specific field of workplace

mindfulness claims that incorporating
mindful practices in organizational settings
is important to promote the mental health
and well-being of employees.

Mindfulness practices can be used to

reset ones mental state, but it can
also be used as consistent mentally
healthy practices in order to prevent
emotional exhaustion.

Mindfulness for Teachers

3. APPLICATION OF MINDFULNESS IN SCHOOLS

Mindfulness practices are an effective way

to ensure that teachers and students
are able to create a positive, effective and
mentally healthy learning environment.

Mindfulness Reduces Stress

Teaching the WHOLE Child

Students are told to pay attention
a thousand times in school, but
rarely are they taught how.
-Daniel J. Rechtschaffen

Application: Strategies &

Techniques in Your Classroom

Peace Corner
Mindfulness Traffic Light
Yoga
Guided Imagery
Anchor Breaths

Additional Resources

http://leftbrainbuddha.com/mindful-mantras-for-kids/
http://www.yoga4classrooms.com/yoga-4-classroomsblog/mindfulness-in-schools-what-research-tells-us
https://yogainmyschool.com/tag/what-is-mindfulness/
http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22
Kelly McGonigal: How to Make Stress Your Friend
What Our Recent Obsession with Mindfulness really means: http:
//www.fastcompany.com/3030601/the-future-of-work/what-ourrecent-obsession-with-mindfulness-really-means
University of Massachusets Center for Mindfulness website (Origin of
Western Mindfulness Movement): http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/
Videos from CofM: http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/resources/videos/
How to Design Your Workspace to Encourage Positive Emotions at
Work: http://www.fastcompany.com/3029384/work-smart/how-todesign-your-workspace-to-encourage-positive-emotions-at-work

Thank You!
Catherine L. Knopf
katie.knopf325@gmail.com
msknopfsportfolio.weebly.com

Many Thanks
Dr. Phares for Advising this Project.
All NCC Preservice Teachers who
participated in the survey.
Heidi Nelson for her feedback.
North Central Education Department
Faculty & Staff for their continual
support.

Works Cited

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On Job Satisfaction, Burnout, And The Intention To Quit." European Journal Of Teacher Education 35.3 (2012): 347-357.
Professional Development Collection. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
Shin, Hyojung, et al. "A Longitudinal Examination Of The Relationship Between Teacher Burnout And Depression." Journal Of
Employment Counseling 50.3 (2013): 124-137. Professional Development Collection. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
Oakes, Wendy Peia, et al. "Three-Tiered Models Of Prevention: Teacher Efficacy And Burnout." Education & Treatment Of
Children 36.4 (2013): 95-126. Professional Development Collection. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
http://www.dupage.k12.il.us/educators/services/sel.shtml
Dane, Erik and Brummel, Bradley. Examining workplace mindfulness and its relations to job performance and turnover intention.
Human Relations 67.1 (2013): 105-128. Sage Publications. Web. Jan. 10, 2015.
http://www.edutopia.org/new-teacher-burnout-retention
Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
Photographs by Unsplash
Burke, Christine A. "Mindfulness-based Approaches with Children and Adolescents: A Preliminary Review of Current Research in
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Flor Rotne, Didde & Nikolaj. Everybody Present: Mindfulness in Education. Berkeley, California. Parallax Press, 2013. Print.
Robb-Nicholson, Celeste et. al. The Benefits Of Mindfulness. Harvard Womens Health Watch. 11.6 (Feb 2004): 1-3. Health
Source- Consumer Edition. Web. Jan 9 2015.
Robb-Nicholson, Celeste et. al. Mindfulness In A Hectic World. Harvard Womens Health Watch. 16.8 (April 2009): 1. Health
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Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A., and Molly Stewart Lawlor. "The Effects of a Mindfulness-based Education Program on Pre-and
Early Adolescents Well-being and Social and Emotional Competence." Mindfulness 1.3 (2010): 137-151.