Teacher Burnout

  • Teaching Through the Pandemic 2

    ByAllen Reding

    In 1979, I was caught in a flood that forced me to abandon my car and wade through the dark toward safety. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the confusion and fear of that night would echo decades later in the classroom. Teaching through the pandemic carried the same weight—sudden changes, no clear path, and the need to lean on others. We Survived and Grew During the summer of 1979, a torrential downpour fell on my hometown. In what seemed like no time, flood waters engorged most of the surrounding streets. Instead of staying in the safe, relatively … Read more

  • The Handheld Wrecking Balls of the Classroom

    ByAllen Reding

    As I near the end of my 27th year in teaching, I have observed a recurring trend in the past several years of my career: Every April for the past 7 or 8 years, I have experienced an inner tug urging me to explore career opportunities beyond the realm of teaching. I’ve discovered that many teachers across the state share these sentiments. Initially, I could easily brush off these thoughts after a week or two of summer break, but ever since the pandemic, it has become increasingly challenging to ignore them.  Educators often notice a cyclical pattern throughout the academic … Read more