Examining How Campus Contextual Factors Correlate to Teacher Morale in a Secondary Setting

Abstract

Far too often in education the term "burnout" is used to describe a teacher who has been disenchanted with education and seems to be waiting till the day retirement becomes available. A teacher suffering from burnout exhibits signs of low morale for teaching, involvement with staff and involvement in the school and community. There is no specific clue or symptom that leads to burnout, and there isn't a specific amount of years leading to teacher burnout. Interestingly enough, new teachers suffer burnout in aggressive numbers similar to experienced teachers. Alliance for Excellent Education (2005) found that 14% of new teachers leave by the end of their first year, 30% leave within three years, and 50% leave by the end of year five. With these statistics, it's not surprising that class sizes are larger than ever and "burnout" is synonymous with "I've given up." As teacher retention continues to be a problem, it is important to look at the reasons behind the dissatisfaction in order to find a solution. It is s the principal's responsibility to anticipate possible threats to morale and satisfaction to create a happier, more productive environment.