Personal Growth → Dr Jake Madden

Preventing Teacher Burnout: Strategies for School Leaders

Learn about the signs of teacher burnout and find out what you can do to address it before it becomes a problem.

Here we are on the verge of school holidays, an important time for teachers to rejuvenate. Unfortunately, preventing teacher burnout is becoming more critical as educators grapple with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, teacher shortages, and increasing pressure from global league tables. Burnout can drive talented teachers out of the profession and is often challenging to recover from.

Teachers face a myriad of challenges. They must modify programs to meet the needs of diverse learners, keep track of changing education regulations, manage students with special needs, and handle administrative responsibilities. Without adequate support, many experience burnout after prolonged exposure to emotional and interpersonal job stress. Preventing teacher burnout requires an intentional, proactive approach to supporting educators in their demanding roles.

Understanding Teacher Burnout

Teacher burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by factors such as excessive workloads, insufficient resources, and unrealistic expectations. It often manifests through feelings of cynicism, exhaustion, and a diminishing sense of personal accomplishment. Left unaddressed, burnout can lead to absenteeism, increased staff turnover, and decreased job performance. In severe cases, it can contribute to physical and mental health issues.

While the causes of burnout are complex, school leaders play a pivotal role in preventing teacher burnout by fostering a supportive and sustainable work environment. By recognising the signs early and taking action, you can make a profound difference in your teachers’ well-being and professional longevity.

Strategies for Preventing Teacher Burnout

As a school leader, there are several actionable steps you can take to protect your teachers from burnout and support their ongoing professional and personal well-being:

1. Prioritise Work-Life Balance

Recognise that your teachers are individuals with lives outside of school. Encourage them to set healthy boundaries by:

Promoting the use of paid time off and personal leave.
Discouraging work-related communication outside school hours.
Supporting opportunities for flexible scheduling where possible.

By respecting personal time, you help reduce the risk of burnout and improve overall job satisfaction.

2. Foster a Positive and Supportive Environment

A culture of appreciation and encouragement can significantly impact morale. You can create this environment by:

Regularly acknowledging and celebrating teachers’ achievements.
Ensuring educators have the resources and tools they need.
Providing opportunities for career growth and professional development.

When teachers feel valued and supported, they are more resilient and better equipped to manage stress.

3. Promote Collaboration and Open Communication

A collaborative culture reduces isolation and encourages collective problem-solving. Strategies to foster this include:

Encouraging regular peer collaboration and team-teaching.
Creating opportunities for staff to share feedback openly.
Facilitating mentorship programs for new and experienced teachers.

By promoting open communication, you help create a sense of community and shared responsibility.

4. Provide Access to Mental Health Resources

Supporting mental health is vital for preventing teacher burnout. Consider offering:

Access to counselling or employee assistance programs (EAPs).
Workshops focused on stress management and mindfulness techniques.
Regular check-ins to identify and address emerging concerns.

Investing in mental health resources shows your commitment to staff well-being and helps prevent burnout from escalating.

5. Model Healthy Leadership Practices

School leaders set the tone for the entire school community. Demonstrate your commitment to well-being by:

Practising self-care and sharing your strategies with staff.
Setting realistic expectations for yourself and your team.
Encouraging a culture where asking for help is seen as a strength.

When leaders model work-life balance and self-care, it empowers teachers to do the same.

Final Thoughts

Preventing teacher burnout requires a holistic and sustained effort from school leaders. By prioritising work-life balance, fostering a positive environment, encouraging collaboration, providing mental health resources, and modelling healthy practices, you can create a school culture where educators thrive.

What are your thoughts on preventing teacher burnout? Have you faced this challenge in your school? Share your experiences and strategies in the comments below.

School Leadership Lessons from Tour Guides

Here are five things I’ve learned from these tour guides that resonate with school leadership.

The summer holidays are a perfect time to unwind, explore, and gain fresh perspectives. My wife and I love to travel, and one of our favourite activities is joining walking tours in historic city centres. These tours provide a deep dive into history, culture, and the influences that shape a place.

But beyond the stories of architecture and tradition, I noticed something striking—the way walking tour guides lead, engage, and inspire their audience resonates with effective school leadership. As educators, we guide students, staff, and parents through an evolving school journey. The best school leaders, like great tour guides, know how to tell their school’s story, build relationships, and create a shared vision.

Here are five school leadership lessons from walking tours that stood out to me this summer.

1. Know Your History

A good tour guide begins by providing historical context. They explain how a city or landmark came to be, offering insight into its foundations and vision. Similarly, school leaders must know their school’s history—its traditions, values, and evolution over time.

When welcoming new staff or walking parents around the school, leaders should share the school’s journey. Understanding where the school has come from gives people a sense of belonging and purpose.

2. Understand External Influences

On a walking tour, guides explain how outside forces have shaped a city—whether through architecture, cuisine, or cultural shifts. The same applies to schools. Education is influenced by government policies, community expectations, technology, and social change.

Great school leaders recognise these influences and adapt. They consider how societal changes impact curriculum, student needs, and teaching practices. Schools that thrive are those that acknowledge change while staying true to their core mission.

3. Plan with Purpose

Tour guides don’t wander aimlessly—they map out routes that build on key themes and connect stories. Each stop is intentional, leading participants through a carefully crafted experience.

Effective school leaders also plan with purpose. Every initiative, meeting, and decision should build on the school’s vision and long-term goals. Without a clear roadmap, schools risk getting lost in reactive decision-making rather than moving towards meaningful progress.

4. Build Relationships

Walking tour guides rely on relationships—they connect with their audience, personalise interactions, and adjust their approach to keep participants engaged. They know that a happy tourist is more likely to tip at the end.

Likewise, school leadership is built on relationships. Leaders who take the time to connect with teachers, students, and parents foster trust and engagement. A school where people feel valued and heard is a school where people thrive. Whether through informal conversations, staff mentoring, or student check-ins, personal relationships are the foundation of strong leadership.

5. Reinforce Key Messages

The best tour guides don’t just tell a story once—they revisit key moments throughout the tour to help participants make connections. They use phrases like:

“Do you remember when we stopped at…?”
“When we were discussing the invasion of…”
“See how this connects to…”

School leaders should do the same. A vision or school value shouldn’t be a one-time speech—it needs to be reinforced through conversations, assemblies, and staff meetings. Leaders who continually link actions back to core values help create a shared sense of purpose across the school.

Leading Schools Like a Tour Guide

A great tour guide transports their audience through storytelling, enthusiasm, and clear vision. Imagine how schools could evolve if principals led like expert tour guides—knowing their school’s history, adapting to change, planning with intent, building relationships, and reinforcing key messages.

School leadership, like a well-crafted walking tour, should be engaging, meaningful, and memorable.

Handling Difficult Colleagues at Work

Not everyone at work is your best friend and unfortunately, at times, they intentionally work to undermine your credibility. Learn how to deal with a coworker that undermines you and makes your life harder than it needs to be. Follow these tips for dealing with difficult people at work.

Not everything that happens at work is within your control. Handling difficult colleagues is an inevitable part of professional life. Not everyone gets along, and some people may even try to undermine you. Workplace dynamics can be challenging, but how you respond to negativity and conflict can make all the difference.

The key is to stay professional, focus on what you can control, and not take things personally. Difficult situations can serve as valuable learning experiences, helping you develop resilience and stronger workplace relationships.

Why Do Some Colleagues Undermine Others?

Understanding why some colleagues behave negatively can help you navigate workplace politics more effectively. Here are some common reasons why people may try to bring others down:

1. Jealousy

Some colleagues resent your success or fear that you might take opportunities meant for them. By putting you down, they try to make themselves look better in comparison.

2. Tall Poppy Syndrome

When someone stands out in a workplace—whether due to talent, hard work, or recognition—others may feel threatened. Instead of celebrating success, they attempt to cut others down to size.

3. Lack of Confidence

Insecure colleagues often feel intimidated by others’ skills or experience. Their way of coping is to diminish your strengths to mask their own insecurities.

4. Poor Performance

Some colleagues who struggle to meet expectations may deflect attention from their shortcomings by gossiping or spreading negativity about others.

Recognising these patterns can help you approach workplace challenges without taking them personally.

How to Deal with Difficult Colleagues

1. Control What You Can

Not everything is within your control. Instead of dwelling on negativity, focus on your own actions and responses. Maintain professionalism, perform well, and avoid engaging in workplace drama.

2. Address the Issue Directly

If a colleague’s behaviour is affecting your work environment, have a conversation with them. Sometimes, misunderstandings fuel conflict, and an honest discussion can clear the air.

3. Document the Situation

If the negativity escalates or affects your work, start documenting interactions. Keep a record of any inappropriate behaviour, emails, or incidents. This can be useful if you need to escalate the matter to HR or leadership.

4. Stay Positive and Professional

Negativity thrives on reaction. Instead of engaging in toxic behaviour, keep a positive mindset and remain focused on your goals. The more unaffected you appear, the less power negativity holds over you.

5. Continue to Do Your Best

Ultimately, the only thing you can fully control is yourself. Keep working hard, focus on excellence, and don’t allow negativity to derail your progress.

6. Let Actions Speak Louder than Words

Sometimes, the best response is no response. Rather than retaliating or defending yourself against gossip, let your actions prove your worth. People will recognise your professionalism and integrity over time.

Final Thoughts on Handling Difficult Colleagues

Handling difficult colleagues is a skill that every professional needs to develop. While you can’t control others’ behaviour, you can control how you respond. By staying professional, addressing issues directly, and focusing on your own growth, you can navigate workplace challenges effectively.

Difficult colleagues may test your patience, but with the right mindset and strategies, you can rise above negativity and continue to thrive in your career.

Measuring School Leadership Performance: Key Self-Reflection Strategies

Every school leader needs a process to evaluate their current performance. However, if you really want to improve as a leader, decision-maker, administrator, manager or simply a co-worker, then collecting some data on your performance in your role is essential. Unfortunately many school leaders see the annual performance review as an intrusion or a chore.

Measuring school leadership performance is essential for growth and effectiveness. Every school leader has an intuitive sense of how they are performing, but true improvement requires more than just gut feelings. Leaders must actively evaluate their impact and seek meaningful feedback.

Many school leaders view performance reviews as an administrative task rather than an opportunity for self-reflection. However, evaluating leadership performance doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be a powerful process that drives improvement, informs decision-making, and strengthens a school’s vision.

Here are four practical ways to measure school leadership performance and enhance professional growth.

1. Questionnaires & Self-Assessments

One of the most common tools for measuring school leadership performance is the 360-degree questionnaire. These surveys collect anonymous feedback from staff, providing charts and tables that highlight strengths and weaknesses. While these can be helpful, they often lack depth in identifying actionable steps for improvement.

A more effective approach is engaging in face-to-face conversations with staff. By actively listening and seeking direct feedback, leaders gain insightful perspectives on their impact. Honest discussions with teachers and colleagues can provide valuable reflections that a survey might miss.

2. Intuitive Reflection

Great leaders have strong intuition. They can sense when things are running smoothly and when something feels off. While intuition alone is not a structured measurement, it often signals areas that need attention.

By regularly reflecting on decision-making, staff morale, and school culture, leaders can make timely adjustments. The key is balancing instinct with data, ensuring that gut feelings align with measurable outcomes.

3. Examining Your School Community

A leader’s performance is reflected in the success of the school community. When leadership is effective:

Teachers are engaged and aligned with the school’s vision.
Student outcomes improve, both academically and socially.
Middle leaders and teacher leaders thrive in their roles.
A culture of collaboration and growth is evident.

If these elements are in place, it indicates strong leadership. However, if disengagement, confusion, or stagnation emerge, it may be time to re-evaluate leadership strategies.

4. Looking Beyond Your School

Strong school leadership extends beyond the school gates. Comparing your school’s performance, programs, and initiatives with other institutions offers valuable insights into effectiveness.

Key questions to ask include:

How does our innovation compare to similar schools?
Are our academic results improving in line with expectations?
Are we forward-planning for future challenges?
Are our leadership strategies fostering long-term success?

By keeping an eye on external benchmarks, leaders can adapt, innovate, and drive school improvement.

The First Step: A Desire to Improve

Ultimately, the foundation of measuring school leadership performance is a leader’s internal commitment to growth. No strategy, survey, or comparison will be effective unless there is a genuine desire to improve. Without this drive, leaders risk stagnation—and an absent leader can weaken an entire school community.

True leadership is about reflection, adaptation, and continuous improvement. By embracing self-evaluation and seeking meaningful feedback, school leaders can enhance their impact and create lasting change.

Bring on 2019

The lead up to new years eve is a reflective time. A time to look back over the year and a time to look forward to opportunities of a new year. As an educator here are a couple of resolutions you might like to ponder on:

New Year, New Beginnings, New Opportunities

Have a great 2019!