Episode 52 - How to Use Your Teacher Burnout As An Opportunity for Growth with Amber Harper

Jan 31 2023 • 57 mins

In today’s episode, I speak with my friend, Amber Harper about teacher burnout. Amber is a full time kindergarten teacher and teacher burnout coach. After struggling with burnout for most of her teaching career, in 2016 she created Burned In Teacher. Now she uses her podcast, book, and online course and community to coach teachers through her 8 step burned in process to help them use burnout for an opportunity for growth so they can live a more fulfilled career and life.

She shares about her own journey in education and burnout and that of people she has worked with. When someone is burned out, she explains, the first step is to admit it - “I'm burned out.” To say it is to own it and take responsibility for it. Next is to identify your teacher burnout type, which she has a quiz for this on her website. Not everyone’s burnout is alike and knowing what is causing you to feel burned out will help you understand what steps to take next.

The second step is to understand your teacher brand. In other words, learn to be self aware and check your own ego and bias before you enter situations. Amber suggests that seeking to understand before seeking to be understood is key if you need to confront negative situations with colleagues. She describes a situation where she had to do this in a planning meeting that had turned toxic over time.

Overall, Amber explains that when dealing with burnout, you either have to change yourself or your environment, or sometimes both. We discuss how no one is doing things to you, you are allowing them to happen in most cases. She gives the example of setting time boundaries so that you can leave by your contract hours. Learn from the times that you feel frustrated about leaving late and adjust your boundaries for the next time.

Life is messy. There will never be a perfect system for balancing a teacher career and all of the other things in your life. Things will always need to be flexible. As a rule of thumb, Amber recommends asking yourself - what is one gift you can give yourself in the future? How can you set future-you up for success?

What you will hear about Teacher Burnout:

Different forms of Teacher Burnout
Tips for collaborating and building rapport with colleagues when you are frustrated
How to reflect on yourself and your environment when experiencing burnout
Ways to set “future you” up for success

Resources