Stopping Burnout Before it Starts: Prevention Measures at the Preservice Level

Abstract

Although a great deal of attention has been focused recently on the problem of teacher burnout, very little has been done at the preservice level to prevent it. If, as many believe, burnout is most likely to occur in the first three years of teaching, steps should be taken during preservice training to help future teachers deal more effectively with the challenges and stress they will undoubtably encounter. The authors develop this rationale and identify four possible components of a burnout prevention curriculum, including 1) the development of realistic expectations, 2) the encouragement of detached concern, 3) a better understanding of classroom successes and failures, and 4) an introduction to various stress reduction strategies.