Introduction
Teaching is a complex and demanding profession that requires intense dedication and passion. It is a profession where the responsibility is great, the potential for failure is significant and the remuneration small. Despite the tribulations of the job, teaching traditionally has offered its share of rewards. Finding ways to connect meaningfully with students, designing lessons that addresses students’ needs, and using one’s talents to improve the lives of others are the moral rewards that are embedded in the work. Rather than merely a job, some would regard teaching as a “calling” (Duke, 1984). Many teachers enter the profession inspired by an ethic of service and a mission to make a difference. Working with young minds and fostering …show more content…
No longer able to reap the moral rewards that once attracted them, a growing number of teachers are walking away from their profession; their “calling”. (Insert stats on attrition here). Conventional wisdom suggests that this trend is a result of burnout, however Santora (2011) contends that “ the burnout explanation fails to account for situation where the conditions of teaching change so dramatically that moral rewards, previously available, are now inaccessible.” To illustrate her contention, she shares a narrative about …show more content…
Burnout is an inability to cope with the stresses inherent in the work or an exhaustion of the personal resources needed to do the job. Based on the seminal work of Dr. Jerome Frank, Stephanie’s experience, similar to many other teachers in urban districts across the nation, is a case in which the teacher found it difficult to access the moral rewards of the profession which in turn can led some teachers to feel a loss of meaning and purpose. Both feelings have been linked to a psychological condition described as (know as ) demoralization (demoralization
Teaching is a complex and demanding profession that requires intense dedication and passion. It is a profession where the responsibility is great, the potential for failure is significant and the remuneration small. Despite the tribulations of the job, teaching traditionally has offered its share of rewards. Finding ways to connect meaningfully with students, designing lessons that addresses students’ needs, and using one’s talents to improve the lives of others are the moral rewards that are embedded in the work. Rather than merely a job, some would regard teaching as a “calling” (Duke, 1984). Many teachers enter the profession inspired by an ethic of service and a mission to make a difference. Working with young minds and fostering …show more content…
No longer able to reap the moral rewards that once attracted them, a growing number of teachers are walking away from their profession; their “calling”. (Insert stats on attrition here). Conventional wisdom suggests that this trend is a result of burnout, however Santora (2011) contends that “ the burnout explanation fails to account for situation where the conditions of teaching change so dramatically that moral rewards, previously available, are now inaccessible.” To illustrate her contention, she shares a narrative about …show more content…
Burnout is an inability to cope with the stresses inherent in the work or an exhaustion of the personal resources needed to do the job. Based on the seminal work of Dr. Jerome Frank, Stephanie’s experience, similar to many other teachers in urban districts across the nation, is a case in which the teacher found it difficult to access the moral rewards of the profession which in turn can led some teachers to feel a loss of meaning and purpose. Both feelings have been linked to a psychological condition described as (know as ) demoralization (demoralization