The Education Evolution
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Introduction
Welcome to the Educator Series! In this episode, Tevi sits down with her dear friend, Lindsay Morhart, a seasoned educator and administrator with 22 years of teaching experience. Lindsay sheds light on the challenges faced by educators, especially in the context of burnout and the ever-evolving landscape of education.
The Current Struggles
Lindsay begins by sharing her journey from teaching to administration, and the inherent difficulties faced in her current role. Working in a school dealing with the aftermath of intergenerational trauma from residential schools, Lindsay emphasizes the daunting responsibilities educators in her region shoulder. Teachers, she notes, are not feeling adequately supported within the existing system.
Teacher Burnout Realities
Perhaps, at the root of burnout in teachers, is the guilt teachers carry in knowing that they simply can’t do everything and be everything they need to be for each student. Lindsay highlights real stories of teachers feeling undervalued and unsupported, leading to emotional breakdowns. The weight of responsibility often spills over into their personal lives, creating more guilt as they see how it is affecting their families.
Setting Boundaries
Tevi and Lindsay stress the importance of educators setting boundaries at school to prevent burnout. Teachers must recognize their limitations and shed the “saviour complex” to avoid the weight of unrealistic expectations. Lindsay advocates for a shift in perspective, urging educators to meet students where they’re at when they can, without shouldering the burden of saving everyone. Teachers are trained educators, not trauma experts. It’s important for them to remember that.
The Value Exchange
Education has undergone substantial changes over the years, creating challenges for teachers to keep up. Tevi talks about the importance of the “value exchange” - the ability to articulate how one’s actions add value to a system or environment. When leaders push change without also articulating the value exchange well, people are left hanging with an inability to see how what they’re doing matters. Both hosts discuss the common feeling of being pushed toward change simply for the sake of change, often without a clear understanding of the reason behind it, or the value it brings.
Government Priorities
Lindsay raises valid concerns about government priorities, criticizing the current focus on superficial issues like flagpoles, poppies, and pronoun policies, rather than addressing the real challenges being faced daily by educators. Funding issues, and how the funding is distributed, further exacerbates the problem, leaving teachers without the necessary support to handle complex student needs.
Supporting Burned-Out Educators
Tevi and Lindsay explore ways society can recognize and support teachers to protect them from burnout. “If we don’t take care of the people who are taking care of our children every day, the future is going to be grim,” Tevi states. Lindsay advocates for parents to band together, attend rallies, and collectively use their voices to pressure the government for necessary changes. The importance of understanding and appreciating the challenges faced by teachers is underscored.
Conclusion
This episode was just a sliver of the issues teachers are facing. There is a lot more to talk about, and we will dig into this more in the next few episodes in our Educator Series. We can’t stress enough the urgency of recognizing and addressing these challenges before they escalate further, and we look forward to continuing the conversation. Stay tuned for further episodes in our Educator Series, and until then, live your life lit. 🔥