Investigating whether a lack of preparedness contributes to teacher burnout among early career teachers

Garland, Collette (2025) Investigating whether a lack of preparedness contributes to teacher burnout among early career teachers. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Burnout has long been a recognized issue for teachers, and numerous studies have examined the factors contributing to burnout and its consequences for the teaching profession. This report presents the results of a study involving 132 current permanent or substitute teachers teaching during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years. The research question asked whether a lack of preparedness contributed to burnout in early career teachers and to identify factors that likely contribute to compassion fatigue. Teachers completed an online survey addressing factors contributing to compassion fatigue, self-rated their competencies, and identified perceived stressors in the teaching profession. The study, conducted via Qualtrics, received ethics approval from the Interdisciplinary Committee on Ethics in Human Research (ICEHR). Additionally, six teachers working during the 2021-2022 school year participated in phone interviews. An analysis of the qualitative data revealed several factors contributing to compassion fatigue and burnout, as reported by teachers during the 2021-2022 school year. Key contributing factors included unrealistic expectations (18.5%, n=28), lack of support (10.6%, n=16), time management and parental involvement (i.e. both with 7.3%, n=11). Another key contributing factor was the need for more counsellors (6.6%, n=10) and smaller class sizes (6.6%, n=10). All phone interview participants (n=6) confirmed they had experienced burnout and had witnessed colleagues experience burnout. The themes that best represented early career teachers’ responses were unrealistic expectations (33.33%, n=2/6), extreme workload (33.33%, n=2/6), time management (33.33%, n=2/6) and lack of support (33.33%, n=2/6). An analysis of the quantitative data showed that the primary stressors identified by participants were managing work-life balance (7.23/9, n=64), managing health and energy (6.89/9, n=64) and time management (6.21/9, n=63). Participants rated their competency levels in Part B as “excellent” in maintaining a professional disposition but only “good” in relation to practical classroom competencies, government expectations, technology and teaching theory and practice. Study findings, particularly qualitative data, indicate that teachers believe a significant gap exists between teacher training and the challenging classroom realities new teachers face. Educators pointed to a lack of resources and administrative support, which they believe to be the cause of uncertainty and heightened stress. Teachers noted uncertainty about legal rights and how to negotiate the intense emotional and psychological burdens associated with their jobs. They also referred to the need for more effective practicums, mentorship, and practically orientated teacher training as ways to improve teacher preparedness. The implications of these findings for Memorial University's teacher training program and professional development are discussed. Recommendations include further research into the contributors to teacher burnout, emphasizing practical solutions.

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