This series critically explores the self-awareness, training and the mental well being of professionals. In this episode, Anna and I discuss teacher burnout and stress, workloads and why AI is impacting upon the role of the teacher. Today we focus on  the main factors impacting teachers leaving the profession. 

2.33: Anna starts the show of by discussing the rate teachers are leaving the profession as being high, though the amount of time and effort it takes to train someone to become a qualified teacher, this really should not be the case. We discuss the statistics behind this, with Anna highlighting the workload planning report published by the DfE each year demonstrating these high levels. This raises many questions and as Anna points out, it makes us look at the reasons why.

 6.45: I add to this discussion by stating how this is happening not only in schools but in the FE and HE sectors too. I begin with workload being more than just teaching. Teachers bring the personal into the professional and though non-intentional, it can alter their behaviour especially if they have been triggered in the classroom. There are a lot of pressures on teachers and Anna agrees with this when she discusses the vicious cycle of a teachers workload and how the number of hours worked impacts personal lives and the stress of this can impact professional practice.

 9.09: Anna believes we as educators, are becoming data managers and it is an area she is becoming increasingly passionate about. She continues to discuss how teachers are expected to know the exact level of their students for performance outcomes; create an action plan to get their students from their current level to the expected level for every single student with limited leeway. When you tie the datafication side of this profession into the growing push from the DfE to incorporate artificial intelligence. Anna discusses how this push will result in teachers not only checking student work but they will have to become specialists in using ai themselves.

 10.55: Further still, the government announced they wanted ai to be used for tasks such as feedback even though this is a core part of teaching. Anna points out how this will be problematic and includes the idea of it being unethical. With the use of ai in this way, teaching becomes about delivery; it’s no longer a vocation in Anna’s opinion.

 14.10: I discuss how ai is not only making us work faster but it’s moving us into unknown territory so in terms of workload there are new pressures. I ask who’s going to do the training for it and how efficient will it be. Anna expresses her concern with the teacher being replaced in the classroom and how there is a lack of critical thinking.

 20.38: We continue with the notion that there is no space for collective change under these pressures and workloads. Unions are busy coping with a toxic work environment and less time for engaging with other policy changes that are impacting professionals. How then, in these crazy times, can teachers and educators protect their professional boundaries, engage with self-care and access self-awareness programs for their development. 

 Whilst we highlight the difficulties impacting the teaching profession, we offer strategies that can work and have worked.