Music teacher burnout : how do we cope with it?

Abstract

Music teachers need to maintain positive feelings about themselves, their jobs, and their students, in order to face the demands of current fast-paced daily challenges, especially in the South African situation. Through constant awareness of the burnout syndrome and the development of intervention strategies based on what is learned from such awareness, meaningful solutions can be found to successful coping. Literature offers considerable assistance in this regard, both by discussing some of the sources of stress affecting music teachers, and suggesting ways of alleviating or coping with stress and burnout. Significant contributors to burnout include lack of recognition by administration, unclear goals, too much work and insufficient resources, emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment. When experiencing burnout, the article suggests positive steps such as seeing a doctor; getting sufficient sleep; setting realistic goals; learning effective time management; arming oneself with selfknowledge; putting yourself first; creating times of emotional nurturing; connecting with a meaningful cause or community group; practising healthy communication; taking daily exercise; keeping a teaching journal; cutting back on working hours and, lastly, job hunting.