Reducing Teacher Burnout by Increasing Student Engagement

Abstract

Teacher burnout has long been understood to have significant negative effects on teaching efficacy. Research has indicated that student misbehaviour, often a result of disengagement, is a major predictor of teacher burnout. In part to address student disengagement, Hampshire County in England has undertaken a whole-school rights-based reform initiative called Rights, Respect and Responsibility (RRR). This study was designed to examine the effects of RRR on student engagement and teacher burnout over a three-year period. The sample initially comprised a total of 15 schools (four infant, five primary and six junior) and 127 teachers. At the second time of measure, one year later, the sample was reduced to 69 teachers from 13 of the schools. At both times teachers completed the following measures: the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the perceived effect of RRR on teaching, and student engagement. In the third year of the study we obtained data on the Maslach Burnout Inventory from 100 teachers at 12 of the schools. Findings suggest that RRR can improve student engagement and reduce teacher burnout. Of particular note was the predictive power of student participation in the classroom and school in reducing teacher burnout.

Students' engagement in school and family variables: A literature review

“…Several studies highlight the importance of students' rights and the need for their promotion (Covell & Howe, 2001;Covell et al, 2009). The relationship between students' engagement in school and students' rights is an issue that requires further research (Veiga et al, 2012).…”

“…The literature suggests a relationship between students' rights and their intrinsic motivation and engagement in school (Covell, McNeil, & Howe, 2009). Covell and Howe (2001) claim the existence of a correlation between awareness of rights and self-esteem, which may be related to school variables such as attitudes towards school and students' engagement in school (Veiga, 1996;Veiga, Galvão, Festas, & Taveira, 2012;Woolfolk, 2014).…”

Children's human rights education as a counter to social disadvantage: a case study from England

“…Research also has found that when children are educated about their rights in rights-respecting schools, they are more likely to be engaged in school and thus more likely to do better at school (Covell 2010;Covell, McNeil, and Howe 2009). A reason for their greater engagement is that when children receive and understand the message that they have basic rights in schools that model and respect those rightsespecially their right to participation -they are more likely to feel empowered, develop a sense of their own inherent value, and see school as a positive welcoming place (Covell 2010;Howe and Covell 2007).…”

“…The details of the programme and its implementation are provided elsewhere . Over a five-year period (2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008), schools in which the RRR was fully implemented have shown improvements in children's school engagement, school climate, citizenship values and behaviours, and peer and teacher relationships, and decreases in anti-social behaviour, bullying, and teacher burnout Covell et al , 2009. Of the 16 primary-level schools on which the five years of data have been collected, the most notable changes have been seen in a school referred to here as School 1.…”

NLP and its Relationship with Teacher Success, Gender, Teaching Experience, and Degree: A Comparative Study

“…When teachers feel emotionally exhausted and depersonalized, it does not make any difference that what their degree is. Covell, MCNeil, and Howe (2009) asserted that the boring and disruptive environment with forcing too much pressure on the part of teachers can cause burnout even in higher educated teachers. But this is not the case in informal settings.…”