Burnout in Secondary Ag Teachers

For ENGL 3309

By Molly Blankenship

December 8, 2016
 Memo of Transmittal

To: Dr. Katrina Hinson

From: Molly Blankenship
Date: December 6, 2016
Subject: Transmittal for the Burnout of Secondary Ag Teachers

In response to your request of August 2016, I have analyzed the burnout of Ag teachers in
secondary schools. I am pleased to present the following report, which summarizes what
burnout is, why it is effecting so many teachers, and what can be done in attempt to combat this
growing trend.

Based on research conducted regarding this subject, I have enclosed with this report
recommendations on how we can decrease the amount of Ag teachers leaving the profession in
the first five years of teaching. From ways to try and prevent stress to having more
administrative support, it is possible to combat this growing problem, but only if the school
districts are willing to make the change.

I would like to thank Debra Blankenship for sitting down and interviewing with me about her
views about teacher burnout. Her insight has been an integral influence in this report.

Feel free to email me about any questions you have regarding information in the report

Enc. Report

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures...............................................................................................................ii

Abstract..........................................................................................................................................iii
Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................iii
Introduction..................................................................................................................................1
I. Purpose.................................................................................................................................1
II. Background.......................................................................................................................1
III. Problem.............................................................................................................................1
IV. Forecast the organization of the report..............................................................................1
Methodology................................................................................................................................1
I. Teacher Burnout.......................................................................................................................2
Teacher Burnout Definition and Description...............................................................................2
What Makes Teacher Burnout So Prevalent?...............................................................................2
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II. Burnout in Ag Teachers........................................................................................................3

Why is This Happening?..............................................................................................................3
Stress............................................................................................................................................3
Comparison..................................................................................................................................4
Salary and Job Satisfaction..........................................................................................................4
Administration.............................................................................................................................4
III. What Can Be Done to Prevent Teacher Burnout..................................................................5
The Undeniable Reason...............................................................................................................5
In Conclusion...............................................................................................................................5
Works Cited.....................................................................................................................................7
Glossary...........................................................................................................................................8
Appendixes......................................................................................................................................9
Interview Questions.....................................................................................................................9
Extra Notes Written by Interviewee.............................................................................................9

List of Tables and Figures

Figure 1 Reasons Teachers Leave the Profession............................................................................3

Figure 2 Salaries in the United States..4
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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to discuss why there is such a shortage of secondary Ag teachers.
This report dives deeper into the reasons behind the loss and gives evidence of the factors
causing the loss of teachers at such an alarming rate. The main topics include what teacher
burnout is, why it is affecting Ag teachers, and what can be done to prevent this. In the
conclusion, it is found that these many factors do contribute to the levels of teacher burnout, but
there are no concrete solutions.

Executive Summary

In this document, the subject being discussed is teacher burnout in secondary Ag teachers. The
majority of my research came from the library databases. Most of these titles are originally from
the Journal of Agricultural Education. My primary source of research is an interview conducted
with a teacher with 37 years of experience. With the insight gained from this interview, it
became easier to tell just how accurate the factors were that were given in the articles.
To begin the paper, we begin with an overall summary of what teacher burnout is and why it is
affecting so many teachers who are just beginning their careers. This is the section where we
begin to discuss the situation about a younger Ag teacher who had just begun their career and
why this teacher made the decision to move to a different profession within five years. This real
life circumstance shows just how detrimental a lack of support from coworkers can be to a
teacher just starting out.
The main factors that are believed to be the cause of teacher burnout include: stress, job
dissatisfaction, social comparison, lack of administrative support, and family. While some of
these factors are able to be controlled, some are just unable to be dealt with by employers. The
biggest factor found for Ag teachers is stress. This is due to the fact that Ag teachers do a lot
more extracurricular events, practices, and other activities outside of the classroom with students.
Social comparison, while still relevant, was not really a cause of dissatisfaction with the
profession. Instead, it caused these teachers to be inspired by other Ag teachers and desire to be
more like them. The other main factors would be job dissatisfaction and lack of administrative
support. These two go hand in hand with each other. Ag programs may not be properly funded
or have the means or support necessary to be a successful program. This makes the work
environment more challenging and unpleasing for the teacher. One other component that can
lead to job dissatisfaction is salary. If a teacher is not being paid the proper amount for the work
that they are putting into the program, it can be frustrating for them to the point where they will
not perform their duties to the highest standard.
In the past section, family was mentioned as a factor, but it did not come into play until the
conclusion of the document due to the fact that there is nothing that can be done about it. If a
teacher feels like the best thing for them to do is to be home, they will be home with their
families regardless of what is going on at work.
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In the conclusion section, it is discussed how the factors listed above can be altered in an attempt
to retain new teachers to this profession. If these changes are implemented, there will hopefully
be an increase in the amount of teachers staying in the profession rather than moving onto a
profession that they believe is better than teaching Ag

Introduction

I. Purpose: I am writing about the issue of Ag teacher burnout to show why they are
quitting the profession early so that we may find a way to address and fix this
dilemma.

II. Background: The profession of agricultural education requires a great deal of

dedication. Without a passion for stock shows, competitions and conventions, this
career will drain your enthusiasm and possibly put a strain on your social life.

III. Problem: This, along with stress and other factors, is the reason that Ag teachers are
suffering from teacher burnout at an alarming rate.

IV. Forecast the organization of the report: In this paper, we will discuss the
background of teacher burnout, the burnout of Ag teachers, and what can be done to
prevent teacher burnout.

Methodology

I. Introduction / Overall Approach

For the primary source of this document, I decided to conduct an interview. My interviewee is a
teacher with 37 years of experience. Throughout the years, she has seen teachers go through
burnout, and also had thoughts that she was going through burnout herself. My secondary
research consisted of going through articles in the Tarleton State University Library databases.
My main focus when searching for these was teacher burnout, specifically, in secondary Ag
teachers. The main reason that I decided to do an interview instead of a survey is because I felt
that an interview would be more informative than a survey in this subject area. I decided to
conduct the interview on a face-to-face setting over the Thanksgiving break. Through the
interview process, I was able to gain answers to the questions that I had brought with me to the
interview, but I was also able to hear more experiences that my interviewee had to tell me. This
information has been very useful in writing this document due to the fact that I was given
information first hand that I would not have been able to find elsewhere.
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I. Teacher Burnout
Teacher Burnout Definition and Description
Teacher burnout is the process in which educators simply get tired of what they are doing in their
careers. As stated by Barry Croom in his article, Teacher Burnout in Agricultural Education,
burnout is defined as the problem of chronic exhaustion and frustration resulting from
continued devotion to a goal or principle that has failed to produce a corresponding reward (pg.
1). This can be due to a multitude of factors including, but not limited to, stress, lack of
administrative support, social comparison to other Ag teachers, etc. As stated in the article
Factors Related to Teachers Intention to Leave the Classroom Early written by Abby Tippen
and associates, the major factors that contribute to attrition include: salary, retirement, family or
personal reasons, pursuit of another job, and dissatisfaction with working conditions (pg. 59).
Teachers in this day and age where students and everyday circumstances in the classroom are
challenging to the point of wanting to do something else (Blankenship). Some may not be
aware of this crisis, but with 58% of schools having problems filling classroom positions, there is
indeed a problem with teacher burnout.
What Makes Teacher Burnout So Prevalent?
The first five years are the hardest for new teachers. This is the time where they figure out how
they want to do things in their own classroom. Unfortunately, this may not be the case. In the
interview conducted for this paper, there was a question asked about whether or not the
interviewee had known a teacher who had suffered from burnout and left the profession. This
teacher had in fact known about a young ag teacher who had left the profession due to
circumstances at the school they were teaching at that were out of their control. There was a
senior teacher at the school who had made it to where the young Ag teacher no longer wished to
teach. Instances of being talked to like a student, treated like an assistant rather than an equal,
being given more duties and responsibilities than a new teacher should be given, and being
disrespected in all aspects is what drove this teacher to the point of wanting to quit the profession
entirely and move onto something else.

II. Burnout in Ag Teachers

Why is This Happening?
The burnout of those who teach in the field of Agriculture is increasing. This could possibly be
due to the many stresses that these teachers go through. Unlike English, Math, or even History
teachers, Ag teachers work longer days, have more extracurricular events to attend to, as well as
their own personal lives outside of the classroom. These include: stock shows, LDE events,
CDE events, FFA meetings, FFA Conventions (District, State, National), Greenhand camp, after
school practice for events, practice for events during lunch, any trips necessary for class such as
going to the Ag Farm, Lumberyard, or Florist. Ag teachers really do have a full plate just with
extra events and practices that they must attend to. With all of this going on, they still must plan
out and prepare lessons for class. These factors can cause teachers to feel as if they are under a
mountain of stress. Another factor that may lead to stress in Ag teachers is the lack of financial
support.

Figure 1 Reasons Teachers Leave the Profession

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As stated by
Croom (2003),
Agriculture
teachers see
themselves as
energetic and
engaged
professionals
who are
accomplishing
something
worthwhile for
the benefit of
students. They
work to create
an environment
where learning flourishes (pg 11). When there is a lack of support from parents, fellow
teachers, and school administrators, it can become frustrating for these educators to continue
doing their job efficiently and effectively.
Stress
The daily stress involved with the job of an Ag teacher is one main reason for burnout (Croom,
pg. 2). While many may see that Ag teachers are generally happy and encouraging, this may be
due to the fact that they are attempting to create a positive classroom experience for their
students. Another stress that all teachers must deal with is teaching to the test. While there may
not be a STAAR, EOC, or TAKS test regarding the information learned in this subject, there are
instances where this is the case. In some schools, an Ag class may be substituted for a class such
as Geometry, but that class must meet the standards set by those who teach the math class so that
their students will be just as prepared to take the test as the other students. While inside the
classroom, teachers are supposed to
Comparison
Ag teachers may compare themselves to others in the desire to make themselves feel better about
their situation by looking down on others. But on the other hand, they can become inspired by
looking up at Ag teachers who are leaders of great chapters and want to be like them. As a
general rule of thumb throughout the research gathered, an upward social comparison was the
norm. This shows that the majority of Ag teachers prefer to look up to others and gain
inspiration to make their classrooms and FFA chapters like those of the teachers that they look up
to.
Salary and Job Satisfaction
Another one of the reasons blames for the loss of teachers is salary. It is true that salaries differ
from state to state and district to district. This is the choice of the administration; they decide
what they can afford to pay to get a distinguished individual to come and teach in their school.
To those teachers fresh out of college, any salary is a step up coming from student loans. As
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shown in the figure, the salary of teachers in Texas ranks in the 3rd quartile of the United States in
2010. This shows that at least 50% of the nation is higher than Texas in what they pay their
teachers; even those just starting out in their careers. The other factor mentioned in this section,
job satisfaction, can be tied into salary. It is believed that in order to reach optimal job
satisfaction, you need to
be making a large
amount of money. This
is not the case for Ag
teachers. The ability to
be able to teach in a
hands on setting and
being able to watch
students excel is
satisfaction enough for
some.
Administration
Figure 2 Salaries in the United States The administration of
schools can play a big part in how teachers feel about their profession and the current job that
they are in. Without proper administrative support, it does not take long for a program to begin
to decline and suffer. It makes the duties of an Ag teacher increasingly difficult. As the years
have passed, there has been an increase in the amount of funding that is given to athletic teams
and either not shared or taken away from other programs at schools. This could be why 98% of
teachers surveyed reported that the educational bureaucracy was the chief cause of burnout.
(Croom, pg. 2). The lack of administrative support and funding can make it increasingly difficult
for Ag teachers to really make a difference. They may end up paying out of pocket expenses to
get supplies needed to teach their lessons. While hierarchy is mostly thought to be found going
up the administrative ladder, it also occurs within teacher circles. As stated before when
discussing the Ag teacher known by the interviewee who left the profession, teachers may put a
younger, less experienced teacher down to make themselves look like a better educator. This is
not the case in all schools, but it can be assumed that this is a problem that those not in the
teaching profession may not be aware of.

III. What Can Be Done to Prevent Teacher Burnout

Erica B. Thieman et al. found in their article Resilient Agricultural Educators: Taking Stress the
Next Level some Factors found to decrease levels of burnout and in turn increase retention
included: monetary benefits (salary, retirement, and insurance), adequate materials and facilities,
positive work climate, administrator and colleague support, adequate time allotted for job
responsibilities, advancement and security, and factors internal to the teacher such as inner sense
of competence and effectiveness through observing student success (pg. 85). Ag teachers, as
well as other career subject educators, are an integral part of schools. These classes and subjects
give students an opportunity to gain an outlet to release some energy into something that they
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really have a passion for. It truly is sad that many Ag teachers leave the profession after five
years; they barely begin their teaching career when they choose to end it and move on to
something else.
The Undeniable Reason
One of the top reasons that Ag teachers leave the profession that was not discussed in the above
sections is family. This is because there really is nothing you can do to prevent an educator from
leaving the profession if they want to stay home and be with their family rather than work.
Many female teachers choose temporarily leave the profession if they have small children at
home that they want to raise rather than send them to a daycare while they go to work. If this is
indeed the case of why they decided to leave, it is a possibility that these teachers will come back
once their children are in school.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, the best way to help reduce the number of Ag teachers leaving the profession
would be to help lower their stress levels. The added amounts of stress are what lead to a
dissatisfaction with the jobs that they are doing. There is always the hope that there is something
better out there to pursue, but is that true? Job hopping is higher than it has been in the past, and
this is because the teachers who are not satisfied with where they are working now feel that it
would be better to move somewhere else and hope that circumstances are different than what
they are where they already are. Probably the saddest part of all of this is that, even though
stress reduction may be exactly what is happening to these young teachers, it is only one theory.
There are still a multitude of researchers still trying to pinpoint what exactly is making these
teachers decide to try their hand and different professions. While the evidence may clearly point
to one cause, there can also be twenty fingers pointing in another twenty directions. The truth to
this whole dilemma is that no one truly knows for certain what is doing this and what can be
done to prevent it.
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Works Cited

Blankenship, D., (2016, November 23). Personal Interview

Chenevey, J. L., Whittington, M. S., & Ewing, J. C. (2008). Teacher burnout and job satisfaction
among agricultural education teachers. Journal Of Agricultural Education, 49(3), 12-22.

Croom, D. (2003). Teacher burnout in agricultural education. Journal Of Agricultural Education,

44(2), 1-13.

Kitchel, T., Smith, A. R., Henry, A. L., Robinson, J. S., Lawver, R. G., Park, T. D., & Schell, A.
(2012). Teacher Job Satisfaction and Burnout Viewed through Social Comparisons.
Journal Of Agricultural Education, 53(1), 31-44

Miller, K. (2011). For More Than it is Worth: Burnout Avoidance Advice. Agricultural Education
Magazine, 84(3), 24-27.

Thieman, E. e., Henry, A. h., & Kitchel, T. k. (2012). Resilient Agricultural Educators: Taking
Stress to the Next Level. Journal Of Agricultural Education, 53(1), 81-94.
doi:10.5032/jae.2012.01081Tippens, A., Ricketts, J. j., Morgan, A. a., Navarro, M. m., &
Flanders, F. f. (2013). Factors Related to Teachers' Intention to Leave the Classroom
Early. Journal Of Agricultural Education, 54(4), 58-72. doi:10.5032/jae.2013.04058
(2012, January). In nsf.gove. Retrieved from
https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind12/figures_tn9.htm
Walker, T. (2015, August 26). Want to Reduce the Teacher Shortage? Treat Teachers Like
Professionals. In neaToday.
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Glossary
CDE: Career Development Event
LDE: Leadership Development Event
Greenhand: A first year FFA member; also a degree that students may earn
STAAR: State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness; standardized test that the state uses
to assess the knowledge of the students in a particular subject
EOC: End Of Course; another name for the STAAR test
TAKS: Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills; the last standardized test in the state that
was replaced by the STAAR test five years ago
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Appendixes
Interview Questions
1. What teaching experience do you have?
2. What experience do you have with teacher burnout?
3. From your perspective, what do you believe is the main cause of burnout in teachers who
are just beginning their careers?
4. Do you believe this is a continuous problem occurring in schools today? Why?
5. What do you believe could be done to combat this?
6. One of the main reasons for teacher burnout is said to be stress; do you agree with this?
7. As a teacher, would you say that you have a high level of stress? If so, why? If not, what
do you believe has helped you keep a low stress level?
8. Have you ever known a teacher who left the teaching profession? Why did he or she
leave?
Extra Notes Written by Interviewee
Factors Leading to Teacher Burnout
1. Testing mandates teachers are required to teach to the test regardless of what is said
to the contrary. Teachers have the responsibility of ensuring that their students are ready
and capable of passing.
2. Lack of student interest some students have no interest in school and dont really care
about their success or failure
3. Scheduling conflicts when students miss class for sickness or other reasons, it can be
difficult to find a time to help the student catch up on missed work
4. Frustration youve tried different approaches, methods, and/or techniques to teach a
concept, only to find that too many of them still dont get it
5. If youre teaching a non-tested subject, it becomes quite evident that your class is not as
important as the others.
6. Subject matter it can become tedious teaching the same subject matter year after year.
7. Parents dealing with parents can be an issue. You have the parents that really dont
want to be bothered with your concerns about their childs academic or behavioral issues.
This type of parent doesnt provide the child with much support either. The other type of
parent hovers so closely that the child feels they cant make a move without the parent
knowing. These parents may make excuses for their child, refusing to accept there is an
issue. Either way, it leaves the teacher with extra difficulty when.
8. Administrative support there are times when your immediate supervisors are not
supportive. That makes it difficult when dealing with problematic students and/or parents
can be. Another issue can be administration denying you input on curriculum choices.
9. Time teaching is not an 8-5 job. Numerous hours are spent outside of school in
activities such as: stock shows, judging contests, leadership development contests, FFA
meetings, FFA conventions.
10. Salary the salary for teachers in Texas is well down the list in the United States. While
teachers do earn a nice salary, compared to other careers, teachers are underpaid for the
amount of college, continued training, and extra hours devoted to their jobs.