Understanding and Preventing Teacher Burnout

"Burnout" was first investigated in the 1970s as a crisis of overextended and disillusioned social service workers. However, as the nature of these workers' jobs has changed, so has the nature of the syndrome. The current experience of burnout is lived out in a more challenging social context, with social service workers struggling harder for social credibility and job security. For instance, because of greater demands on their time and energy, teachers are being pressed to do more work with fewer resources, while receiving fewer rewards and less recognition of their efforts. The objective of this volume is to provide new perspectives and a deeper understanding of the nature, conditions, and consequences of burnout, most notably in the teaching profession. To do this, the contributors review the most recent research in the field, and describe research and action agendas designed to combat the incidence of burnout in the workplace. Researchers and professionals in the fields of education and social psychology will be particularly interested in what this volume has to offer.