Teacher Wellness: Tips from a Seasoned Vet

I was all set this week to write about strategies to help support students in a classroom who are English language learners. I’ve been deep diving this topic lately because it is a prevalent need in my classroom. But then I opened up Instagram and an article from Edutopia came across my feed and I had to redirect myself for this week (more ELL strategies to come in the upcoming weeks).

I felt this article and this topic in particular was too important to pass up. I think I may see it in my current classroom (my CT has never confided in me in burnout, but she has alluded to the fact that she used to work all the time and now she refuses to work outside of school hours). In my classroom, I see an instructor who is intolerant. Lacks empathy. Doesn’t adjust to her students’ needs. She is only six years away from retirement and she seems like she might be limping to the finish line. How can I possibly recognize it? Because that was me in the corporate world. I resent certain aspects of my previous employer even though I had a very successful seventeen  year career. I have a hard time going back to the office (my husband still works there) even to this day and there were times after I initially left that I couldn’t even hear my husband talk about work stories because of how stressed it made me feel.

I decided to pursue my previous career based on interests…. I liked math. I realized I liked working in a consumer product industry after a few internship experiences. I liked variety. But I was never really PASSIONATE about what I was doing. And that’s the way I feel about education. It drives me to positively impact people’s lives as one of my love languages is service. So it is as important to me to protect that passion… Because ensuring that you are maintaining your energy and your fire for your profession is the only way you can actually continue to serve your future students (and even current students) well.

Which leads me back to my original revelation… an article on Eduopia’s website, “How I’ve sustained a long teaching career”, sounded too interesting to pass up for a point of reflection. The author, Sarah Wysocki, shares her three secrets to not only avoid burnout, but maintain your passion for the profession.

1. Don’t wait for Joy, Make it. “Giving students a chance to share a joke or tell a funny story doesn’t take away from learning—it adds to it. A joyful classroom is one where students feel safe, and when students feel safe, they can learn and grow.” (Wysocki, 2025)

No one ever said that school was supposed to be a sterile environment. I love the moments when my students bring a jubilant energy into the classroom. Just last week when I told students I would be handing out pencils to everyone for my birthday,  one asked me, “Mrs. Gerber!! Will you be 24 or 25??” They were so excited to hear I was the later (I didn’t share they needed to add 17 years to that number) and I felt overjoyed with their excitement to celebrate with me and their innocence in thinking a “student” teacher had to be in their 20’s. Did they remember that "weathering" meant "breaking" like we had discussed three or four times in the days before? Not as many as I had hoped… but it helped me find the energy to find a new way to try and explain the concept in a new way so that hopefully it might stick the next time.

2. Stay Curious. “For a teacher, being willing to try new things and learn about different techniques and strategies not only benefits you but can also have a big impact on students.” (Wysocki, 2025)

Honestly, I believe this might be one of my super powers coming into the teaching profession in my mid life. I have a tool kit full of professional experiences which I think will benefit me to better handle administrative and caregiver communication. I already know the warning signs of stress and burnout. But what I am keenly aware of is that I am just at the beginning of my journey learning how to be an effective teacher. I was very discouraged by my current CT brushing off new ideas that I thought would benefit students in her classroom. Like for example, when I suggested that we open our soil unit with a discussion about every day items that need soil to be produced  (she would normally just tell students what the topic was of the next unit) she told me no, the students aren’t ready for that. What I learned from that is even if I think an idea won’t work for my classroom in the future, there is always value in asking “WHY do you think that would be helpful?” Maybe that exact idea wouldn’t have translated well but combining my idea with her understanding of her class had she been a little bit more curious could have resulted in a really impactful introduction. Regardless, it helped me learn how I want to approach new ideas in my own classroom.

3. Find your Floor. “When I mentor teachers, I always tell them teaching is a bottomless pit. No matter how much you do, there can always be more to do, so you have to decide what your bottom is going to be.” (Wysocki, 2025)

Such a powerful statement. Honestly from what I’ve seen in my professional career, this can be true about a lot of professions… I don’t think it’s exclusive to education. But regardless, it’s a really important perspective to share with new professionals eager to enter the workforce. And Wysocki continues to go on to explain how her floor has changed over the years… with both experience and changing priorities in her life. I think this is the hardest measure to change because 1. You may no longer be able to dedicate the same level of effort you once was. And 2. You may have a different floor than co-workers which can lead to comparisons. I do like how she goes on to share some actionable ways to approach finding your floor: “For teachers just beginning to find your floor, it helps to be able to identify your priorities so you can set limits around those. For example, family, friends, and downtime to explore things I’m interested in are important to me. So I plan my week around those things. Each Sunday I review my week, making sure my schedule aligns with my priorities. I block time for family, friends, and fun, because those make it possible for me to do my job well. I also set aside focused work blocks so I can accomplish what matters most… Everyone’s floor looks different but defining it is essential to avoid burnout.” (Wysocki, 2025)

I want to take my personal journey and experience with burnout along with tried and true approaches from experienced professionals like Wysocki’s to help me sustain and grow a rewarding and impactful career in education... at least until I’m ready to retire.