The number of teachers resigning from NSW public schools has doubled in two years as unsustainable workloads and uncompetitive salaries take their toll.
Curtin University School of Education professor Saul Karnovsky said research showed more than 70 per cent of teachers in Australia had considered leaving the profession in 2022 due to growing workloads which left them demoralised and burnt out.
New figures showing 2,172 permanent teaching positions were vacant in NSW public schools in February reinforce the urgent need for action on the causes of teacher shortages – unsustainable workloads and uncompetitive salaries.
The figures show resignations of permanent full-time teachers have been growing steadily since 2016 when just 626 teachers quit. Among teachers just started out, 19 per cent – or almost one in five – quit within their first five years – up from 8.2 per cent just five years ago.
These ex-teachers stated that they did not feel respected, and their work had failed to bring about or sustain the level of personal satisfaction they sought from their careers. “Until teachers are given more time, respect and support to actually do their jobs, more will continue to leave the profession.”
New teachers are leaving their jobs within 5 years of teaching in percentages as high as 30%. 8% of US teachers are quitting their careers, while only 3% to 4% of teachers in other countries are quitting. A report showed that 29% of teachers quit their job due to personal and lifestyle reasons.
52% of teachers reported moderate to extremely severe symptoms of depression compared to 12.1% in the general population. When it came to anxiety symptoms the figures were 46.2% compared to 9% and for stress, these figures came in at 59.7% compared to 11.4%.
Being burnt out doesn't have to be the end of your teaching career. With the right steps, you can recover and return to teaching with renewed passion. The key is taking steps to prevent stress from getting out of hand.
Maryland and Louisiana saw more teachers depart than any time in the last decade. And North Carolina saw a particularly alarming trend of more teachers leaving mid-school year.
Reduced performance
For teachers this may develop through negative feelings, lack of productivity and poor performance. Evidence of this may be feelings of hopelessness and apathy, low self-confidence, increased irritability with one's self and others, increased time spent completing tasks and apathy to want to do so.
New South Wales
While graduate teachers can expect a starting salary of $75,791, the state's most experienced teachers can be paid up to $113,042, with Highly Accomplished and Lead Teachers earning a higher salary. Teacher pay in NSW at a glance: Graduate Teachers (Band 1): $75,791. Proficient Teachers (Band 2): ...
Salaries for NSW public school teachers start at $75,791, but hit a maximum of $113,042. Highly accomplished or lead teachers receive a salary of $120,322. Principals have flagged concerns that private schools are snapping up teaching graduates with salaries of $10,000 to $50,000 above what state schools offer.
Results showed over half of the sample reported being very or extremely stressed and were considering leaving the profession, with early career teachers, primary teachers, and teachers working in rural and remote areas reporting the highest stress and burnout levels.
Teachers remain one of the lowest-paid professions and are overdue for a significant increase in salaries, according to a new report by the University of Sydney Business School.
If you're planning on leaving the classroom behind, you may be wondering what career paths are available for you. There are several employment opportunities that require a similar skill set as a teacher's. You may want to consider highlighting your degree in education when you apply for these jobs.
Something not often talked about as a contributing factor to burnout is compassion fatigue. Many teachers are prone to compassion fatigue and probably experience signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue without even being aware.
Ultimately, many aspects of workplace stress stem from anxiety about being effective at work. Teachers, like many other professionals, want to be effective in their jobs and suffer from increased stress, anxiety, and depression when they know they aren't at their best or are not receiving needed support.
Sometimes teaching gets tired because we've done what we're doing a hundred times before. Many of us teach the same courses year after year. If they are those bedrock, foundational courses, the content typically doesn't change all that much. We march through the material along well-worn paths.
While teaching doesn't necessarily pose the same threat to life and limb, an often-cited statistic is that up to 50 per cent of new teachers leave the profession within five years.
“Signs you might be experiencing teacher burnout might include stress or feeling irritable or tired all the time. You also might be having sleep issues, like sleeping too much or experiencing insomnia from worry. You might be sad or overwhelmed when you think about teaching, or maybe you just don't enjoy it anymore.
Almost half of Australian teachers are considering leave the job in the next year, according to the report released earlier this year from the Black Dog Institute. The report surveyed more than 4000 teachers, who said 60 per cent of teacher absences in a single month were due to a mental health or emotional problem.
The 'strange phenomenon' behind Australia's teaching workforce crisis. The federal government has warned of an unprecedented shortage of teachers across the country, but many already in the profession say they're desperate for secure and ongoing employment.
The job is a demanding one — you are standing in front of a classroom of students all day, you often take work home and you are often assessed on measures which you can have little control over (such as students' grades). These issues are challenging for all teachers, especially those who are suffering from anxiety.