Chalk Dust in the Wind: An Examination of the Demoralized Teacher

ABSTRACT

Teacher burnout is now a significant issue in K-12 schools due to an unparalleled global COVID-19 pandemic. However, this burnout has roots in the demoralization of the teaching workforce, which is nothing new to the profession. This paper focuses on bringing light to the underlying reasons for this demoralization, steeped in classroom realities and the very nature of the profession. The paper draws on findings from an examination of research in order to show that teachers are largely demoralized due to their historically devalued status, the isolation and stress inherent in the profession, and the very "semi-profession" upon which the field stands. The analysis shows that something more is needed to fill the cup of teachers, who are beaten down by these historical and modern-day realities. The paper argues that relational trust may be one of those cup-filling modalities and concludes by suggesting that a century of recycled reforms calls for deeper and bolder action, and most particularly ones that bolster respect, personal regard, competence, and integrity.