A Brief Take on Teacher Burnout

Micaela DeSimone is a sixth-grade English teacher who describes how teaching has become increasingly difficult over the past few years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, remote teaching created new challenges, and returning to in-person classes brought even more stress without enough support. Despite loving her students and colleagues, Micaela feels exhausted and unheard. The lack of resources, rising expectations, and declining mental health have led her to leave the profession. Her story reflects a larger issue facing educators across the country.


Vocabulary list :

• Burnout (n) : extreme tiredness from work
• Demoralizing (adj) : makes someone lose hope
• Sustainable (adj) : able to continue without harm
• Remote teaching (n) : teaching done through a screen
• PPE (n) : protective gear for health safety
• Apathetic (adj) : showing no interest or emotion
• Mandated (adj) : officially required by a rule
• Grieving (v) : feeling deep sadness from loss
• Niche profession (n) : very specific job or career
• Collaborative (adj) : working together with others