TEACHERS’ EXHAUSTION: CHALLENGES IN THE TRANSITION TO FACE-TO-FACE INSTRUCTION

Teachers faced significant amount exhaustion since the transition from blended learning to face-toface instruction. The shift, which is also combined with the challenges brought about to education by the pandemic, placed a great strain on educators' well-being. When in blended learning phase, teachers had to be quick in adapting to virtual and online teaching methods. It involved a lot of preparations, especially the seasoned teachers, technical troubleshooting, while catering learners from both inperson and in modular learning. As schools returned to face-to-face instruction, teachers faced new challenges as well, such as re-establishing classroom routines, catering to the diversity of learners while sticking to health and safety protocols. Also, teachers had to address the social and emotional impact of the pandemic on students and that requires a lot of time and effort to provide their needed support. The pressure that the teachers carry to address the learning loss while meeting academic expectations further contribute to teachers’ exhaustion. To make things easier for teachers, schools should offer professional development opportunities to teachers and allot resources for additional support staff. Administrators, policy-makers, and communities should work together to recognize that teachers also have needs to be addressed. Having enough staff, proper program planning, and clear communication are important to help reduce teachers’ exhaustion. Schools should also promote a culture of self-care and well-being not only for students but also for the teachers, where teachers can get easy access to resources such as counseling services or wellness programs. Prioritizing teachers’ well-being and creating a supportive environment will help reduce teachers’ exhaustion and burnout and will ensure the success for both students and teachers in general.

-oOoThe author is Secondary School Teacher III at Francisco G. Nepomuceno Memorial High School