Burnout among teachers more common than one might think
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For their study on the level and causes of burnout among teachers, Coláiste Mhuire students Matthew Heslin, The Downs, Rhys Brady, Castlepollard, and Zack O’Brien, Mullingar, were awarded the 3rd Intermediate Group (Social & Behavioural Sciences) prize.Image 2 of 2
In the Social and Behavioural Sciences Category, presented by Kerrygold. Ray McGrath, Chair of the Judging Panel from Stripe, presents the 3rd Intermediate Group Award to Matthew Heslin, The Downs, Rhys Brady, Castlepollard and Zack O'Brien, Mullingar, who put the teaching profession unders the microscope to determine the level and causes of burnout. Chris Bellew / Fennell PhotographyIf there’s one group who fail to understand the world of teachers, it’s probably students – but that’s not the case among Coláiste Mhuire trio Matthew Heslin, Rhys Brady and Zack O’Brien, for in their Young Scientist project, Burnout and Beyond, they made it their business to find out what school life is like for teachers, and for their endeavours, won the 3rd Intermediate Group (Social & Behavioural Sciences) award.
The trio launched an in-depth investigation into teacher mental health and retention, gathering data from 230 volunteers across the country. The results surprised them, showing that the pressure of the profession was far more pervasive than they had imagined.
“It was really interesting to see the high numbers of how many teachers were stressed out,” said Rhys Brady. “We thought we’d only see maybe half, but more than three-quarters of the teachers are actually burnt out.”
Surprisingly, the study found that experience does not necessarily act as a shield against stress: older, more seasoned teachers reported higher levels of burnout than younger.
“We thought it would be the other way around because you’re more used to the job,” Rhys noted, “but it’s the opposite.”
The feedback was overwhelmingly negative regarding the help received from official bodies.
Zack O’Brien highlighted the stark figures: “One hundred and forty-seven people said the Teaching Council gives them no help at all, and 169 said the government provides no help. We were actually really surprised by that, because we thought the government would provide a lot more help.”
When asked what would make the biggest difference, teachers suggested smaller class sizes; a four-day working week and a significant reduction in paperwork and administrative duties.
In response to their findings, the students developed TeachHub, a digital platform designed to provide the support that many teachers feel is currently missing.
“It’s basically where teachers turn stress into challenges,” Zack explained. The app features a wellbeing check-in system that categorises a teacher’s stress levels. “If you’re heavily burnt out, you get a red score and a summary that gives you recommendations on what you should do.”
The app also acts as a community hub, allowing teachers to create posts, seek recommendations from peers, and access a library of support links for professional advice.
The project has fundamentally changed how the students view their daily mentors. Matthew, who has considered following in his teachers’ footsteps, admitted the research has left him thinking.
“The project has made us more sympathetic,” Matthew said. “But the teachers mentioned how constant curriculum changes are affecting them. If it carries on like that, I probably won’t consider fully going into it.”