Signs of Classroom Compassion Fatigue
By Crystal Ladwig, Ph.D.
It seems like the children we work with come to us with more baggage than ever before. Some face poverty, violence, abuse, hunger, divorce, trauma, and illness. We are reminded daily of their struggles when they enter our classrooms hungry, tired, dirty, or even afraid. Good teachers can’t help but feel compassion for these children. Over time, our compassion for our students can become more than we can handle, and we experience compassion fatigue. We can get overwhelmed by the magnitude of their problems and our desire to help. Yet, no matter what we do, we can’t alleviate all their pain so that they can focus on learning and being the happy, healthy children we long to see.
Signs of Compassion Fatigue
The toll that this level of compassion takes on teachers leads to burnout. Compassion fatigue happens when teachers care so much and become so emotionally invested in their students that they experience psychological, emotional, and even physical impacts such as insomnia, lack of focus, anxiety, and depression. This is a relatively new concept to teachers, but it’s been around for nurses, therapists, and other “care” providers for quite some time.
If you are working with children in crisis or living with trauma or chronic factors that place them at risk for trauma, there are specific symptoms that you should be aware of. These symptoms are similar to those of CONTINUE READING: Signs of Classroom Compassion Fatigue - Teacher Habits