Tag: work/life balance

More on Teacher Care

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“Books & Links & Resources… Oh, My”

Now retired and “far from ground zero,” I admit I don’t have a clear roadmap nor “magic pill” for a definitive plan to remediate educator stress, burnout, exhaustion, demoralization, and negative school climate. My disclaimer: So-called “expert recommendations” on self-care strategies towards better health and wellness, coping skills, and time management may not be applicable to every setting, situation, nor individual need. In other words, no prescription can cure every educator’s symptoms.

However, from recent conversations with those “still in the trenches” and colleagues who endured those horrible COVID (and post-pandemic) years in the schools, we need to address “the elephant in the room” (viewpoints of systemic breakdowns and loss of admin or community supports) and propose fresh looks into self- and school system improvements.

My friend Thomas Bailey (who has created a comprehensive ethics course for PA teachers and admins alike – refer to these past blogs 1, 2, & 3) and I have heard many “horror stories” of day-to-day dysfunctions, micromanagement and disrespect of teachers, a general lack of support and professionalism, and unhealthy/unsustainable policies, practices, and patterns of work environments at school. We have witnessed angry parents storming school board meetings, staff shortages with some positions going unfulfilled for months or longer, uncertified teachers placed in classrooms, overloaded teaching schedules, classroom management problems, increased risks and incidents of school violence, class sizes on the rise, and significantly less educator planning time.

In short, according to the blog Teacher Burnout Statistics – Why Teachers Quit in 2026, K-12 educators are in the most burned out profession in the world:

  • 57% of U.S. teachers reported burnout in 2026, versus 36% of similar working adults (RAND, 2026)
  • 18% of teachers intended to leave their jobs in 2026 (RAND, 2026)
  • Managing student behavior is the #1 source of teacher stress, cited by 52% of teachers (RAND, 2026)
  • 77% of teachers say their job is frequently stressful, and 68% say it is overwhelming (Pew Research Center, 2024)
  • 78% of teachers have thought about quitting since the pandemic (University of Missouri, 2025)
  • 74% of public schools struggled to fill at least one teaching vacancy for the 2024-25 school year (NCES)
  • K-12 teachers were the most burned-out profession in Gallup’s most recent occupational ranking, at 52% (Gallup, 2022)
  • About 8% of public school teachers leave the profession each year (NCES)
  • Teachers worked an average of 49 hours per week in 2025, about 10 more than they were contracted for (RAND, 2025)

So, since the intent for this paulfox.blog site is to serve as a repository of professional development and insightful conversations for career development, I feel there is a need to share any new “finds,” innovative ideas (even those considered controversial), research, and other resources with the hopes that they may spark even an infinitesimal growth in sustained advancements in personal and staff resilience, self-care, motivation and passion for teaching, and work/life balance… as well as the goal for philosophical and structural changes in school climate and culture in order to promote positive employee morale and wellbeing.

Past blogs on this subject (and, when available, their accompanying conference slides decks) should be reviewed:

If you peruse the above links to my past articles, you will find the mentioning of several outstanding books to begin your journey towards the rejuvenescence of self-care. Please beg, borrow, (ahem – steal?), or purchase these to begin.

The Lesley Moffat Series (both are SUPER!)

Click here for her website.

In addition to I Love My Job But It’s Killing Me and Love the Job, Lose the Stress, you should also check out her newest publication, The Balanced Band Director! Her notes:

Over the years, I realized something important:
Most band directors don’t need more ideas. They need fewer drains on their energy.
They need systems that respect their values, their standards, and their humanity.

That belief is at the heart of everything I share now—through my books, my podcast, my coaching, and the tools I’ve built specifically for music educators. The strategies I teach aren’t theoretical. They’re the same ones that have helped me and hundreds of others move from constant depletion to a career that still challenges me without consuming me.

Being a Balanced Band Director doesn’t mean lowering the bar.
It means removing the noise, the overload, and the unnecessary friction that makes this job harder than it has to be.

Upbeat – Mindset, Mindfulness & Leadership in Music Education & Beyond by Matthew Arau

Click here for his website.

The book is divided into three parts – Ignite, Inspire, and Lead – and addresses numerous topics such as these:

  • Self-care for optimal mental, emotional, and physical wellness
  • The transformative power of positivity and gratitude
  • Growth mindset
  • Mindful breathing and listening in an ensemble setting
  • Internal self-reflection to outward expressions of leadership …and more!

Valuable contributions by author Angela Watson

Click here for her website.

She defines the goal of Awakened – Change Your Mindset to Transform Your Teaching:

Showing up in the classroom as the best version of yourself each day requires serious mental fortitude. This book will empower you to develop the resilient, flexible, positive mindset you need to:

Change your perception of setbacks by replacing judgment with curiosity.
Observe your thoughts and select the ones that create results you want.
Honor your intuition, mind-body connection, and emotions for the insights they provide.
Let go of bias, unrealistic expectations, standards, and comparisons.
Practice radical acceptance to stay motivated even when you don’t see results.
Realize a sense of accomplishment in a job that’s truly never done.

In addition, as a closure to my own self-care workshops, I have always used these “motivating beliefs” illustrated in her first book, Fewer Things Better:

  • I am worthy of better and change is possible for me right now.
  • I set my own expectations in life and in teaching.
  • I know what is important and allocate time accordingly.
  • I ensure my needs are met to prevent overwhelm and exhaustion.

Now for the “Newer” Curriculum

If we could “wave a magic wand” and instantly transform the climate and culture in the schools, what would we do? During my PA Department of Education SAS Institute presentation for admins in December 2025, we explored a wide variety of key concepts, concentrated on more “teacher asks of administration” that are backed by multiple sources:

  • Give teachers the respect that they deserve.
  • Show that you value their time.
  • Streamline communications. Hold fewer or shorter team or faculty meetings (substitute some with emails?).
  • Set and adhere to healthy boundaries for work/life balance.
  • Prove that you trust them.
  • Protect classroom time by minimizing interruptions.
  • Reduce unnecessary accountability documentation.
  • Never underestimate your staff. Professionalize your language when discussing your staff with parents and other stakeholders.
  • Acknowledge their struggles and show that you appreciate the work they are doing.
  • Involve teachers in the creation of targeted professional development activities that are the most meaningful for them.
  • Ask teachers about what specific help they need to imporve classroom management.
  • Ask teachers what mental health or other supports they need to cope with their own distress.
  • Reframe your role as school leader. Shift from a school principal’s current focus on operations and compliance to a fuller picture of instructional leadership: a more “hands-on” approach to supports for student success, social-emotional learning, and a deeper emphasis on school culture, wellness, and community engagement.

Over the next 6-12 months, I plan to post a handful of new research and resources for your perusal. Here is a sneak preview of several books for an advanced and closer look.

Additional References

These were updated from my last conference handout for Self-Care Cookbook 2.0. Enjoy!

PKF

© 2026 Paul K. Fox

It’s Time for… the PMEA Summer Conference!

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The summertime academic break is essential for the health and wellness of every music educator. Hopefully you are enjoying a little TIME OFF and an emotional and intellectual break and release from thinking about your professional responsibilities and anything about school!

Europeans swear that it takes no fewer than three weeks of what we would call an extended vacation. They say we need that much time to totally unwind, de-stress, rest, and, if necessary, lick our wounds and even “heal ourselves!” Summer should allow us to focus on family, friends, and leisure activities FIRST – to re-adjust our “work/life balance.” After an appropriate interval, then we can get ready to re-charge and re-energize, to recommit emphasis on new music program goals and professional development.

If you are fortunate enough to live in Pennsylvania and be a member of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA), I have a wonderful “crosswalk” solution to accomplishing this REBOOT – a combined “refresh and re-invest” makeover – to first get out of dodge for a change in scenery and then take care of your own social-emotional learning to come back to school raring to go! It’s simple! Sign-up to participate in the 2022 PMEA Summer Conference to be held in-person at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Reading, PA on July 18-19, 2022.

Here’s the link to registration and detailed schedule: https://www.pmea.net/pmea-summer-conference/.

Once again, PMEA is “crushing COVID” and returning to some level of normalcy to offer a face-to-face summer conference of many “awesome” professional development venues – everything from hands-on music reading, member “sharing” sessions, clinics on advocacy, band, choral, classroom music, community ensembles, conducting, curriculum writing, gender identity, health/wellness, mentor training, Modern Band, music technology, recruitment, strings, and so much more!

Check out this summary of wonderful workshops:

Update as of 6/28/22

Approximately Nine (9) hours of Act 48 credit will be available.

This year’s event will include keynote speakers Suzanne Hall and Rollo Dilworth from Temple University as well as NAfME President and PA’s very-own super-star Scott Sheehan.

Feeling a little charitable, altruistic, or eleemosynary? (Great word – look it up!) On Tuesday, July 19, there will be a “Give-Back to the Community” event: PMEA’s Second Annual Day of Service at Goggle Works.

Now, what about that EXTRA FUN part? Well, you can turn your conference into a family vacation by just arriving a little early and/or leaving a little later.

First, how about attending a Minor League baseball game? PMEA acquired tickets to the Reading Fightin’ Phils vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats contest on Sunday, July 17 at 5:15 p.m. at the FirstEnergy Stadium.

Next, there are a lot of terrific family-fun things-to-do in Reading, PA and the surroundings… (Special thanks to https://uncoveringpa.com/things-to-do-in-reading-pa for this “awesome” travel resource!)

Berks County, a combination of rich farm country, industry, beautiful parks, lots of entertainment, and top-notch educational institutions, is home to one of Pennsylvania’s largest cities, Reading, as well as many small communities that offer a lot of history and natural beauty. For PMEA members going to the Summer Conference, it is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of family-friendly attractions, recreation pursuits, touring of the landscape scenery, and other day trips. If you were to visit the area before and/or after the conference, here are at least 18 places-to-go before returning home:

Source: 21 of the Best Things to Do in Reading, PA
  1. Reading Pagoda, Mount Penn https://uncoveringpa.com/reading-pagoda
  2. Nolde Forest, 600-acres and miles of hiking trails https://uncoveringpa.com/nolde-forest
  3. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, scenic overlooks, hiking trails, bird-watching https://www.hawkmountain.org/
  4. Daniel Boone Homestead, birthplace of the frontiersman https://uncoveringpa.com/daniel-boone-homestead
  5. Goggle Works, former factory, art galleries (site of the PMEA Service Project) https://goggleworks.org/
  6. Covered Bridges, at least five of them close to Reading https://uncoveringpa.com/covered-bridges-berks-county-pa
  7. Reading Railroad Museum, railroad memorabilia https://uncoveringpa.com/reading-railroad-heritage-museum
  8. Neversink Mountain, miles of hiking trails (including City Overlook and Witches Hat) https://berksnature.org/trails/
  9. Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, WWII history, artifacts, and tours https://uncoveringpa.com/mid-atlantic-air-museum-reading
  10. Chatty Monks Brewing, restaurant/craft brewery https://uncoveringpa.com/chatty-monks-brewing-west-reading
  11. Blue Marsh Lake, swimming, fishing, boating https://www.nap.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Blue-Marsh-Lake/ 
  12. Berks County Heritage Center, museums and trails http://www.co.berks.pa.us/dept/parks/pages/heritagecenter.aspx
  13. Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles, antique autos https://uncoveringpa.com/boyertown-museum-of-historic-vehicles
  14. Crystal Cave, first “show cave” located near Kutztown https://uncoveringpa.com/exploring-crystal-cave
  15. Reading Public Museum, exhibits, paintings, geology, planetarium https://uncoveringpa.com/reading-public-museum 
  16. Hopewell Furnace Historic Site, iron furnace https://uncoveringpa.com/visiting-hopewell-furnace-national-historic-site
  17. Golden Age Air Museum, WWI planes http://www.goldenageair.org/ 
  18. Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center, Kutztown University https://www.kutztown.edu/about-ku/administrative-offices/pennsylvania-german-cultural-heritage-center.html

Finally, if you need any additional urging, here’s our new PMEA State President Scott Cullen with his invitation for you to join us at the Summer Conference: https://fb.watch/dYrKOvAHkG/.

But, don’t wait! Register today for the PMEA Summer Conference at this link.

The deadline for hotel registration is fast approaching! The discounted block of rooms at the Reading Doubletree will close out at the end of the day on Friday, July 1.

See you in Reading, PA!

PKF

© 2022 Paul K. Fox