What happens when educators feel that their work—and their well-being—doesn’t matter? In this episode of Real Talk About Educator Burnout, Mary Abbott talks with Shannon Pennington, an educator with 25 years of experience and a PhD whose research explored the social and emotional well-being of elementary art, music, and physical education teachers.

Shannon shares how advocating for student movement led her to examine the isolation and marginalization that educators can experience within their own schools. Together, they discuss the differences between physical education and recess, the emotional toll of feeling undervalued, and why safety, supportive leadership, and

meaningful relationships matter for teacher retention and student success.

From a 12-week professional development program to a community builders committee in her alternative school setting, Shannon offers examples of creating space for educators to connect, feel heard, and support one another. These efforts don’t resolve the larger systems issues driving educator burnout, but they show how schools can begin building a stronger sense of belonging while working toward broader change.

In this episode you'll hear...

• How structured physical education differs from recess and why Shannon advocates for movement as part of supporting student focus and emotional regulation.
• How isolation and the devaluing of art, music, and PE can affect educators’ sense of worth and well-being.
• What a sustained professional development program offered teachers through conversations about emotion regulation, compassion fatigue, advocacy, and peer support.
• How a community builders committee creates opportunities for staff to connect, acknowledge life events, and navigate difficult experiences together.
• Why collaborative leadership and feeling safe, seen, and valued matter for educator well-being, teacher retention, and the students educators serve.

Resources Mentioned:

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey with Eric Hagerman.

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