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.

Let's Connect:

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What happens when the school day ends, but the demands—and the worry about your students—follow you home? Debbie Mobley, an educator with 26 years of experience who now provides K–5 reading and math support, joins us for an honest conversation about the workload and emotional weight educators carry.

Debbie shares how constant communication, expanding responsibilities, and concern for students have affected her well-being and time with her family. We explore the connection between educator regulation and classroom relationships, why wellness offerings can feel like another obligation, and what happens when setting boundaries leaves teachers feeling unprepared for the next day.

Together, we discuss what meaningful support could look like: wellness woven into the school day, administrators equipped to support their staff, and greater teacher autonomy to respond to students’ needs.

In this episode you'll hear...

• How making students feel seen and heard shapes trust, classroom relationships, and readiness to learn.
• Why wellness training needs ongoing support and space in the school day to become part of school culture.
• How after-hours communication and growing responsibilities make it difficult to separate teaching from home life.
• Debbie’s experience with compassion fatigue and recognizing the need to protect time with her family.
• Why clearer boundaries, practical support, and greater classroom autonomy matter for addressing educator burnout.

Let's Connect:

Website: https://willowtreewellnesscoaching.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillowTreeWellnessCo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willowtreewellnesscoaching

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/willow-tree-wellness-llc/

Join Our Facebook Community Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/beyondburnouteducators

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What happens when teachers are encouraged to ask for support, but worry that doing so will count against them? In this episode of Real Talk About Educator Burnout, physical education teacher Derek Bradbury shares his experiences across 12 years in education. From losing planning periods to taking on unexpected duties, Derek describes how the demands surrounding teaching can leave educators stretched thin before they even begin a lesson.

We talk about student behavior, the emotional impact of responding to a crisis, and what happens when staff are expected to keep going without meaningful follow-up support. Derek also reflects on choosing part-time work for his family and exploring other ways to contribute to education. Throughout the conversation, we return to the importance of trust, clear expectations, and teachers, administrators, parents, and students working together.

In this episode you'll hear...

• How extra duties and lost planning time push schoolwork into teachers’ personal and family time.
• The challenges of meeting different student needs while managing behavior and pressure around standardized testing.
• Why asking for classroom support can feel risky when teachers believe it may affect their evaluations.
• The lasting emotional impact of a student crisis and the need to support the educators involved.
• What clearer communication, adequate staffing, and stronger partnerships could mean for educator wellness and retention.

Let's Connect:

Website: https://willowtreewellnesscoaching.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillowTreeWellnessCo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willowtreewellnesscoaching

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/willow-tree-wellness-llc/

Join Our Facebook Community Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/beyondburnouteducators

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.