ERIC Number: EJ1490942
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Nov
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1365-4802
EISSN: EISSN-1475-7583
Available Date: 0000-00-00
"We Were Kept in the Dark": Teacher Perspectives on Return to Learning Plans
Tim Pressley1; Mathew Kidd1; Sarah Wheatley1
Improving Schools, v27 n2-3 p71-87 2025
This mixed-methods study explored teachers' perceptions of their districts' "return-to-learning" plans, the policies and instructional models used to resume schooling during the 2020 to 2021 academic year following pandemic closures. Using the Job Demands--Resources model, we examined how these plans related to teacher burnout and perceptions of administrative support. The sample included 407 K-12 teachers from 33 U.S. states who completed an electronic survey with validated measures and short-answer questions. Quantitative results indicated that teachers who viewed their district's return-to-learning plan as unsuccessful reported significantly higher burnout and lower administrative support than teachers who viewed their plan as successful. Qualitative analyses revealed that teachers dissatisfied with their district's plan described increased workload, lack of administrative support, and difficulties implementing COVID-19 safety and instructional policies. Teachers who viewed their district's plan as effective emphasized clear communication, administrative flexibility, and respect for teacher input. These findings underscore the importance of administrative support, transparency, and workload management in mitigating burnout during periods of educational disruption.
Descriptors: Elementary School Teachers, Secondary School Teachers, COVID-19, Pandemics, Reentry Workers, Teacher Burnout, Teacher Administrator Relationship, Measures (Individuals), Teaching Load, Adjustment (to Environment), Teacher Attitudes
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Maslach Burnout Inventory
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA, USA

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