Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Jane Finn, Education
Document Type
Poster
Event Date
4-14-2023
Abstract
Research shows that burnout happens when educators feel emotionally exhausted (Crosby, Howell & Thomas, 2018). Similar to burnout, compassion fatigue is a result of emotional exhaustion that occurs after repeatedly being exposed to secondary trauma ( Johnson, 2018). It has been documented that roughly 75% of educators experience high levels of compassion fatigue (Koenig Rodger, & Specht, 2018) and many of these educators leave their job. This information is vital to school administrators, parents, and the community in order to keep good teachers in the field.
Research shows that burnout happens when educators feel emotionally exhausted (Crosby, Howell & Thomas, 2018). Similar to burnout, compassion fatigue is a result of emotional exhaustion that occurs after repeatedly being exposed to secondary trauma ( Johnson, 2018). It has been documented that roughly 75% of educators experience high levels of compassion fatigue (Koenig Rodger, & Specht, 2018) and many of these educators leave their job. This information is vital to school administrators, parents, and the community in order to keep good teachers in the field.
In this research, we are wondering if signs of compassion fatigue show up as early as the student teaching semester. In that vein, our quantitative research question is: "Do student teachers demonstrate signs of compassion fatigue?" For this study, 55 out of 75 (73%) of student teachers from a midwestern small liberal arts college anonymously completed the instrument, Professional Quality of Life Scale at the end of their student teaching semester. Interestingly, 100% (n=55) of these student teachers reported that they are feeling some level of compassion fatigue. This vast number shows the need for future and continued research in this area of compassion fatigue and how early it shows in a teacher's career.
Research shows that burnout happens when educators feel emotionally exhausted (Crosby, Howell & Thomas, 2018). Similar to burnout, compassion fatigue is a result of emotional exhaustion that occurs after repeatedly being exposed to secondary trauma (Johnson, 2018). It has been documented that roughly 75% of educators experience high levels of compassion fatigue (Koenig Rodger, & Specht, 2018) and many of these educators leave their job. This information is vital to school administrators, parents, and the community in order to keep good teachers in the field.
In this research, we are wondering if signs of compassion fatigue show up as early as the student teaching semester. In that vein, our quantitative research question is: "Do student teachers demonstrate signs of compassion fatigue?" For this study, 55 out of 75 (73%) of student teachers from a midwestern small liberal arts college anonymously completed the instrument, Professional Quality of Life Scale at the end of their student teaching semester. Interestingly, 100% (n=55) of these student teachers reported that they are feeling some level of compassion fatigue. This vast number shows the need for future and continued research in this area of compassion fatigue and how early it shows in a teacher's career.
Recommended Citation
Repository citation: Kerr, Macy, "Empathy and Pre-service Teachers: How Much is Too Much?" (2023). 22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023). Paper 19.
https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/curca_22/19
April 14, 2023. Copyright © 2023 Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
