POTTSVILLE, Pa. — As Stephen Messina, a social studies teacher, is getting his classroom ready at Pottsville Area High School for the school year, he remembers how he sat at this desk just five years ago.
“It all started here at the high school. It was probably my junior or senior year, and I had a teacher that was really influential on me, and I decided one day, you know what, I could really see myself becoming a history teacher,” said Messina.
A profession, he quickly realized, would take over his life.
“I was working up until I went to bed to create lesson plans, create unit plans.”
So much so it was impacting his mental health.
“I was feeling a bit bogged down, and I was asking one of my mentor teachers, 'Is this what burnout feels like?' and they were like, 'Yes that was definitely what this is.'”
According to Gallup’s 2022 study of U.S. workers' burnout rates by industry, teachers in K-12 education ranked number one in having the highest burnout rate in the U.S.
It's not just affecting new teachers like Messina. Burnout is something experienced teachers have just gotten used to.
“Workload and pressure that's put on us not just to deliver academically and help students learn how to read, write, think and speak, but taking care of the whole person taking care of students who may be facing the effects of burnout too,” said Dr. Ali Hobbs, PAHS English teacher.
“We all do, I think that some of my friends are better at some subjects than I might be, and I may be better at some of them that they aren't,” said PAHS senior Madison Eroh.
Madison is getting ready for her senior year. Balancing being a student-athlete, musician, volunteer and taking honors classes on top of it.
She admits she's worried about burnout but says getting help for mental health has never been easier.
“Even if you don't have a circle, going and seeking like therapy and just getting it all out, because it is a lot and you can't deal with it all on your own.”
A conversation Messina hopes some of his students will be open to this year. Just like he was about his own burnout.
“You have no idea what their home life looks like and what their life is outside of these doors.”