An Accomplished Teacher Almost Calls It Quits
Learning to reduce stress and burnout renews her passion for the profession.
Benita Moyers was about to receive the honor of her life, but hours before the ceremony, she was in tears.
The Alabama kindergarten teacher had arrived in Washington, D.C., to receive the NEA Foundation’s 2019 California Casualty Award for Teaching Excellence. “I felt like a hypocrite,” she says, “because I had decided I was going to find another job at the end of the year.”
Moyers was a perfect fit for the award, which honors educators who show a deep dedication to the education profession, community engagement, and professional development.
A veteran teacher of 14 years, Moyers is a local and state association leader and a Google-certified trainer who helps other educators improve their practice. She also has an extensive portfolio of leadership skills—many picked up at NEA-affiliated trainings.
Moyers seemed like the last person to consider leaving the teaching profession. But her accomplishments were no match for her mounting stress and burnout.
On a personal level, she had lost both parents within three years as well as family and close friends who had succumbed to illness. Plus, she was fighting her own health issues and a host of professional challenges: She had been injured on the job by a student who struggled with stress; she was forced to replace her classroom social centers with more academic ones; and a federal mandate required her to test kindergartners. In addition, she was losing precious planning time to
meetings and other duties. The profession she loved had turned into a daily struggle, with no outlet to express her frustration—until last year, that is.
A fresh take on life and work
While the award ceremony was short, it made a lasting impression on Moyers. That’s where she met guest speaker Danna Thomas, founder of the Happy Teacher Revolution (HTR)—a network of teachers who serve as a support system for educators struggling with work-life balance. The program trains educators on wellness strategies and social-emotional and trauma-informed practices. Participants then become certified to host meetings in their hometowns.
“Danna was talking about building support groups for teachers and the importance of self-care,” recalls Moyers. She adds that as educators, “you’re expected to say everything is OK. This gives kids a false image, and it tells them you can’t ever be upset.”
When Moyers returned home, she immediately signed up for HTR training, where she learned how to set limits before reaching a breaking point. Once certified, she started her own support group.
“As association leaders, we can teach educators how to take care of themselves and the social-emotional needs of their students,” Moyers says.
-BRENDA ÁLVAREZ
Art Teachers Inspire Kids with Projects They Could Do at Home
Educators in Kansas focus on creativity and connectivity to help students feel supported.
When Kansas educators began planning for continuous learning during the pandemic, art teacher Renee Fritts spent a “few sleepless nights” wondering how to engage her young students and families in remote lessons.
“I couldn’t even wrap my head around how I was going to present things,” she said.
The challenge was unprecedented. But Fritts and her art colleagues across the state focused on creativity and connectivity—the values they care most about—to help students feel supported.
