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Teaching has always been demanding, but today’s classrooms are pushing educators to the brink. With one in three teachers reporting stress-related health problems, burnout is one of the greatest threats to both teacher wellbeing and student achievement.
This research brief uncovers how silence, not workload alone, fuels burnout. Too often, educators avoid the very conversations that could resolve their biggest challenges. Based on surveys of more than 400 teachers, the study identifies five Crucial Conversations® that drive educational excellence:
- Unsupportive School Leaders – Addressing leadership behaviours that create stress and block teacher success.
- Failing Teachers – Confronting peers whose performance undermines student learning and staff morale.
- Unreliable Colleagues – Speaking up when teachers let peers down, damaging teamwork and consistency.
- Parents Who Don’t Support Learning – Engaging families who create obstacles instead of reinforcing progress.
- Students with Behavioural Problems – Guiding students whose actions disrupt their own and others’ learning.
The findings are clear: educators who step up to these conversations are twice as likely to secure needed support, significantly more satisfied with their schools, and more committed to their careers. By teaching teachers the skills to hold Crucial Conversations®, schools can:
- Reduce teacher stress and turnover.
- Strengthen parent-teacher collaboration.
- Improve student behaviour and learning outcomes.
- Build a culture of trust, accountability, and excellence.
To explore how Crucial Conversations® training can help your school system improve culture and reduce burnout, click below:
👉 Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue
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