California Educator

February 2011

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Finding success again Richard Luevano never expected to experience teacher burnout, but it struck in 2008. After 20 years of teach- ing, the Victor Elementary Teachers As- sociation member no longer looked for- ward to going to work, and he did not enjoy his students. During lunchtime he sought refuge in his car. It had been a difficult year; he underwent double by- pass surgery, and shortly after his recu- peration, his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. Sometimes he experi- enced bouts of anxiety in his K-1 class- room at Del Rey Elementary School in Victorville. His administrator realized Luevano needed help, and referred him to CTA’s Survive and Thrive, a weeklong inter- vention program designed to save teachers’ careers and humanely deal with educators suffering from job-re- lated burnout. Luevano isn’t alone. Annually, thou- sands of California teachers suffer from stress and job burnout. The number one cause for teacher disability is job-related stress, according to the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS). If job-related stress could be reduced or eliminated, then teachers, the students they serve and the entire public school system would benefit substantially. This was the inspiration for the Survive and Thrive Mini-Sabbatical Intervention Program, designed to assist teachers needing coping skills to thrive profes- sionally and personally in today’s chang- ing classroom. The program developed out of planning discussions in 1996-97. The workshop is conducted by CTA staff members and Dr. Byron Greenberg, LEFT: Richard Luevano was suffering from burnout and stress until CTA’s Survive and Thrive program helped him to rediscover the joy of teaching. He now feels rejuvenated and is enjoying his students at Del Rey Elementary School in Victorville. 14 California Educator | FEBRUARY 2011

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