Caring for the Caregivers: Women Faculty and the Burnout Crisis in Teacher Preparation

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 9:45 am - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Care, Belonging, and Restoration in Academia and Education

Abstract

This exploratory study explores how women faculty in Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) experience and address burnout, self-care, and care labor in their work with pre-service teachers (PSTs). As the majority of EPP faculty and central figures in shaping resilient, trauma-informed teachers, women shoulder disproportionate invisible labor while navigating their own wellness challenges. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study examines faculty perceptions, practices, and barriers to integrating wellness in PST curricula. Findings reveal widespread support for self-care education but limited institutional support, role clarity, and training. The paper calls for systemic change—including equitable workload policies, professional development, and policy advocacy—to center wellness in educator preparation as both a sustainability strategy and a gender equity imperative.

Authors

• Heather K. Olson Beal, Stephen F. Austin State University

• Amanda M. Rudolph, Stephen F. Austin State University

• Christy Collins, Stephen F. Austin State University