SILENT SUFFERING: REFLECTIONS ON BURNOUT IN CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION

Abstract

This theoretical-reflective study aims to analyze Burnout Syndrome among teachers, seeking to understand its causes, consequences, and possible coping strategies. Based on a bibliographic review grounded in scientific articles, institutional documents, and educational theorists, the main factors associated with teacher illness are discussed. Work overload, precarious working conditions, lack of professional recognition, and emotional isolation are highlighted among the primary contributing factors, examined through the lens of work psychology and critical pedagogy. Authors such as Paulo Freire, José Carlos Libâneo, and José Pacheco are referenced to reflect on the importance of valuing educators and humanizing school practices. Strategies for preventing and addressing burnout are presented at individual, institutional, and political levels, emphasizing the need for integrated actions to promote teachers' well-being. Caring for teachers’ emotional health is more than a necessity — it is a gesture of appreciation and recognition. By investing in this care, we pave the way for a more welcoming education and strengthen the identity of those who, every day, face the challenge of teaching.