School teachers are burning out at alarming rates. How can we help keep them happy in their jobs?

Nataliya Voitkevich/ Pexels More than a third of Australian teachers say they plan to leave the profession before retirement, while a further third say they are unsure of their career plans.

High levels of stress and burnout are cited as key factors behind teaching turnover.

A 2025 Australian study found 90% of teachers reported severe levels of stress , while rates of depression and anxiety symptoms were more than double the national average.

High levels of distress and turnover don’t just affect teachers.

They disrupt student learning and place further pressure on school systems , particularly in disadvantaged communities .

But teachers with higher wellbeing tend to have stronger relationships with students and better outcomes in the classroom .

So, supporting teachers’ wellbeing is crucial for retaining teachers, while also promoting high-quality teaching and learning.

How can we do this? Our new research provides some clues.

What we already knew Many efforts to support teachers have focused on reducing stress and managing burnout through approaches such as stress-management training .

But supporting teacher wellbeing means more than stepping in once they are already overwhelmed and ready to leave the profession.

So there is growing attention on how to create the personal and environmental conditions that enable teachers to thrive, rather than simply addressing problems once they arise.

In our research, we focus on positive psychology interventions because they aim to help teachers stay well, motivated and fulfilled in their work, despite the pressures they face.

These can involve mindfulness, resilience training, social-emotional learning (involving emotional skills and care for others), gratitude practices, or several approaches at once.

Previous reviews of positive psychology interventions for teachers suggest they are often associated with positive effects .