Reconsidering teacher alienation: A critique ofTeacher Burnout in the Public Schools

Within research on teacher burnout, stress, and alienation there exists a lack of emphasis upon the social milieu in which teachers work. This essay considers the conceptualization of alienation as a form of burnout in Anthony Dworkin'sTeacher Burnout in the Public Schools (1987) and how such a combination inherently limits the value of policy recommendations he and others are making for eliminating teacher burnout and stress. The basic theoretical dichotomy surrounding the use of the concept of workplace alienation centers upon whether it is (1) an objective state independent of worker perceptions of working conditions or (2) a subjective situation in which laborers' attitudes are measured. Without any overt rationale Dworkin adopts the subjective approach, eliminating any analysis ofactual working conditions of teachers. Referring to Marx and then quickly dropping further references to his theories by accepting a primarily intrapersonal analysis is historically characteristic of alienation studies in education. Despite his stated desire to examine structural causes of burnout, Dworkin's adherence to a subjective, psychological model for understanding teacher labor while muddling Marx's theory of alienation of labor severely diminishes the social usefulness of his book.