Not all teachers will soldier on regardless | Letter
The perception of teachers and nurses as boundlessly, selflessly resilient is a classic example of survivorship bias, says Dr Jenny Andrew
Gaby Hinsliff’s article about the Green MP Carla Denyer refers to “angry men on radio phone-ins asking why politicians can’t handle ‘a few emails’ without needing a lie-down when nurses and teachers just have to soldier on regardless” (The curse of burnout Britain affects politicians as much as everyone else: give Carla Denyer a break, 26 May).
I have useful insight into how teachers cope with burnout, because I was one of the many who couldn’t. The perception of teachers and nurses as boundlessly, selflessly resilient is a classic example of survivorship bias – you just don’t hear from those of us who fall short; we don’t stay teachers or nurses for long.
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