Past tense, present stress: Mnemohistory of teacher burnout

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35765/mjse.2026.1529.11
Keywords: mnemohistory, teacher burnout, cultural memory, educational policies, historical narratives, stress

Abstract

Research objectives and problem: This viewpoint article aims to reframe teacher burnout through a mnemohistorical lens and address the problem that contemporary discussions of burnout often overlook the influence of historical educational policies and cultural narratives.

Research methods: Adopting a conceptual and comparative approach, the article draws on mnemohistory (the study of collective memory across time) to explore how teachers’ roles and expectations have been shaped across different national contexts, including the UK, Japan, Finland, the USA and Taiwan.

Process of argumentation: The argument develops by tracing how past reforms, policy decisions and cultural expectations continue to structure present-day teaching conditions. It positions burnout as an outcome of historically accumulated pressures and narratives.

Research findings and their impact on the development of educational sciences: The article centres that teacher burnout is bound to mnemohistorical processes and reveals how unresolved historical legacies shape current educational systems. This perspective contributes to educational sciences by introducing a temporally layered understanding of teacher well-being, expanding beyond immediate policy and psychological frameworks.

Conclusions and recommendations: The article concludes that addressing teacher burnout requires historically informed policy approaches that acknowledge these long-term influences. It recommends the development of more sustainable and inclusive educational structures that take into account the historical conditions shaping teachers’ work.

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Published
2026-06-30
How to Cite
Peng, L. (2026). Past tense, present stress: Mnemohistory of teacher burnout. Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education, 15(1 (29), 191-204. https://doi.org/10.35765/mjse.2026.1529.11
Issue
Vol. 15 No. 1 (29) (2026): Stress and Success Among Teachers
Section
Thematic Articles

Copyright (c) 2026 Lance Peng

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