The start of a new school year brings a frenzy of positive activity. Setting up classrooms, getting acquainted with students, and jumping into the curriculum is exciting, but also exhausting.

The modern trend for digitizing education is getting really overwhelming. Modern classes look nothing like they did a half-century ago. Smart apps and VR technologies have completely transformed the education process in schools last couple years.

The concept of teacher burnout is nothing new. However, much of the discussion surrounding teacher burnout focuses on new teachers that wind up making a quick exit from the profession.

The reality is, only a fraction of the hundreds of thousands of teachers who leave teaching each year are novices. Veteran teachers too, it turns out, are quite susceptible to burnout. Each year, a growing percentage of the nation’s experienced teachers are voluntarily leaving the classroom.

Relationship building is one of many aspects of a busy educator’s life. Whether you’re aware of it or not, your success as a teacher grows from your ability to connect with and relate to your students. Developing cordial professional relationships with colleagues and administrators is also vital, because you’re all working towards the same goal: providing all students with a high-quality education.

If you’re browsing the aisles of your local bookstore during your summer vacation from school, you’re likely gravitating away from the education aisle in favor of lighter fare. The opportunity to decompress over the summer is important, and engaging with books which have nothing to do with kids and teaching is a great way to do that.

But summer’s leisurely pace also makes it an ideal time to invest in yourself through self-guided professional development. Expanding upon your summer reading by adding one (or more) of these well-regarded books is a great way to do that.

If you’re a preservice teacher, you’ve probably already pictured yourself in your future classroom. Maybe you’re working on an early childhood degree, because you want to help young children get their education off to a strong start. Or you have a passion for math, and want to immerse yourself all day in the wonders of geometry and calculus. There’s a wide range of subjects and age groups to choose.

But you may not have considered special education. Or maybe you did, and dismissed the idea because it seemed overwhelming, or you thought it wasn’t for you. Whatever the reason, you may want to reconsider.

Even if you’re already a working teacher, adding an additional credential or certification in special education might be worth the investment of time and money. Here are some factors to consider.