EDU3093 Teacher and Current ChallengesTopic 4 Emotional Stress Among Teachers

The Concept of Emotional Stress•Teacher’s stress refer to the experience

faced by the teacher towards undesirable emotion such as stress, frustration and anger as the effect of his role as a teacher (Kyriacou, 2000)

•Stress is a common physical response towards any matter or incident which end up with imbalance situation.

•Stress which go beyond the limit will cause health, relationship, feeling and productivity to decline which may affect the quality of life.

Types of Stress (Cockburn, 1996)•Here or now - A situation which happen at a particular

time - e.g. Teacher in the exam situation

•Anticipation - Teacher will respond towards expected

event - e.g. The PTA meeting at the end of

semester

•Imaginative - An Individual will be imaginative about

something eerie and frightening situation - e.g. Thinking of the thieves who might

come

•Reactive - Stress which occur from the past event - e.g. Feeling depress after someone’s

death

•Negative - Something ascend in a period of time

either daily, weekly, annual - e.g. Short of money

Causes of Stress (NUTP)

•Pressure by the parents•Workloads •Promotion prospect•Unfair salary increment •School location and infrastructure

Causes of Stress (Dunham & Varma, 1998)•Demotivated students•Classroom discipline •Time and workload•Evaluation by other parties•Self-concept and status•Admin and management unit •Inconducive learning environment

Signs and Symptoms of Stress

•Cognitive – memory problem, loss of focus, unfair assessment

•Emotional – moody, irritability, loneliness, depression, grief

•Physical – joint pain, migraine, external or internal health problem

•Behaviour – Over/ lack of eat, sleep, irresponsibility, procrastination, drug-addict

Ways to Overcome Stress• Learn how to say “no” and “don’t want” in

personal or professional life (assertive)• Avoid the individuals which may cause stress• Add more or strengthen relationship with

colleagues • Share views and express feelings with reliable

friends and family members • Encourage individual to involve in group

discussion and forum• Write personal journal as well as evaluate

personal weaknesses

Suggested Activities to Reduce Stress

•Lunch with colleagues •Giving others hand •Sightseeing with friends •Surf internet •Sports, yoga

The Concept of Burnout

•Physically and psychologically depleted.•Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization

and reduced personal accomplishment (Schwab et. al., 1986)

Burnout • Teacher exhibits signs of emotional exhaustion

when they feel that they can no longer give of themselves to students as they did earlier in their career

• They become depersonalized, developing negative, cynical and sometimes callous attitudes towards students, parents and colleagues.

• They have feelings of diminished personal accomplishment when they perceived themselves as ineffective in helping students to learn and unmotivated in fulfilling their their school responsibilities

•Teachers who fall victim to burnout are likely to be less sympathetic towards students, have a lower tolerance for classroom disruption, be less apt to prepare adequately for class, and feel less committed and dedicated to their work (Farber & Miller, 1981)

Signs of Burnout

•Feeling fatigue almost everyday and often face obstacles which are difficult to be solved

•Consider the professional responsibility as a futile effort and unhelpful

•Declination of performance and interpersonal relationships at work and home.

Differences Between Stress and Burnout

Stress Burnout

Excessive involvement Escape from involvement

Anxious and hyperactive Helplessness and give up

Create anxiety Create isolation and depression

Break up (energy loss) Motivation and aspiration declined

Physical injury which might cause die too soon

Emotional disturbance

Causes of Burnout

•Lifestyle•Teacher’s personality•Work pressure•Lack of recognition for good work•Prolonged stress

Signs and Symptoms of Burnout •Physical – feeling fatigue all the time,

inconsistent sleeping and eating habits, headache muscle ache

•Emotional – sense of failure and self-doubt, demotivated, dissatisfaction, isolation

•Behavioural – withdraw from responsibility, task procrastination, taking medicines or alcohols to solve problems, come late to work

Ways to Overcome Burnout

•Doing exercise and stretching •Meditation •Reading inspiring books•Writing journals •Attending time/ stress management

workshop•Mentoring program for novice teacher• Professional Development Program•Creating conducive environment

Conclusion

•Teachers need to enhance emotional intelligence to avoid the symptoms of stress and burnout and at the same time create a conducive working atmosphere.

•Teachers must know themselves and be able to choose the best way to deal with emotional stress effectively.

Main Reference

•Noriati A. Rashid., Boon, P. Y., Sharifah Fakhriah Syed Ahmad., & Zuraidah A. Majid. (2010). Guru dan cabaran semasa. Shah Alam: Oxford Fajar.