OCCUPATIONAL STRESSORS OF THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
Introduction
Life is full of challenges. In everyday life of teachers
comes across many situations. The work of a teacher is
physically and mentally challenging. Private school teachers’
role has become even more varied, pressing and demanding.
Their places are no longer just confined within the four
corners of the classroom. Teachers ne ed to use a lot of
energy in their daily chores in the classroom coupled with
their personal, family commitments, and community related
activities.
Occupational stress is currently one of the most costly
occupational health issues.1 The deleterious implications for
individuals and organizations are manifold, and can result in
serious physical and psychological illness for individuals, and
major resource loss for organizations. The extent and
progression of the problem over the past 20 years have been
eloquently documented elsewhere.
According to Johnson, et al (2013)2 Teaching has
often been considered one of the most stressful professions
for a variety of reasons. One of the main theories that
attempts to explain the high levels of stress associated with
teaching focuses on the high levels of social and emotional
personal resources that teachers are supposed to invest
when working with large numbers of children and/or
adolescents at the same time.3Occupational stress is a
stress reaction, which is both physiological and
psychological. In the present time it has been strongly felt
that teaching becomes a very stressful profession. For
teachers the source of stress are generally the heavy
workload, time pressure, poor working environment and lack
of recognition of work. Stress up to moderate level is helpful
for the motivation but stress above the moderate level
affects the physical and mental well-being of the teacher.
However, it was observed that teachers work in the school
for an average of almost 50 hours per week, 50% of these
were spent in the school and the rest were spent in either
paid or unpaid services. It was also observed that all these
activities other than teaching certainly over-burdened the
teachers. Hence, quality of education may d ecline and the
reason is something beyond their control.
Conclusion
In the light of the findings, the following conclusions were drawn:
- The number one stressors of teachers were the excessive workload and hours to work.
- The second factor that cause stress to teachers is inadequate salary and benefits.
- The least factor that cause stress to teachers is the working environment because their colleagues helps them when their work gets difficult.
- The Teachers Stress Tips was proposed to handle stressful situations intelligently.
Researchers
- Mary Beth Joyce I. Cuachin
- Christine O. De Villa
- Precilla Mutya O. Gotos
- Mey S. Oliva
- Veronica F. Romaraog
- Roy C. Saberdo
- Chrizelle Anne T. Samillano
- Robert L. Villanueva