Management of Stress among Primary School Teachers

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to give an overview on the kind of stress that primary school

teachers normally experience. It also aims to provide suggestions on how they can

manage their stress more effectively. The study will be compared with other literature

reviewed at a later stage.

Concern about stress is steadily rising in Malta. The researcher communicates regularly

with school nurses and feedback is that some primary school teachers are not adequately

trained on how to reduce their stress levels at work. According to Cooper (2000),

teaching is traditionally considered to be one of the most stressful occupations. Meeting

the daily learning and behavioural needs of students makes teaching a stressful job.

Teachers' stress may not only have an impact on the teachers as individuals but also on

the schools in which they work and on the pupils they teach.

The education system in Malta is undergoing far-reaching reforms of the curriculum,

management systems and parental involvement. John Bencini president of the Malta

Union of Teachers told Charlot Zahra during an interview in the Malta Today Newspaper

Sunday, 29 July 2007 that he is not optimistic about the future of the teaching profession

in Malta.

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“In a few days' time we will be facing another crisis as there will be a shortage of

teachers again. This year there has only been 14 applications to join the Bachelor of

Education degree to become primary school teachers.

Extensive surveys and discussions of ‘teacher stress’ (e.g. Cole &Walker, 1989;

Kyriacou, 1987; Travers & Cooper, 1996) say that teachers experience a whole range of

symptoms typically associated with chronic stress. Common ailments are fatigue,

increased susceptibility to illness and inability to sustain concentration (Borg, 1990;

Proctor & Alexander, 1992; Sheffield et al., 1994), (Jenkins & Calhoun, 1991; Kyriacou

& Sutcliffe, 1979; McCormick & Solman, 1992).

All employees, at school or elsewhere, need a certain amount of stress in their work tasks

to bring out the best out of them. However, when occupational stress causes distress it

becomes difficult to cope with the demands that school life poses on teachers. Stress is a

normal part of every teacher's life but if left unmanaged, it can undermine effective

teaching and learning.

Definitions

• Health Promotion

The World Health Organization (1986) defines health promotion as “the process of

enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. To reach a state of

complete physical, mental and social well-being, an individual or group must be able to

identify and to realize aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change or cope with the

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environment. Therefore, health promotion is not just the responsibility of the health

sector, but goes beyond healthy life-styles to well-being”.

• Stress

Stress is the non-specific response of the body to any demands made upon it (Selye,

1956)

• Teacher’s Stress

Teacher stress is the experience by teachers of unpleasant and negative emotions, such as

anger, anxiety, tension, frustration, depression, resulting from some aspect of their work

as a teacher (Kyriacou, 2001).

• Stress Management

Stress management encompasses techniques intended to equip a person with effective

coping mechanisms for dealing with psychological stress, with stress defined as a

person's physiological response to an internal or external stimulus that triggers the fight-

or-flight response (Cannon, 1939).

Identification of Teachers Stress

The first step in handling teachers stress is to identify its key sources. These may be

behavioural (e.g. inadequate sleep), situational (e.g. lack of feedback from your

supervisor), or mental/emotional (e.g. low self-esteem). A person must give attention to

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his body, mind, and spirit to be able to control his/her stress level. There will always be

stress in life, and what we really have to look at is our reaction to it rather than trying to

eliminate it completely. The World health Organization (1986) stated that to reach a state

of complete physical, mental and social well-being, an individual or group must be able

to identify and to realise aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change or cope with the

environment.

The role of the School Nurse in Reducing Teachers Stress

The school nurses’ skills have been developed to ensure they are capable of competently

assessing the health of the individuals so they can work closely with school staff and

develop health promotion programmes accordingly (Dines & Cribb, 1993). As nurses, in

addition to dealing with our own challenges, we have an obligation to respond to the

stress experienced by our Community. Before trying to help teachers manage their stress

more effectively, the nurse should reflect whether he or she possesses the required

knowledge, skills and resources to achieve his or her goal.

Screening Activities

Direct action techniques for coping with the stresses of teaching involve attempts to

eliminate the sources of stress. Albee (2000), stated that one of the pioneers of prevention

research, states that it is far better if the roots of teachers’ burn-out are identified and

eliminated before the syndrome develops, rather than treating it after it has already

occurred.

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Screening activities to identify school teachers that are feeling overstressed and are

particularly at risk for various health problems are one component of a comprehensive

school-site health promotion program that can be implemented in Malta. This can be

done by helping teachers identify the main key sources that are increasing their stress

levels. Once employees are identified as being at-risk, those persons can be referred to

educational and employee assistance programs.

The school nurse can give teachers a stress identification questionnaire (risk assessment,

see appendix 1). With the relevant information provided, the nurse will be able to provide

the necessary recommendation and help for every teacher. He/she can also offer open

access to personalized support and advice in areas such as stress and time management

and risk-taking behaviours. This will depend on how effectively the nurse will

communicate the data to the other members of the health care professional and to the

individual teacher.

An informal interview with two teachers who work in a local primary school showed that

stress reduction questionnaires may provide the necessary information to take the

necessary actions according to the finding. Stress reduction classes for the faculty and

staff can be an important goal. The involvement of school staff (i.e., the headmaster,

school nurse, and a staff advisory committee) can also be instrumental in the

development and maintenance of the intervention programme. This involves assessing the

individual's needs, giving advice on the treatment available and referring the teacher to

other services as necessary.

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Health Promotion for Staff

As part of a Coordinated School Health Program, the Health Enhancement Program,

including stress management, nutrition education, weight control, and fitness, can be

initiated for primary school teachers to improve and maintain health status and increase

self esteem. An evaluation study of the Health Enhancement Program showed that the

teachers involved reported more positive perceptions of their school environment and

better morale than those teachers not participating in the program (Allegrante 1998).

School nurses are usually part of a wider school health team and, as such, can co-ordinate

programmes of health activities for schools, working alongside health professional

colleagues, and leading a team of support staff. “Work stress can and should be prevented

by good management”. (Loss Prevention Council, 1999)

Staff Wellbeing Program

A staff wellbeing program should be tailored to meet the needs and wants of the

employees in our schools in Malta. It should also take into account the resources

available to implement and manage a successful program. - daily stress management

skills are to be practiced by taking small steps that can add up to a practical and effective

stress-management plan e.g. Eating well, relaxation exercise, getting plenty of rest,

reduces caffeine consumption, keeping a sense of humour and enjoying a favourite

activity on a regular basis.

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Group Work Shops

The school nurse and the school psychologist should provide workshops and counselling

sessions on stress management according to the specific needs of teachers. Discussions

can take place casually or be delivered as once-a- month stress management roundtables

workshop. Training can be delivered on site in group sessions of 45 minutes. On-site

workshops can be designed to build stress-management skills (e.g. stress management

sessions for staff to provide lunchtime relaxation).

Generally lasting about 10 to 20 minutes, the skills workshop topics can include Humour

and Stress, Breathing Exercises, Back and Neck Exercises, Relaxation and Pressure

Points. A pilot study lasting nine months or less should be initiated in three different

schools of different backgrounds. Recommendations can be made according to needs and

relevant feedback.

The training and workshops can be presented regularly during scheduled staff meetings,

before school or part of all-day "release" days. Professional trainers can deliver these

interventions. Personal resources also include a variety of tools and materials designed

for individual use in reducing stress. Resources may include videos, books, leaflets and

slide material and a bulletin board of health information.

The school system's health plan and employee assistance programme of intervention can

be sponsored by suppliers of school material. The local government or council can also

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provide funds. Another idea is that in summer every teacher will work for one week to

teach the English language to foreign students. With the money gained from these

activities the school administration can invest in stress reduction programs for teachers

(e.g. they will have a type of insurance that cover alternative therapy sessions and

psychological sessions).

Personal Time Management

Personal time management is an important component of stress management. A notable

method of coping with and reducing stress is through time management. Poor time

management is often a symptom of over confidence in our daily tasks. These actions can

lead to inordinate stress and degradation of performance, and it must be stopped. Time

management can be achieved through daily records that determine the total time spent on

each activity of the day. It helps organising the day by prioritising activities. It is an

inventory tool that serves as an alternative to memory.

Diaries and Logbooks

Stress Diaries are useful as they gather information regularly over a period of time. This

can help teachers separate the common routine stresses, from those that only occur

occasionally.

Treatment

Stress by Massage and Relaxation Techniques

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When the body is stressed it must work harder than usual to remain balanced.

Conventional relaxation methods such as drinking and smoking are over used in order for

individuals to relax. Medical research across the world is beginning to awaken to the

possibility that regular massage sessions, practice of meditation ; relaxation and

visualization techniques can help to reduce the stress hormones in our blood that

influence our long term health and well being. These relaxation techniques have proven

effective in helping older people to relax and dose not require any special equipment and

has been shown to have both physiological and psychological benefits (Cox et al, 1997);

(Miller et al, 1995).

Conclusion

Teachers’ stress is a real phenomenon and is associated with problems of recruitment,

health and retention of teachers now in Malta. Research has shown that teacher stress is

reliably associated with a number of variables, including those intrinsic to the job,

individual cognitive vulnerability and systemic factors. The need of psychological care

and ways to manage their stress more effectively is a must for teachers and psychology

should be included in the curriculum of student teachers as teachers continuously face

different issues with pupils and their families and thus require to be psychologically

trained.

Efforts to create more productive, caring, clearly defined work situations and improve

teachers’ skills are the best prevention against teachers stress. One has to remember that

some stress is healthy and keeps us motivated to accomplish our goals. We want to

eliminate unhealthy, excessive stress with excellent stress management approaches.

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References

Albee, G. W., (2000).Commentary on prevention and counselling psychology. The

Counselling Psychologist, 28, 845-853.

Allegrante, J.P. (1998) School-Site Health Promotion for Faculty and Staff: A Key
Component of the Coordinated School Health Program. Journal of School Health May
1998. 68 (5):190-195.

Borg, M.G. and Falzon, J.M. (1990) Coping actions by Maltese primary school teachers.
Educational Research, Vol. 32, pp. 50 – 58

Borg, M.G. (1990). Occupational stress in British educational settings: A review of

educational psychology, 10, 103–26.

Cannon, W. (1939). The Wisdom of the Body, 2nd edition., NY: Norton Pubs.

Cooper, C. L., (2000) Stress at Work, October 6, (http://stress.channel4.com).

Cox, C.C., Misra, R., and Aguillion, S. (1997). Superintendents' Perceptions of School-
site Health Promotion in Missouri. Journal of School Health, February 1997. 67(2):50-
55.

Department of Health (1999).National service framework for mental health; London:

Department of Health.

Dines,A. & Cribb, A. (1995). Health Promotion Concepts and Practice, page 89.
Blackwell Science Limited. Oxford.

Jenkins, S. & Calhoun, J.F. (1991). Teacher stress: Issues and interventions. Psychology
in the Schools, 1991, 28, 60–70.

Kyriacou, C. (1987). Teacher stress and burnout: An international review. Journal of

educational research, 29(2), 146–52.

KYRIACOU, C. (2001). Teacher Stress: Directions for future research. Educational

Review, 53, 1, 27–35.

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Kyriacou, C. & Sutcliffe, (1979). Journal of Teacher Stress and Satisfaction.
Educational Research, 1979, 21(2), 89–96.

Work Stress.' Advice on its Prevention and Management. Loss Prevention Council.

McCormick, J. & Solman, R. (1992).The externalised nature of teachers’ occupational

stress and its association with job satisfaction. Work & Stress, 6(1), 33–44.]

Miller, J.J., Fletcher, K., Kabat-Zinn, J., (1995)., “ Three years follow up and reduction
inrevention in treatment of anxiety disorders,” General Hospital Psychiatry. 17: 192-200.

Proctor, J.L., & Alexander, D.A., (1992). Stress among primary teachers: Individuals in
organizations. Stress Medicine, 8, 233–6. Reynolds, S., & Briner, R.: Stress Management.

Rubin, J.B.(1996). Psychotherapy and Buddhism towards integration. New York: Plenum
Press, 1996).

Selye, H., (1956).The stress life. New York: MCgraw-Hill Book and co.

Sheffield, D., Dobbie, D., & Carrol, D.,(1994).Stress, social support, and psychological,
physical wellbeing in secondary school teachers. Work & Stress: 8(3), 235–43.

Travers, C.J. & Cooper, C.L.(1996). Teachers under pressure: Stress in the teaching
profession. London.

World Health Organization (1985) The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. First
International Conference on Health Promotion, Ottawa, 21 November 1986.
Cole, M. & Walker, S. (1989). Teaching and Stress. Milton Keynes: Open University
Press, London.

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Appendix 1

Stress Risk Assessment

Primary:

The Primary intervention is concerned with identifying the possible causes of stress plus
the level of risk to individuals and the organisation as a whole.

• What are the sources and levels of stress?

• How is stress affecting the health of employees?
• How is stress affecting performance in the workplace?
• How knowledgeable are the employees about managing stress? What additional
support is needed for employees experiencing stress?

Secondary:

The Secondary intervention level sets out to improve the overall situation in the
workplace by implementing the recommendations identified in the risk assessment. This
would obviously include helping employees to recognise and deal with the causes of
stress, e.g. by providing appropriate Stress Management Training.

Tertiary:

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This stage deals with the treatment and rehabilitation of those individuals who have
suffered ill-health as a result of stress. Support schemes are usually employed at this
stage.

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