STRESS

INTRODUCTION

Organizational performance
organizational effectiveness.

measures

include

organizational

productivity

and

Leaders should encourage high performance work practices that lead to both high
individual and organizational performance.

Examples of these high practices are:

a.
self- directed work teams
b.
Job rotations
c.
High levels of training skills
d.
Problem solving groups
e.
Quality management procedures and processes
f.
Encouraging innovative and creative teacher behaviors
g.
Teacher involvement and training
h.
Implementation of teacher suggestions
i.
Coaching and mentoring
j.
Information sharing

In other words, school effectiveness is a measure of how well a school is achieving its
goal. One reason for ineffectiveness of schools is that they are managed with the wrong
theory in mind ( Weick, 1982)

TEACHER STRESS AND PERFORMANCE: HOW

SCHOOL LEADERS CAN HELP?
Stress is a taste of tension experienced by teachers facing extraordinary demands,
constraints or opportunities. Teachers who perceive a good fit between job
requirements and personal skills seems to have a higher tolerance for stress than
teachers who feel less competent as a result of a person- job mismatch. Two types of
stress faced by teachers are constructive and destructive stress.
Constructive stress has a positive impact on both teachers attitude and
performance. It occurs at moderate stress levels by prompting increased work efforts,
stimulating creativity, and encouraging greater diligence.
Destructive stress or distress has a negative impact on both teachers attitude
and performance. If teachers face too much stress, the job burnout will happen. Even
teacher is burned out if he or she fells exhausted emotionally and physically, and
thus unable to deal positively with work responsibilities and opportunities.
The positive and negative effects of stress are most apparent in the relationship
between stress and performance. The following figure depicts the general stressperformance relationship. At low levels of stress, employees may not be sufficiently
alert, challenged or involved to perform at their best. As the curve indicates,
increasing a low amount of stress may improve performance, but only up to a point.
An optimal level of stress probably exists for most tasks. Beyond that point,
performance begins to decline as illustrated below ( Dunham 1992)

Relationship Between Stress And Performance

Most effective performance

Early warning signs: Anxiety,

Frustration

Stress seen as a challenge

performance

Poor concentration
Difficulty in making decision

Increasing motivation

Fatigue
exhaustion
burnout

Poor performance

Inadequate

optimum

excessive

stress

Common Sources And Suggested Causes Of Teachers

Stress
Common
sources

Suggested causes

Job mismatch

Job demands the skills or abilities that teachers do not possess ( job
incomplete).
Job does not provide opportunity for the teachers to fully utilize skills or
abilities ( underutilization).

Conflicting
expectation

The formal organizations concept of expected behavior contradicts

teachers concept of expected behavior.
The informal groups concept of expected behavior contradicts teachers
concept.
The individual teacher is affected by two ( or more) strong influences.

Role ambiguity

Teachers are uncertain or unclear about how to perform the job

Teachers are uncertain or unclear about what is expected on the job.
Teacher are uncertain and unclear about what is the relationship
between job performance and expected consequences ( reward,
penalties, and so forth)

Role overload

Teachers are incompetent at the job.

Teachers are asked to do more than time permits ( time pressure)

Fear/ responsibility

Teachers are afraid of performing poorly or failing.

Teachers feel pressure for high achievement

Alienation

There is limited social interaction. Teachers do not participate in

decision making.
The job environment is unpleasant; there is inadequate lighting
or improper regulation of temperature and noise, for example.

Working conditions

The requirements of the job may unnecessarily produce pacing

problems, social isolation, and so forth
The machine
pressure.

design

and

maintenance

procedures

create

The job involves long or erratic work hours.

Working relationship

Individual teachers have problems relating to, and/ or working

with superiors, peers, and / or subordinates.
Teachers have problems with working in groups

What Are The Symptoms Of Teachers Stress?

Physical symptoms:

Changes in metabolism

Increase in heart beat and breathing rates

Raised blood pressure

Headaches

Potential of heart attack and etc

Psychological symptoms:

Job related

Tension

Anxiety

Instability

Boredom
Behavioral symptoms:

Changes in productivity

Absenteeism

Job turnover

Changes in eating habits

Sleep disorder and etc