A model of load and strain in the teaching profession

Author(s):

Michael Stiller(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2011

Network:

21. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)

Format:

Paper

Session Information

ERG SES C 02, Parallel Session C 02

Paper Session

Time:

2011-09-12

13:30-15:00

Room:

J 27/14,G, 69

Chair:

Maria Pacheco Figueiredo

Contribution

International empirical research comes to the conclusion that a high percentage of teachers all over Europe suffer from an unhealthy level of strain.

With a wide range of theoretical models, methods and instruments researchers from many disciplines (medicine, psychology, sociology…) have contributed to general knowledge about work load and strain (Freudenberger 1974; Maslach & Jackson 1981; Maslach & Zimbardo 2003; Lazarus & Folkman 2006). These findings are all rather unspecific. They are tried to be adapted to teaching professions in order to explain the specific phenomenon of teachers strain (Kyriacou 1998, van Dick 1999, Abele & Candova 2007).

The following paper starts from the assumption that teachers strain is a highly specific phenomenon mainly caused by the unique factors of this profession (Lortie 2002). In order to contribute to a deeper understanding of teachers specific load and strain a specific theoretical framework will be suggested.

Therefore the paper at first describes the status quo of the existing models and theories (Kyriacou 2000; Rudow 2000; Schönwälder 2006).

On this basis it secondly will develop a model specific to teaching profession which provides an explanation for the interrelation between load and strain.

In a third step this model offers a theoretical framework to categorise the existing empirical research and extract the main factors of teachers load (Rudow 1995, 2000; Lazarus & Folkman 2006; Abele & Candova 2007, Schaarschmidt 2007). This framework furthermore serves a new guidance for empirical research on the specificity of teachers strain.

Method

My doctoral thesis manly consists of theoretical work. The state of the art of load- and strain theories is analysed and categorised by means of a meta-analysis of theories and research available. It, thus, offers a theoretical and empirically useful framework for analysing teachers load and strain.

Expected Outcomes

In contrast to the many models which take stress as a rather unspecific phenomenon the paper provides a highly specific theory and model which displays load and strain in the teaching profession. This concept provides more complex understanding for the interrelation between load and strain in the teaching profession and can be used for empirical research. Furthermore the paper shows possible interventions which prevent stress and burnout.

References

Abele, Andrea E.; Candova, Antonia (2007): Prädikatoren des Belastungserlebens im Lehrerberuf. Befunde einer 4-jährigen Längsschnittstudie. In: Zeitschrift für Pädagogische Psychologie, Jg. 21, H. 2, S. 107–118. Dick, Rolf van (1999): Streß und Arbeitszufriedenheit im Lehrerberuf. Eine Analyse von Belastung und Beanspruchung im Kontext sozialpsychologischer, klinisch-psychologischer und organisationspsychologischer Konzepte. Marburg: Tectum-Verl. Freudenberger, Herbert (1974). Staff burnout. Journal of Social Issues, 30(1), 159-165. Kyriacou, Chris (1998): Teacher stress: Directions for future research. Educational Review, 53, 27-35. Kyriacou, Chris (2000): Stress-busting for teachers. Cheltenham, Thornes. Lazarus, Richard & Folkman, Susan (2006): Stress, appraisal, and coping. [Nachdr.]. New York: Springer. Lortie, Dan Clement (2002): Schoolteacher. A sociological study. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Maslach, Christina & Jackson, Susan (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 2, 99-113. Maslach, Christina; Zimbardo, Philip (2003): Burnout. The cost of caring. Cambridge, MA: Malor Books. Rudow, Bernd (1995): Die Arbeit des Lehrers. Zur Psychologie der Lehrertätigkeit, Lehrerbelastung und Lehrergesundheit. 1. Aufl., 1. Nachdr. Bern: Huber. Rudow, Bernd (2000): Der Arbeits- und Gesundheitsschutz im Lehrerberuf. Gefährdungsbeurteilung der Arbeit von Lehrerinnen und Lehrern. Ludwigsburg: Süddt. Pädag. Verl. Schaarschmidt, Uwe (2007): Gerüstet für den Schulalltag. Psychologische Unterstützungsangebote für Lehrerinnen und Lehrer. Dr. nach Typoskript. Weinheim: Beltz (Reihe Pädagogik). Schönwälder, Hans-Georg (2006): Arbeitsbelastung von Lehrern - terra incognita der Pädagogik. In: Engagement - Zeitschrift für Erziehung und Schule, H. 4, S. 273–282.

Author Information

Michael Stiller (presenting / submitting)

Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Allgemeine Erziehungswissenschaft

Nürnberg

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