Preschool teachers' experience of stress

Alison L Kelly; Donna C Berthelsen

doi:10.1016/0742-051X(94)00038-8

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Preschool teachers' experience of stress

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Preschool teachers' experience of stress

Alison L Kelly and Donna C Berthelsen

Teaching and Teacher Education, Vol.11(4), pp.345-357

1995

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0742-051X(94)00038-8

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Abstract

Specialist Studies in Education

Curriculum and Pedagogy

preschool children

early childhood education

stress variables

teacher burnout

teacher role

teaching conditions

early childhood

teachers' work

change

This research study investigated the phenomenon of stress among a group of preschool teachers. Eight teachers were given opportunities to record and describe current sources of stress. These teachers kept a reflective journal over a two week period and summarised their reflections diagrammatically. The daily journal entries and the diagrammatic representations were analysed for common themes on the sources of stress in the teachers' work. The researcher sought written feedback and confirmation from the teachers that the themes identified by the researcher during analysis were the major sources of stress for them. Confirmation was given that time pressures, meeting children's needs, dealing with non-teaching tasks, maintaining early childhood philosophy and practice, meeting personal needs, issues with parents of the children, interpersonal relationships, and attitudes and perceptions about early childhood programs were the major sources of stress for this particular group of teachers. Consideration of the themes support the view that there is a need for research to explore teachers' experiences of stress within their specific teaching context such as preschool or childcare, as well as within the wider contexts of the school campus and the educational, organisational and social system. Differentiation between the internal demands which teachers place upon themselves in their daily work and the external demands from organisational and social pressures must be understood in order to provide support for teachers to cope with and adapt to change.

Details

Title: Preschool teachers' experience of stress
Authors: Alison L Kelly (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Donna C Berthelsen (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Publication details: Teaching and Teacher Education, Vol.11(4), pp.345-357
Publisher: Pergamon
Date published: 1995
DOI: 10.1016/0742-051X(94)00038-8
ISSN: 0742-051X; 0742-051X
Organisation Unit: School of Education - Legacy; Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre; School of Education and Tertiary Access; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99448875302621
Output Type: Journal article
Research Statement: false

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