Teacher's Burnout/Parents' Burnout...

El siguiente es un trabajo de investigación que llevé a cabo mientras me encontraba participando del curso Research Methods como parte de los requisitos para el grado de maestría en TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) en la Universidad Interamericana de San Germán, allá para el año 2001...

Como parte de mis hallazgos, puedo decir que existe muy poca documentación sobre estresores y el stress que experimentan los maestros y otros profesionales de ayuda (y mucho menos estudios que se hayan llevado a cabo aquí en Puerto Rico). Al final cito las fuentes que utilicé durante esta investigación.

El propósito de querer compartir este trabajo, es que TODO profesional de ayuda debe estar consciente de la posibilidad de que en un momento dado de la práctica de su profesión, su efectividad en su trabajo puede comenzar a disminuir significativamente por el síndrome del "burnout", el cansancio, el perder el norte en lo que hacemos...

Yo pienso también que esto aplica a los padres de personas con impedimentos que necesitan MUCHA atención y ayuda como es el caso de la mayoría de las personas con autismo. Es importante identificar qué nos pasa y tomar las acciones correspondientes: buscar ayuda, actividades de "respiro" (alejarse de la situación que provoca el stress temporeramente para distraerse en otras actividades), etc.

Abstract

Teacher stress is defined as the stress experienced by teachers in their work. Prolonged exposure to teacher stress can lead to teacher burnout. Teacher burnout is defined as a prolonged exposure to high levels of stress resulting in physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. An estimated 67% of teachers experience high levels of stress in their work. Teachers, as helping professionals, are particularly exposed to suffer burnout in comparison to non-teacher workers. The demand for teachers in the United States is attributed mostly to teacher’s burnout. Several effective coping techniques have been identified in teacher stress research. A quantitative research on a group of educators teaching English in Puerto Rico, is provided, describing their burnout signs and coping techniques.

Stress and Stressors of ESL Teachers

Although numerous attempts to define stress have been made, research documentation on this subject reflects a wide range of diverse definitions (Wiley, 2000). Bozzone (1995) defines stress as one of any of different mood states, such as being happy or angry, a person experiences in his or her daily life. Stress has been also defined as a body response, during which the body gets ready to deal with a situation that can be perceived as threatening, according to Skillern, Richardson, Wallman, Prickett, and Marion, as cited in Reglin and Reitzammer (1998). Various researchers make reference to the traditional definition of stress given by Hans Selye in his book The Stress of Life. According to Van Der Linde (2000), Selye is considered “the father of stress”, because of his pioneering research distinguishing eustress (positive stress, the one that motivates a person to achieve goals) and distress (negative stress, the one that affects our emotional and physical well-being). Selye considered harmful stress (distress) as a degenerative and a civilization disease because of the negative physiological and psychological impact in people living in our post-modern times.

There is a rising tendency among researchers to establish a correlation of cause and effect between work and high levels of stress, which has been identified as occupational stress. Occupational stress has been defined by Beehr and Newman as the result of job-related factors that influence the worker’s psychological and/or physiological normal performance (as cited in Wiley, 2000). International organizations, such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization, claim that job related stress has become a global crisis, with serious implications in all aspects of the workers’ life (Murphy, 2000). The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (2001) reported several studies that strongly suggest that four physiological systems are particularly vulnerable to job related stress: the cardiovascular system, the endocrine system, the gastro-intestinal function, and the immune system (Brady and Harris; Schneiderman; Kristensen; Mason; Stone; Turkkan; Monjan; Kawakami and Haratani). Other studies associate occupational stress with a variety of detrimental psychological and physical health conditions and diseases such as bronchitis, coronary heart disease, mental illness, thyroid disorders, skin diseases, certain types of rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, tuberculosis, headaches and migraine, peptic ulcers, ulcerative colitis, and diabetes (Cox; Cooper and Marshall; Kroes; Selye; Bosma and Marmot; Stansfeld; Kristensen, as cited in the The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work website, 2001).

A significant amount of research on occupational stress of teachers has been made during the last two decades, although as early as in 1933, Hicks surveyed a total of 600 teachers (Wiley, 2000). The results show that a 17% of the participants frequently felt nervous, and 11% had suffered from nervous breakdowns. Hicks’ findings (Wiley, 2000) indicate that, most probably, the participants’ high levels of stress derived from working as teachers. Teacher occupational stress has been defined as the negative effects in the well-being of teachers derived from job related aspects, resulting in frustration and anxiety (Kyriacou; Kyriacou and Sutcliffe, as cited in Abel & Sewell, 1999). Research suggests that non-teachers workers do not consider their work as a major source of stress as teachers (Abel and Sewell, 1999; also Reglin & Reitzammer, 1998). Wilson (2000) claims that a 67% of teachers consider their jobs as very stressful. Reglin and Reitzammer (1998) points out that a third of today’s teachers would be willing to make a career change if they have the opportunity.

Research has demonstrated that approximately half of all American workers experience symptoms of burnout, as reported by the American Institute of Stress (2001). Teacher burnout has been defined as a situation in which a teacher has been exposed to high levels of stress for a prolonged period of time, without utilizing any effective stress controlling method or aid, resulting in physical, emotional, and/or mental exhaustion (according to Blasé; Farber, as cited in Abel & Sewell, 1999; also according to Golembiewski, Munzenrider, and Carter, as cited in Weisberg & Sagie, 1999). Teachers experiencing burnout might exhibit de-personalization and an unreal low self-opinion regarding their professional performance (Schwab and Jackson, as cited in Wiley, 2000). Reglin and Reitzammer, Cherniss, Maslach, and Mazza, as cited in Weisberg and Sagie (1999), suggest that workers in helping professions or “people work” (as referred by Maslach and Jackson, as cited in Abel and Sewell, 1999, p. 289) such as teachers, seems to be affected by stress more than other workers and are particularly exposed to higher levels of stress as a result of performing their job corresponding duties and responsibilities. Cox and Brockley (1999) provide evidence in their study that teachers experienced more stress in performing their work than non-teacher workers (as cited in Abel and Sewell, 1999). Teacher burnout is a disabling response to teacher stress; one stems out as a consequence of the other (The American Institute of Stress, 2001).

Research documentation shows a wide variety of stressors that can lead to high levels of stress and eventually to teacher burnout. Wiley (2000) classifies into four types the stressors affecting teachers that can cause a negative impact on emotions, physical health, and behavior: extra organizational (outside the work environment), organizational (within the work environment), task related (having to do with teacher’s duties and responsibilities), and individual (e.g., personal difficulties). Very little research has been made on ESL teacher stressors. Markham (1999) found, in a qualitative study conducted with 12 ESL teachers, the following frequently mentioned organizational and task related stressors: helping LEP students with different levels of ability, helping LEP students to adjust to a new school, adapting lesson materials not intended for LEP students, and lacking of support from other teachers and supervisors.
Some researchers have tried to define the characteristics of an effective teacher by assessing his or her ability to cope with high levels of work related stress. Outstanding academic performance of pre-service teachers during university training does not determine the level of achievement and their ability to cope with the high levels of stress that results from being teachers, according to Bowers, Eicher, and Sacks, nor love for children (as cited in Wadlington, Slaton, and Partridge, 1998). Even highly motivated and creative teachers are exposed to the dangers of professional burnout, most probably as the result of their inability to cope with increased levels of stress, caused by their excessive effort to achieve unrealistic goals (Wadlington et al., 1998).
Research supports that job turnover can be strongly linked to professional burnout. According to statistics published by the National Education Association (2001), teachers with three or less years of experience will have a 20% chance of making a career change on or before the third year, and 30% of teachers with less than five years of experience will most probably leave the teaching profession. This fact is notably supported by another longitudinal (12 years) qualitative study of 26 helping professionals (among them teachers) that in less than ten years, 62% of the 16 participants left their profession (Mazza, 1997). In other words, and according to studies by Murnane; Eberts; and Greenberg and McCall, the probability of a teacher leaving his or her job is high in the first few years after entering the profession, falls after the third year, and again increases as the teacher nears retirement age (as cited in Mont and Rees, 1996). Research provides strong evidence that four out of ten teachers will leave the teaching profession before retirement (Reglin and Reitzammer, 1998).

The demand for teachers is attributed mostly to teacher’s turnover in the United States. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, an estimated 6% of teachers leave the profession every year (National Educators Association, 2001). Freiberg, from the University of Houston and creator of an experimental program to prevent teacher’s turnover, explains that that to consider that there is a shortage of certified teachers in the United States is not real, the reality is that there is a shortage of teachers who are willing to be in the classroom (as cited in Jacobs, 2001). According to statistics provided by the National Center for Education within the next decade nearly 2.4 million teachers will be needed in the public education system because of teacher burnout, retirement, and an expected increase in students (National Education Association, 2001). It is relevant to clarify that teacher turnover is caused, not only by burnout, but also by teachers changing fields of teaching and teachers changing from schools (Croasmun, Hampton, and Herrmann, 1997). Research suggests that teacher turnover has a possibly negative impact in the students, the learning environment, and the teachers themselves (Wiley, 2000). Farber, in his book Crisis in Education: Stress and Burnout in the American Teacher, declares that teacher stress and burnout impact, not only teachers and their families, but the rest of the society as well (as cited in Davis and Wilson, 2000).

Some studies have shown that the most important source of stress for teachers in the quality of the interaction with students (Tellenback, Brenner, and Lofgren; Borg and Riding; Borg, Riding, and Falzon; Boyle; Byrne; Coates and Thorsen; Coditcott; Kyriacou and Sutcliffe, as cited in Wiley, 2000). The location of the working setting, such as urban and rural, can be a determinant in terms of the amount of stress teachers have to deal with. Higher levels of stress have been documented among teachers working in urban schools, in contrast with their rural colleagues (Abel and Sewell, 1999). Darling-Hammond and Schlan reported that close to 50% of new teachers hired to work in urban schools, will leave the teaching profession in five or less years (National Educators Association, 2001).

Dealing with job related stress is not part of the formal training of a pre-service teacher. It is of utmost relevance to promote research on effective teacher stress and teacher burnout coping techniques. Some job burnout coping and prevention techniques suggested by Potter (2000) are setting attainable goals, building a social support system with relatives and colleagues, learning new skills, making changes in work routine, analyzing stress and burnout feelings through meditation, developing detached concern, and considering a career change. Markham (1999) cites sharing stress feelings with relatives and colleagues as the most mentioned coping technique among the participants of his study on ESL teacher stress.

Teacher stress is an important part in the daily life of teachers. Further investigation on this area, in particular in identifying ESL teacher stressors, is “sorely needed” (Markham, 1999). It is equally important to share the results of the studies on the topic of stress available with all educators, and make aware of this serious situation to supervisors and administrators. Educators are knowledge workers in a helping profession. It is both important for educators to master the knowledge and teaching techniques, but also how to manage the high levels of stress the teaching profession most probably will generate. Every school year, excellent teachers are leaving the profession because of not knowing how to deal with the job-related burnout symptoms. Research on the topics of teacher stress and teacher burnout should aim to create a proactive attitude in teachers, and to reduce the present statistics on teacher turnover, which in turn will impact positively on all the components of the educational setting.

The first objective of this investigation is to identify burnout signs and coping techniques form participants working as English teachers in public schools located in Puerto Rico’s western region. A secondary objective is to identify strategies that the participants use to cope with stressful, work-related situations. The following research questions provide the framework guiding the research process:

1. What do English teachers in Puerto Rico find stressful about their job?
2. What are the most common burnout signs (if any) English teachers in Puerto Rico exhibit in their work?
What stress coping techniques (if any) English teachers in Puerto Rico use to cope with job-related stress?

Method

Paticipants
The participants in this study will be selected from among the participants in an ESL teacher training grant program of the Inter American University, located in San Germán, Puerto Rico. All of the participants are English teachers with more than three years of experience working in public schools located in the western region of Puerto Rico. The three years of experience requisite helps to differentiate between initial high levels of stress expected in beginner teachers during the first years’ adjustment period and the high levels of stress teachers undergo after that adjustment period (Markham, 1999). A mostly quantitative questionnaire is going to be administered to the participants to investigate the research questions.

Procedure
The questionnaire includes eight closed-ended questions (objective items) and one open-ended question (Aiken, 1997). Some of the closed-ended questions are provided with space to explain further in case the participant cannot find a fitting answer among the given choices. Additional space to write any additional comments is provided for some questions and/or items.
Question #3 (“Please check on the space provided if the described situations make you feel stressed out”) deals specifically with teacher stressors, adapted from a list provided by Downs (1990). Question #4 (“Please make a check mark next to the answer that best describes you”) deals with burnout signs, according to a list provided by Waner (2000). Demographic and statistical questions, such as age range, sex, and years of experience in teaching English were included at the end of the questionnaire, to avoid inconsistency with the purpose of the questionnaire explained in the general instructions and the cover letter (Aiken 1997). The questions of how many years of experience teaching English in Puerto Rico’s public schools and the level (elementary or secondary) are also included in the questionnaire. The questionnaire was pre-tested with three English teachers not included in the study with the purpose of measuring how long it took in average to answer it (between seven to ten minutes) and examining their comments and implementing their suggestions in the revision step of the survey, as suggested by Aiken (1997).

Ten participants of the teachers’ grant training program not enrolled in the Research Methods class during the semester that this investigation is going to be implemented will be chosen to participate, to avoid biased responses from knowing the purpose of this research. Since participant teachers in the grant training program visit regularly the program’s office located in the university, the study questionnaire along with a cover letter and a self-stamped, self-addressed envelope in a sealed manila envelope is going to be given by the secretary of the office to the first ten grant training program participants visiting the office. To assure confidentiality of the procedure, the secretary will be given the sealed manila envelopes with no further instructions than to give one envelope to the first ten grants recipients visiting the office, provided they were not registered in the Research Methods course. The participants in the study will be expected to return the answered questionnaire in the self-stamped, self-addressed envelope in a reasonable amount of time (approximately one week). Detailed instructions on how to confidentially request the questionnaire’s results will be specifically given in the cover letter and at the end of the questionnaire to the participants.

Once all questionnaires are received they are going to be tabulated individually and then as a group. For question #3, a list will be made in terms of frequency of response in a descending order, as for example “90% of the participants checked the item “students with serious disruptive behavior”, 80% checked “additional tasks and responsibilities”, etc. An additional list will be made if any additional stressors were added in the space provided at the end of question #3, and recurring patterns are going to be identified.

For question #4, any “always” or “often” to all items except item b (which an answer of “seldom” or “never” will be the one indicating burnout) will be considered as that the participant is experiencing the mentioned burnout sign. A list, in descending order, will be made to establish what particular burnout signs are being most frequently experienced by the participants. For example, “90% of the participants considered making a career change”, 80% feel irritable in their work”, etc.

For question #5, a list will be made in terms of all the stress coping techniques mentioned. Any recurring pattern will be identified, as for example “two respondents answered that they exercise every day to diminish the effects of job derived stress”, etc.

Questions #6, #7, #8, #9 provide important statistical data that will be arranged in four different lists. This information will be helpful in terms of establishing a profile of the research participants, which can be summarized and merged to the description of the participants’ section of this study.

Question #1 will be summarized in terms of how many participants answered “always” or “often”, which for the effects of this research will be an indicator that they experience high levels of job related stress. An observation such as “X% of the participants answered always or often to the question of “How often do you feel stress in your work?” which indicates that those participants are actually experiencing high levels of stress in their job, and Y% answered seldom or never”.

Question #2 will help to assess the time during the school year that the participants experience more stress. This particular question was not given any relevance in all the research documentation I reviewed for this study, and I personally consider it important in terms of designing and implementing a teacher’s burnout preventive approach.

References

Abel, M.H., & Sewell, J. (1999). Stress and Burnout in Rural and Urban Secondary School Teachers. Educational Research, 92(5), 287-301.

Aiken, Lewis R. (1997). Questionnaires and Inventories: Surveying Opinions and Assessing Personality. New York: J. Willey.

American Institute of Stress. (2001). Stress and Health. Retrieved on April 10, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.stress.org/problem.htm

Bozzone, M. A. (1995). A Teacher Stress Survival Guide. Instructor. 104(5), 55-58.

Chase, B. (2000). Who Wants to be a Teacher?. National Educators Association. Retrieved on April 7, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.nea.org/publiced/chase/bc000213.htm

Croasmun J., Hampton D., Herrmann S. (1997). Teacher Attrition. Retrieved on April 15, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/issues/papers/Hampton.asp

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. (2001). Research on Work Related Stress. Retrieved from on April 16, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://agency.osha.eu.int/publications/reports/stress/full.php3

Jacobs, M. (2001) Inner City Teacher Turnover Rate Reduced Through UH Program. Retrieved on April 15, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.uh.edu/admin/media/nr/12001/cmcd.htm

Markham, Paul L. (1999) Stressors and Coping Strategies of ESL Teachers. Instructional Psychology. 26(4), 268-280.

Mazza, N. (1997). Beyond Burnout: Helping Teachers, Nurses, Therapists, and Lawyers Recover form Stress and Disillusionment (Book Review). Health and Social Work. 22(1), 77-78.

Murphy, L. (2000) Is Work Hurting Your Health?. Chatelaine. 73(11), 68-74.
National Education Association. (2001). Ready or Not: A National Teacher Shortage Looms. Retrieved on April 15, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.nea.org/teaching/shortage/html/

Potter, B. (1998). Common Signs of Burnout. Retrieved on April 15, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Potter2.html

Reglin, G., Reitzammer, A. (1998). Dealing With the Stress of Teachers. Education. 118(4), 590-597.

Van Der Linde, C. (2000). The Teacher’s Stress and Its Implications for the School as an Organization: How can TQM Help?. Education. 121(2), 375-385.

Wadlington, E.M., Slaton, S., Partridge M.E. (1998). Alleviating Stress in Pre-Service Teachers During Field Experiences. Education. 119(2), 335-351.

Weisberg, J., Sagie, A. (1999). Teachers’ Physical. Mental, and Emotional Burnout: Impact on Intention to Quit. Journal of Psychology. 133(3), 333-340.

Wiley, C. (2000) A Synthesis of Research on the Causes, Effects, and Reduction Strategies of Teacher Stress. Journal of Instructional Psychology. 27(2), 80-94.

Wilson, A. (2000). Teaching Teachers to De-Stress. Psychology Today. 33(4), 18.

Appendix A
Research Questionnaire
Instructions: The purpose of this questionnaire is to obtain information from English teachers, concerning their daily experiences as educators. This information will be valuable to assess several relevant issues regarding the working conditions of English teachers. Please answer each of the following items, and make sure you complete all three pages. It should take you between fifteen to thirty minutes to complete the questionnaire. Please use the enclosed self-stamped, self-addressed envelope to return the completed questionnaire at your earliest convenience.

How often do you feel stress in your work?
___ Always ___ Often ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___ Never

When do you feel more stress in your work?
At the beginning of the school year
At the end of the school year
I feel the same level of stress all school year
Other (please explain in the space provided):
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please check on the space provided if the described situations make you feel stressed out:

_____ Students with serious disruptive behavior inside the classroom
_____ Unrealistic expectations from supervisors, parents, and the community regarding my job
_____ Time pressures
_____ Additional tasks and responsibilities
_____ Feelings of isolation in the classroom
_____ Relationships with parents, other teachers, students, and others related to the teaching environment
_____ Low salary in comparison with heavy loads of work
_____ Changes in the curriculum (as for example, the integration of technology in teaching)
_____ Demands for continuing education or re-certification
_____ Lack of instructional resources
_____ Lack of adequate teaching facilities
_____ Lack of materials
_____ Teaching low English proficiency students
_____ Figuring out how to keep motivated students to learn English
_____ Pending paper work
_____ Other (Please explain, if you should need more space, please write “QUESTION #3” in the back of this page and keep writing)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please make a check mark next to the answer that best describes you:
a) I feel a decrease in enthusiasm and dedication in my work.
___ Always ___ Often ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___ Never
b) I am not eating or sleeping well lately.
___ Always ___ Often ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___ Never
c) I make use of stress relieving techniques.
___ Always ___ Often ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___ Never
d) I feel bored with teaching and don’t feel there is anything more to learn about my job.
___ Always ___ Often ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___ Never
e) I feel frustration and anger in response to work-related situations.
___ Always ___ Often ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___ Never
f) I dream about perfection and judge my professional performance without mercy.
___ Always ___ Often ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___ Never
g) I wish to have another profession.
___ Always ___ Often ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___ Never
h) I count the days before the next holiday or summer vacation.
___ Always ___ Often ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___ Never
i) I withdraw from other co-workers, students, and other people related to my job.
___ Always ___ Often ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___ Never
j) I feel irritable and/or sad.
___ Always ___ Often ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___ Never
k) I feel that I don’t care as much as I used to about my job.
___ Always ___ Often ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___ Never
l) I have been diagnosed with any of the following: headaches, hypertension, etc., and my doctor relates the condition with my job.
_____ Yes _____ No
m) My doctor related the condition (mentioned in item m) to job stress.
_____ Yes _____ No _____ I don’t know
What coping techniques do you use (if any) to deal with job-related stress? (If you should need more space, please write “QUESTION #5” in the back of this paper and keep writing)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How many years of experience in teaching English do you have?

_____ 3 - 5 years
_____ 6 - 9 years
_____ 10 – 13 years
_____ 14 – 17 years
_____ 18 – 21 years
_____ 22 – 25 years]
_____ more than 25 years

What kind of school do you work in?

_____ urban school
_____ rural school

What is your sex: _____ F _____ M

What is your age range:

_____ 20 - 30
_____ 31 - 40
_____ 40 - 50
_____ Over 50

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP IN COMPLETING THIS SURVEY!

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING A COPY OF THE RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY, PLEASE SEND A BLANK EMAIL TITLED: TEACHERS’ SURVEY TO THE FOLLOWING EMAIL ADDRESS: josebru@yahoo.com.


Appendix B
Cover Letter for Questionnaire

May 8, 2001


To Whom It May Concern:

I am conducting a survey of the practices, opinions, and challenges of English teachers working in the public education system of Puerto Rico. This survey is an essential part of the research paper I have to submit to Dr. Aurora Melendez as one of the requisites to complete the Research Methods course. After the results have been analyzed, they will be made available to all interested parties (see instructions on how to request a copy of the results at the end of the survey).

The enclosed questionnaire has been carefully designed to provide information concerning the job satisfaction levels of English teachers and describe some of the challenges they have to deal in their daily performance of job related duties and responsibilities. You have been selected to participate in this survey as part of a sample of participants in the ESL Teachers’ Grant Training Program of the Inter American University, San German campus.

I will appreciate if you will fill this survey as soon as possible. Please return the completed questionnaire in the enclosed self-addressed, self-stamped envelope by May 15, 2001. If you should have any problem complying with the deadline, please contact me by email (josebru@yahoo.com) or call me anytime at 649-6900.

Thank you very much for your valuable assistance in this important matter, and if you should need any further help or information, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,



Brumilda Rodríguez

Enclosed: Survey questionnaire
Self-stamped, self-addressed envelope