Stress Among Public Elementary School Teachers

Vol. 01 No.4 June 2009

86

STRESS AMONG PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

1Chona C. Roxas, M.A.

ABSTRACT

The study dealt on stress among the public elementary school teachers in Baguio City, Philippines. With a sample size of 320 and using descriptive-survey as methodology, the researcher found that the stress felt by the teachers is at normal level. Moreover, it was revealed that gender, age, and civil status do not have significant influence on the level of stress experienced by the teachers. It was recommended that stress awareness programs and activities be instituted by the public elementary schools of Baguio city to minimize the impact of stress among the teachers.

Key Words: Elementary School Teacher, Occupational Stress, Sources of Stress, Stress Management Program

I. INTRODUCTION

Economic development and education are interrelated.

Schultz (1998) claims that the economic development of a nation is a

function of the quality of its education. In other words, the better

educated the people, the greater the chances of economic

development. Thus, in a global setting, investment in human capital

has become a condition for international competitiveness.

One of the most accessible ways to achieve and start a

globally competitive educational system is to train and produce

educators who are not only intellectually adept with teaching skills

but who are also emotionally and socially committed to the teaching

profession. Ho (2006) claimed that the teacher-learner duality

demands a goal of continuous development in order to anticipate the

professional future because at the center of information on

technology and communication is still the human person-the teacher.

1Faculty, College of Teacher Education

The life of an individual is centered on his work and company.

Work is a major part of human lives. A man needs to work in order to


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survive; therefore, most part of his life is spent in work. Hence, at

work, sources of stress are inevitable and humans tend to react to

such stressors leading to emotional and physical problems.

Prolonged exposure to stress may even lead to more serious health

problems.

Elementary school teachers play a vital role in the

development of children. They introduce children to the basics of

numbers, language, science, and social studies. They use games,

music, artwork, films, slides, computers, and other teaching

technology to teach basic skills. Elementary school teachers take the

time to model and instill good habits and a curiosity for learning.

Stress is a part of the fabric of life. Nothing can isolate stress

from human beings as evidenced from various researches and

studies. Stress can be managed but not simply done away with.

Defining stress is a very complex matter, which is the subject

of different analyses and continuous debate among experts. Beyond

the details of this debate, a general consensus can be reached

about a definition of stress, which is centered around the idea of a

perceived imbalance in the interface between an individual, the

environment and other individuals. When people are faced with

demands from others or demands from the physical or psycho-social

environment to which they feel unable to adequately respond, a

reaction of the organism is activated to cope with the situation. The

nature of this response depends upon a combination of different

elements, including the extent of the demand, the personal

characteristics and coping resources of the person, the constraints

on the person in trying to cope and the support received from others.

Okebukola and Jegede (1989) defined occupational

stress as a condition of mental and physical exertion brought

about as a result of harassing events or dissatisfying elements

or general features of the working environment. This definition

coincides with a research conducted by Levi(1996) who

posited that stress is cost by a multitude of demands


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(stressors) such an inadequate fit between what we need and

what we capable of, and what our environment offers and what it

demands of us. Also, Kyriacou (1987) defined teacher stress as the

experience by a teacher of unpleasant emotions such as tension,

frustration, anger and depression resulting from aspects of his work

as a teacher.

From the point of view of Levine and Ursin (1991), stress is a

part of an adaptive biological system, where a state is created when

a central processor registers an informational discrepancy. In

essence, stress can be considered as any factor, acting internally or

externally, that makes it difficult to adapt and that induces increased

effort on the part of the person to maintain a state of equilibrium both

internally and with the external environment. In congruence,

Steinberg and Ritzmann (1990) affirmed that stress is an underload

or overload of matter, energy or information input to, or output from,

a living system.

Borg (1990) has also conceptualized teacher stress as a

negative and potentially harmful to teachers’ health. The key element

in the definition is the teacher’s perception of threat based on the

following three aspects of his job circumstances. 1. that demands

are being made on him. 2. that he is unable to meet or has difficulty

in meeting these demands, and 3. that failure to meet these

demands threatens his mental/physical well being.

According to the Department of the National Institute of

Occupational Safety and Health in Cincinnati, U.S.A. (1999), job

stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional

responses the occur when the requirements of the job do not match

the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. Job stress can

lead to poor health and even injury. From a discussion document

presented by the Health and Safety Commission of London, U.K.

(1999), stress is the reaction people have to excessive pressures or

other types of demand placed on them.


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Allen (2002) claimed that stress is a feeling we experience,

when we loose confidence in our capability to cope with a situation. It

is a state characterized by high levels of arousal and distress and

often by feelings of not coping.

To a scientist, stress is any action or situation that

places special physical or psychological demands upon a

person, anything that can unbalance his individual equilibrium.

And while the physiological response to such demand is

surprisingly uniform, the forms of stress are innumerable.

Stress may be even but unconscious like the noise of a city or

the daily chore of driving the car. Perhaps the one

incontestable statement that can be made about stress is that it

belongs to everyone- to businessmen and professors, to

mother and their children, to factory workers.

Recognizing the varied tasks of a public school teacher,

stress is undoubtedly inherent and regardless of other factors, the

process of teaching is, in itself, quite stressful. Many teachers find

the demands of being a professional educator in today's schools

difficult and at times stressful. When work stress results in teacher

burnout, it can have serious consequences for the health and

happiness of teachers, and also the students, professionals, and

families they interact with on a daily basis.

Occupational stress, which is believed to have an effect on

the health of workers, is the concern of every institution. Present

studies prove that psychosomatic disorders are noted to develop if

workers experience prolonged exposure to job stress. Therefore,

there is a necessity to find out the factors associated with stress to

be able to identify them and prevent exposure to these stressors.

Due to insufficiency of empirical studies on the sources of

stress in the public schools, this study wants to have an empirical

evidence of the stress causing factors among the faculty members.

Determination of these factors may prevent the teaching force from

over exposure and from other disorders that may affect the worker’s


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efficiency. It is for this reason that the researcher deemed it

necessary to find out the factors associated with stress among

faculty members of the public elementary schools in Baguio City.

This study aimed to investigate the occupational stress

among faculty members of the public elementary school teachers in

Baguio City. Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the level of occupational stress of the of the public

elementary school teachers in Baguio City?

2. How do the stress levels of the respondents compare

when they are grouped according to:

a. gender;

b. age;

c. teaching experience; and

d. civil status?

3. What are the potential sources of occupational stress of

teachers among the public school elementary teachers in Baguio

City?

II. METHODOLOGY

Since the objective of the study was to determine and

analyze occupational stress among public elementary school

teachers in Baguio City, the researcher utilized the descriptive-

survey method of research. Such method was employed because it

involved description, recording, analysis, and interpretations of

existing conditions.

Involved in the conduct of the study were the teachers of the

public elementary schools in Baguio City, school year 2008-2009,

with a total sample size of 320. Samples from population of teachers

were employed using the stratified random sampling procedure in

order to have proportionate representation from each district. Table 1

shows the distribution of the sample respondents according to

gender, teaching experience, civil status and age.

To gather the needed data, the researcher personally

administered a self-constructed questionnaire. The questionnaire


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was formulated based on the ideas and insights taken from the

different authorities as reflected in the related literature as well as

suggestions and recommendations given by the Dean of the College

of Teacher Education, Research Director, and the Vice president for

Academic Affairs of UC. The original draft was then refined

according to the corrections and suggestions.

Table1. Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents According to Gender, Age, Years of Teaching Experience, and Civil Status

Variable f % I. Gender Male Female Total

38 282 320

11.88 88.12 100.00

II. Teaching 10 Years & Below Experience 11-20 Years Over 20 Years Total

116 133 71 320

36.25 41.56 22.19 100.00

III. Civil Status Single Single (Head of the Family)

Married (Sole Bread Winner) Married (Partner is Employed)

Separated/Annulled Widow/Widower

Total

48 22 74 155 11 10 320

15.00 6.88

23.13 48.44 3.44 3.13

100.00 IV. Age 21-30

31-40 41 & above

Total

59 104 157 320

18.44 32.50 49.06 100.00

The questionnaire is composed of three parts. Part one dealt

with the personal background of respondents that included the

respondents’ gender, age, number of years of teaching experience

and civil status of teachers. Part two attempted to gather information

on the sources of occupational stress of public elementary school

teachers and the last part intended to know the perceived level of

stress of the teachers when grouped according to gender, age, years

of teaching experience and civil status.

A four- point scale was used to evaluate the level of stress of

the teachers with the qualitative verbal descriptions and numerical

ratings (in parenthesis) of very high stress level (4), high stress level

(3), normal stress level (2), and low stress level (1).


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After permission was granted to conduct the study, the

researcher consulted various school authorities in the gathering of

information pertinent to the research. Population of faculty teaching

in different schools subject for study was taken from the official

records available at the Department of Education office, Cordillera

Administrative Region, Division of Baguio City.

The researcher personally administered the questionnaire

after proper coordination had been made with the different school

principals. Administration of the questionnaire was mostly done

during the vacant periods of the researcher to facilitate data

gathering and retrieval. However, in some schools the faculty

members requested more time in answering the questionnaire,

hence, retrieval was made through the school research coordinator.

The gathered data were tallied, categorized, and subjected to

descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. The statistical

processing was conducted by the UC-Research and Development

Center using SPSS v.16. Percentage, weighted mean, t-test, and

One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to treat the data,

The statistical limits set in determining level of stress are: 3:25-4.00

(Very High), 2.50-3.24 (High), 1.75-2.49 (Normal), and 1.00-1.74

(Low).

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This section presents a discussion on the level of stress of the

respondents, a comparison of the level of stress according to

gender, age, civil status, and years of teaching experience and the

sources of occupational stress.

Occupational Stress Level of the Teachers

Table 2 presents the mean values of the items and the overall

mean obtained by the respondents. As shown, the stress level of the

teachers is “normal” as shown by the computed overall mean (1.78).

This implies that the respondents typically experience stress in the

workplace but they generally able to withstand the pressure brought

about by the stressful circumstances. This is also reflected in the

mean values of the specific items with majority indicating a “normal”


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level. However, comparing the magnitudes of the ratings, the three

statements with the highest values are; “If I eat lunch, I do it at my

desk while working”(2.11),”I work overtime consistently, yet never

feel caught up”(2.06), “My emotions seem flat whether I’m told good

news or bad news about my performance”(2.05). It can be observed

that these three items bear close relation with one another. The

teachers appear to be working longer hours, taking on higher level of

responsibilities and exerting more strenuously to meet rising

expectations about occupational performance.

It is startling to read teachers’ comments about the hours

they work, and how intensely they work. Several reported working

over 60 hours each week, others stating that extra-curricula activities

consumed over 20 hours a week. Some teachers’ commitment to

teaching appears so strong that they are sacrificing their physical

and mental health, and in some cases their relationships, to maintain

their programs and classes, often working more than 60 hours each

week. Many respondents also reported that not being able to take

time for lunch, and working during their evenings and weekends,

with some teachers viewing early retirement as the only likely

escape from a heavy workload. These findings are similar to the

results of the New Zealand Compulsory Sector study. (Manthei and

Solman, 1988). The research also identified workload and time

pressure to be the teachers’ main stressors. Teachers today are

expected to fulfill so many roles, not the least of which is to actually

teach. As the school year nears its end, they have more duties to

perform. They have to deal with grading assignments, writing tests,

and of course teaching in class. Many burdens on teaching staff like

workload and long hours are outside of teachers' control. However,

some people seem to manage such stressful pressures better than

others. And some people learn to live with their stress.

Gray & Freeman (1987) opined that no one has ever disputed

that teaching is a rewarding but challenging job. The level of

involvement is directly related to achievement of a goal. This means


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that results are related with performance of the teachers, hence, the

teachers have to perform in order to show results.

Table 2. Level of Stress of the Teachers as reflected in the Item and Overall Mean Values

Item Mean Level 1. Even over minor problems, I lose my temper and do Embarrassing things like yell or kick garbage can. 1.75

Normal 2. I hear every piece of information or question as Criticism of my work. 1.99

Normal

3. If someone criticizes my work, I take it as a personal attack. 1.75

Normal

4. My emotions seem flat whether I’m told good news or bad news about my performance. 2.05

Normal

5. To avoid going to work I’d even call I’m sick when I’m feeling fine. 1.35

Low

6. I feel powerless to lighten my work load or schedule, even though I’ve always got too far much to do, 1.87

Normal 6. I respond irritably to any request from my fellow Teachers. 1.73

Low

1. On the job and off, I get highly emotional over minor accidents. 1.73

Low

2. I tell people about sports or hobbies that I’d like to do but say I never have time because of the hours I spend at work. 1.89

Normal 10. I work overtime consistently, yet never feel caught up. 2.06

Normal

11.If I even eat lunch, I do it at my desk while working. 2.11

Normal

12.I see time as my enemy. 1.90 Normal

13.I can’t tell the difference between work and play: it all feels like one more things to be done. 1.87

Normal

14.Everything I do feels like a drain on my energy. 1.85 Normal

15. I feel like I want to pull the covers over my head and hide. 1.66

Low

16.I blame my family- because of them, I have to stay in this job and location. 1.34

Low

17.I have ruined my relationship with fellow teachers whom I feel I compete against. 1.28

Low

Overall Mean = 1.78 (Normal) ; S.D. = .60

Level of Occupational Stress According to Gender

Table 2 presents the comparison on the level of occupational

stress of the teachers when they are grouped according to gender.

As gleaned from the table, gender has not caused any variation on


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Table 2. Level of Occupational Stress according to Gender as reflected in the Overall and Item Means

Item M F tcv Remarks 1.Even for minor problems, I lose my temper

and do embarrassing things like yell or kick garbage can 1.79 1.75 .266 NS

2. I hear every piece of information or question as criticism of my work 2.08 1.98 .776 NS

3. If someone criticizes my work, I take it as a personal attack 1.74 1.76 .129 NS

4.My emotions seem flat whether I’m told good news or bad news about my performance 2.16 2.04 .902 NS

5.To avoid going to work I’d even call I’m sick when I’m feeling fine 1.37 1.35 .163 NS

6. I feel powerless to lighten my work load or schedule, even though I’ve always got too far much to do 1.89 1.87 .179 NS

7.I respond irritably to any request from my fellow teachers 1.82 1.72 .652 NS

8.On the job and off, I get highly emotional over minor accidents 1.95 1.70 1.633 NS

9.I tell people about sports or hobbies that I’d like to do but say I never have time because of the hours I spend at work 1.84 1.89 .347 NS

10.I work overtime consistently, yet never feel caught up 1.84 2.09 1.551 NS

11.If I even eat lunch, I do it at my desk while working 2.18 2.10 .454 NS

12.I see time as my enemy 1.84 1.91 .392 NS 13.I can’t tell the difference between work

and play: it all feels like one more things to be done 1.97 1.86 .713 NS

14.Everything I do feels like a drain on my energy 1.92 1.84 .537 NS

15.I feel like I want to pull the covers over my head and hide 1.71 1.65 .404 NS

16.I blame my family- because of them, I have to stay in this job and location 1.37 1.34 .217 NS

17.I have ruined my relationship with fellow teachers whom I feel I compete against 1.39 1.27 1.009 NS

Overall 1.81 1.77 .451 NS Note: M- Male F- Female NS- Not Significant

the stress level of the teachers based on the insignificant t-values.

This means that that the male and female teachers have the same

level of stress. The observed differences are only due to chance.

This finding is a contradiction to the claim of Herscher (2006) that

women feel more stressed out than men do. She further said that if

you ask any woman, especially one with children and a mortgage,

you are likely to get an earful on stress. Moreover, in one study of

2,816 people published in the Journal Personality and Individual


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Differences, it was revealed that women scored significantly higher

than men in terms of chronic stress.

Sawney (2002) claimed that opinions vary as to whether stress

tends to affect more the male species than the females. If all

parameters are equal, the preponderant view is that women are

more adept at handling stress. He mentioned that according to his

personal and professional opinion, statistics does not show that

women can handle stressors better than men can. He firmly believes

that men seem to be more stress prone. They are likely to get things

that add to stress-like alcoholism or smoking. Women are better

equipped to deal with emotional issues. Men find it difficult to

express anxiety and sorrow; women are more apt to do so. On the

other hand, women undergo a lot more stress of another kind as

they have to constantly prove they are as good as their male peers.

Anandi (2005) echoed similar sentiment that women tend to have

more stress because they have to manage two worlds, home and

career. Therefore, they are stretched and stressed a little more.

However, women manage to balance both worlds and have more

tenacity than men. Men tend to flap, while women deal with stress

more rationally. She mentioned that women are better at handling

stress, with a higher level of tolerance. Most men end up expressing

stress in some other way.

Joshi (2007) thinks otherwise. He said that men handle stress

equally well as women. Men are more composed and do not show

stress. Women show it. However, Chopra (2008) perceived no

gender benders. Whoever has a mind that is not within control will

have stress. Only areas of stress will differ. If the level of desires

between sexes is the same, the stress will be the same.

Level of Occupational Stress According to Age

There is no age at which we are exempt from stress. Most of

us are well aware that as a person chronologically ages, there are

more responsibilities and situational stressors that become part of

our lives which subsequently can bring about consequences

affecting our well being. As adults, stress is a daily event, but


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children are not exempt from its impact and subsequent

consequences. Symptoms of stress are especially apparent in

teenagers (Bittman, 1999).

Table 3 presents a comparison on the level of occupational

stress when the respondents are grouped according to age. As

observed, there is no significant difference on the overall level of

stress of the teachers when compared according to age as

evidenced by the insignificance of the computed F-value. This

means that the overall stress level of the teachers across the three

(3) age groups are the same. The observed differences are only due

to chance. Specifically however, there is a significant difference

among the means of 3 age groups in the item “I see time as my

enemy” ( p<.05) with the 21-30 years age group obtaining the

highest mean. This means that the young adult group is the most

stressed when it comes to dealing with time. People in this age

group are sometimes too idealistic and want to accomplish many

things at almost the same time. When they are unable to accomplish

their objectives because of time constraint, then time becomes a

source of stress. There is also a significant difference among the

means of the three groups in the item, “I feel like I want to pull the

covers over my head and hide” (p<.05) with the 21-30 age group

obtaining the highest mean. This implies that again the young adult

age group is the most stressed they would like to escape from the

day-to-day activities that bring about stress.

Elfering et.al (2005) opined that age differences in life

circumstances and life goals may partially explain the variation in

their experience of stress. .As suggested by socio-emotional

selectivity theory, establishing relationships is an important goal for

younger adults, making this a salient area for stressors and important

for reactivity when control is perceived as low. This theory also posits

that older adults may be better at regulating their responses to

interpersonal stressors even in the face of perceived constraints

because of a focus on emotional goals and awareness of reduced

time left in life.


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Table 3. Level of Occupational Stress according to Age as reflected in the Overall and Item Means

Item 21-30 31-40 41 &

above FCV Remarks 1.Even over minor problems, I lose my temper and do embarrassing things like yell or kick garbage can 1.64 1.69 1.83 1.507 NS 2.I hear every piece of information or question as criticism of my work 2.08 1.88 2.04 1.913 NS 3. If someone criticizes my work, I take it as a personal attack. 1.63 1.74 1.81 1.020 NS 4. My emotions seem flat whether I’m told good news or bad news about my performance 2.03 2.03 2.08 .126 NS 5. To avoid going to work I’d even call I’m sick when I’m feeling fine 1.29 1.32 1.39 .719 NS 6.Ifeel powerless to lighten my work load or schedule, even though I’ve always got too far much to do 1.81 1.91 1.87 .241 NS 7.I respond irritably to any request from my fellow teachers 1.63 1.70 1.78 .913 NS 8.On the job and off, I get highly emotional over minor accidents 1.63 1.70 1.78 .993 NS 9.I tell people about sports or hobbies that I’d like to do but say I never have time because of the hours I spend at work 1.92 1.84 1.90 .199 NS 10.I work overtime consistently, yet never feel caught up 1.98 2.07 2.08 .264 NS 11.If I even eat lunch, I do it at my desk while working 2.17 1.96 2.19 1.625 NS 12.I see time as my enemy 2.10 1.69 1.96 4.248 p<.05 13.I can’t tell the difference between work and play: it all feels like one more things to be done 1.76 1.77 1.98 2.182 NS 14.Everything I do feels like a drain on my energy 1.83 1.72 1.94 1.937 NS 15.I feel like I want to pull the the covers over my head and hide 1.80 1.49 1.72 3.665 p<.05 16.I blame my family- because of them, I have to stay in this job and location 1.41 1.29 1.36 .561 NS 17.I have ruined my relationship with fellow teachers whom I feel I compete against 1.24 1.25 1.32 .552 NS

Note: NS- Not Significant

Consistent with previous works (Cameron et al., 1991, Ong et

al., 2005), high levels of perceived constraints were found to be

related to worse outcomes for people of all ages, this relationship

was stronger among younger adults than among middle-aged and


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older adults. Younger adults who reported high levels of perceived

constraints reacted most strongly to daily interpersonal stressors,

reporting more psychological distress and more physical symptoms

on these days compared with days when no interpersonal stressors

occurred.

Level of Stress according to Civil Status

This study also determined if there is a difference in the level

of occupational stress when respondents are grouped according to

civil status. Mean scores of single teachers, single (as head of the

family), married and sole bread winner, married and partner is

employed, separated teachers or widowed teachers were compared

to find out what age group experiences the least or the highest

level of occupational stress.

Table 4 indicates the perceived level of occupational stress of

teachers when grouped according to civil status. As shown, the

differences among the overall means are not significant as

evidenced by the computed F-value (1.58). This means that the

stress level of the teachers across civil status is the same. The

observed differences are only due to chance. Specifically however,

a significant difference is gleaned across civil status in the item “If

someone criticizes my work, I take it as a personal attack (p <.05),

“I respond irritably to any request from my fellow teachers” (p <.05)

“To avoid going to work, I’d even call I’m sick when I’m feeling fine

(p<.05), and “On the job and off, I get highly emotional over minor

accidents” (p<.05) with the “separated” obtaining the highest mean

in all the aforementioned items. This implies that the

“separated/annulled” teachers who experience criticism from their

colleagues are perceived to have a higher occupational stress level.

This apparently so because the “separated” feel that they are a

failure in terms of their family relationships, hence, criticizing them

will only add to the frustrations that they have already experienced.

They are also annoyed by requests coming from other teachers.

They feign sickness for their absences, and are highly emotional

when faced with minor constraints. Sekaran (1985) said that work-


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family conflict has been found to be related to job, life, marital and

family satisfaction and symptoms of mental and physical well being.

Table 4. Level of Occupational Stress according to Civil Status as reflected in the Overall and Item Means

Item S H MB MPE S/A W Fcv Remarks

1.Even over minor problems, I lose my temper and do embarrassing things like yell or kick garbage can. 1.60 1.73 1.76 1.80 2.00 1.50 .77 NS 2.I hear every piece of information or question as criticism of my work. 1.85 1.95 1.92 2.06 2.27 1.90 1.04 NS 3.If someone criticizes my work, I take it as a personal attack. 1.50 1.82 1.58 1.88 1.91 1.90 2.46 p <.05 4.My emotions seem flat whether I’m told good news or bad news about my performance 1.90 2.05 1.95 2.11 2.27 2.50 1.54 NS 5.To avoid going to work, I’d even call I’m sick when I’m feeling fine. 1.17 1.32 1.19 1.46 1.64 1.50 2.95 p <.05 6.I feel powerless to lighten my work load or schedule, even though I’ve always got too far much to do. 1.81 2.00 1.82 1.85 2.55 1.90 1.47 NS 7.I respond irritably to any request from my fellow teachers 1.48 1.82 1.64 1.80 2.18 1.80 2.23 p <.05 8.On the job and off, I get highly emotional over minor accidents. 1.52 1.73 1.81 1.72 2.36 1.60 2.53 p <.05 9.I tell people about sports or hobbies that I’d like to do but say I never have time because of the hours I spend at work. 1.83 1.91 1.91 1.87 2.27 1.80 .55 NS 10.Iwork overtime consistently, yet never feel caught up. 2.10 2.27 1.84 2.11 2.36 1.90 1.54 NS 11.If I even eat lunch, I do it at my desk while working. 2.02 1.86 2.07 2.19 2.36 2.00 .66 NS 12.I see time as my enemy. 1.88 1.91 1.96 1.86 2.09 1.90 .20 NS 13.I can’t tell the difference between work and play: it all feels like one more things to be done.

1.73

1.91

1.95

1.86

2.09

1.90

.46

NS

14.Everything I do feels like a drain on my energy. 1.73 1.73 1.89 1.86 2.09 1.90 .48 NS 15.I feel like I want to pull the covers over my head and hide. 1.58 1.73 1.65 1.68 2.00 1.30 .93 NS 16.I blame my family- because of them, I have to stay in this job and location 1.29 1.36 1.23 1.42 1.45 1.10 1.07 NS 17.I have ruined my relationship with fellow teachers whom I feel I compete against. 1.19 1.32 1.19 1.33 1.73 1.10 2.05 NS

Overall 1.66 1.79 1.72 1.81 2.10 1.74 1.58 NS Note : R- Remarks; S –Single; H- Head of the Family; MB-Married-Sole Bread Winner; MPE – Married- Partner is Employed; S/A- Separated/Annulled; W – Widow/Widower

Also, Gore and Mangione (1983) reported that, married

individuals are better in health than those who were married or were

previously married (widowed, separated or divorced).


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Being separated would also mean that the teacher involved

has to fulfill multiple roles which could be stressful to some. Allen, &

Grigsby (1997) research on work-family conflict has been based on

the premise that multiple roles inevitably create strain, as suggested

by role theory.In addition, Henchanova-Alampay (1998) mentioned

that there is considerable evidence that marital role is central to

mental and physical health.

However, a growing body of research has found evidence

that multiple roles may be life enhancing in that they provide

additional sources of social support, increased skills, and heightened

self-esteem and well being. Baruch and Barnett (1987), for example,

found that women who had multiple life roles (e.g., mother, wife,

employee) were less depressed and had higher self-esteem than

women and men who had fewer life roles.

Level of Stress According to Years of Teaching Experience

As shown in table 5, there is no significant difference among

overall means when the teachers are grouped according to years of

teaching expereince. This mean that teaching expereince has not

caused any variation on the stress levels of the teachers. Results of

previous studies however reveal that new teachers are often more

stressed than those who are already teaching for a longer period of

time. This is due to the fact that they have to adjust to a new

environment and that during their early years of teaching, they ahve

to grapple on how to deal with their co-teachers and the roles and

obligations that they have to abide being a members of the teaching

profession.

Hindle (1998) asserts that new recruits are not familiar with

the culture of the school and it the first month of school is very

overwhelming for new teachers .During the survival phase, most new

teachers struggle to keep their heads above water. They become

very focused and consumed with the day-to-day routine of teaching.

There is little time to stop and reflect on their experiences. It is not

uncommon for new teachers to spend up to seventy hours a week

on schoolwork.. They are learning a lot at a very rapid pace.


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Beginning teachers are instantly bombarded with a variety of

problems and situations they had not anticipated. Despite teacher

preparation programs, new teachers are caught off guard by the

realities of teaching..

Table 5. Perception on the Level of Occupational Stress According to Years of Teaching Experience

Item Below

10

11- 20 Over 20

Fcv

Remarks

1.Even over minor problems, I lose my temper and do embarrassing things like yell or kick garbage can

1.69 1.76 1.85 0.76 NS

2.I hear every piece of information or question as criticism of my work

2.03 2.00 1.92 0.53 NS

3.If someone criticizes my work, I take it as a personal attack

1.67 1.83 1.73 1.18 NS

4.My emotions seem flat whether I’m told good news or bad news about my performance

2.02 2.07 2.08 0.19 NS

5.To avoid going to work I’d even call I’m sick when I’m feeling fine

1.33 1.33 1.42 0.53 NS

6.I feel powerless to lighten my work load or schedule, even though I’ve always got too far much to do

1.99 1.81 1.79 1.66 NS

7.I respond irritably to any request from my fellow teachers

1.72 1.73 1.75 0.03 NS

8.On the job and off, I get highly emotional over minor accidents

1.68 1.74 1.79 0.45 NS

9.I tell people about sports or hobbies that I’d like to do but say I never have time because of the hours I spend at work

1.90 1.91 1.83 0.21 NS

10.I work overtime consistently, yet never feel caught up

2.08 2.06 2.04 0.04 NS

11.If I even eat lunch, I do it at my desk while working

2.13 2.06 2.18 0.34 NS

12.I see time as my enemy 2.05 1.77 1.90 2.83 NS

13.I can’t tell the difference between work and play: it all feels like one more things to be done.

1.82 1.87 1.96 .50 NS

14.Everything I do feels like a drain on my energy

1.88 1.81 1.86 .19 NS

15.I feel like I want to pull the covers over my head and hide.

1.69 1.68 1.58 .48 NS

16.I blame my family- because of them, I have to stay in this job and location.

1.37 1.32 1.34 .14 NS

17.I have ruined my relationship with fellow teachers whom I feel I compete against.

1.22 1.31 1.34 1.06 NS

Overall

1.78 1.77 1.78 .03 NS

Sources of Occupational Stress Table 6 shows the sources of occupational stress according

to the respondent-teachers. Based on the mean, the top five (5)

sources of stress are large class sizes, excessive paper work and

documentation, inadequacy of resources materials and equipment to


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do the job, handling discipline problems in the classroom, and

inadequate pay and incentives.

Table 6. Sources of Occupational Stress among Public Elementary School Teachers in Baguio City

Sources of Stress Mean Rank

Large class sizes 3.13 1

Excessive paperwork or documentation 3.04 2 Inadequacy of resources, materials and equipment to do the job 3.00 3.5

Handling discipline problems in Classroom 3.00 3.5

Inadequate pay and incentives 2.97 5

Having to monitor attendance and behavior of students 2.95 6

Teaching poorly motivated students 2.94 7

Unnecessary changes that have disrupted the work flow 2.90 8

Overloaded curriculum content in own Subject 2.89 9

Presence of additional assignment from normal work 2.86 10

Parental contract and family Interventions 2.85 11

Lack of time for discussion and Reflection 2.84 12

Insufficient time to get things done 2.79 13.5

Technological development 2.79 13.5

Poor physical condition at work place 2.78 15

Pressure to meet assessment targets 2.77 16.5

Conflicting job demands and unclear job expectations 2.77 16.5

Additional delegated responsibilities by superiors 2.75 18 Overlapping of personal priorities and professional demands 2.74 19

Lack of planned work program in different school activities 2.73 20

Attendance to non-job related activities after work 2.68 21.5

Inadequate or poorly defined discipline process 2.68 21.5

Lack of group support in time of work crises 2.65 23

Insufficient supervisor support in time of crises 2.63 24

Lack of recognition by superiors 2.60 25 Limited professional involvement and Stimulation on the job 2.58 26.5

School policies are unclear and irrelevant 2.58 26.5

Personal opinion not aired 2.55 28

Colleagues undermining competence or Personality 2.52 29

Increased level of competition among Colleagues 2.51 30

This finding conforms to the popular notion that teachers have

too high a workload and it is the most common and frequent source

of worries. Such finding also supports the contention of some

researchers that structural rather than interpersonal factors are


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responsible for teacher stress. Manthei and Solman (1988), cited

that the major sources of stress for teachers are structural. As an

example, they pointed out that reducing class size would have a

significant effect on two of the major stressors reported by teachers,

disruptive student behaviour and the physical working environment.

In other words, organizational structures determine the extent of the

impact on teachers of the interpersonal stressors inherent in their

role. Also, Kinman (2001) stated that in the public elementary sector

the causes of stress are overwhelmingly reported to be structural

rather than interpersonal.

Many other respondents echoed the difficulties that come

with having a large class. Terry (2008), a secondary school teacher

from Rotherham said that she is unable to give all students the time

and attention they often need. A significant number said that smaller

class sizes, leads to better pupil participation and behavior.

McCusker (2008), a primary teacher from Bedfordshire said that

having worked in different schools, with varying class sizes, it is clear

that the smaller classes have fewer behavior problems and the

children receive a better education as there is more time to get to

each child during a lesson to check their understanding.

In terms of the range and complexity of tasks facing teachers,

teachers mentioned a wide range of work activities, including

numerous meetings, paperwork, purchasing of materials (often with

teachers’ own money), even cleaning of facilities. All of these are in

addition to what is involved in the core activities of teaching students,

which include class contact teaching, preparation and marking,

assessment, evaluation and reporting.

The data indicate that teachers believe that there have been

significant additions to the core activities of teaching, as well as

changes to the nature of teaching with the addition of many non-

teaching tasks. This is perhaps at the heart of the problem of teacher

workload. Teachers are expected to do far more than teach, and the

expectations appear to have no limit, resulting in what many

teachers see as a continually expanding but unstated job


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description, with much added but nothing taken away, resulting in an

unacceptably high workload.

In a similar way, it also validates the findings of Newstrom

(2002) that work overload and time deadlines put employees under

pressure and leads to stress. The author of a Los Angeles Times

editorial writes that teachers are inundated with paperwork and it is

the number one reason they abandon the profession. Pressure due

to school reform efforts, inadequate administrative support, poor

working conditions, lack of participation in school decision making,

the burden of paperwork, and lack of resources have also been

identified as factors that can cause stress among school staff

(Hammond & Onikama, 1997).

Lack of equipment and poor teaching resources were cited as

one of stressors in the teaching profession. Poor or non-existent

library facilities and aged texts were identified by teachers across all

contexts. Many teachers stated that even the most basic resources,

such as textbooks, were not adequately supplied to meet student

needs. Others spoke of limited lab equipment, or of having to

purchase supplies for their classrooms because insufficient supplies

were provided to enable them to teach the required curriculum. The

evidence suggests that books and other basic learning resources,

lab equipment, and classroom supplies are not provided or

distributed in ways that meet needs. This makes teachers’ work

more difficult, thereby increasing workload as they struggle to use or

find texts and other materials, and increases stress.

It is worth pointing out too that, the respondents are least

stressed with the increased level of competition among their

colleagues and co-teachers undermining their competence or

personality. This can be explained by the Code of Ethics for

Teachers found in Article V which states that teachers shall at all

times, be imbued with the spirit of professional loyalty, mutual

confidence , and faith in one another, self-sacrifice for the common

good, and full cooperation with colleagues. When the best of the


106

interest of the learners, the school or the profession is at stake in any

controversy, teachers shall support one another.

Thus, the relationship among teachers should at all times be

mutually beneficial and aimed at uplifting the profession to the

highest level and teachers should seek assistance from colleagues

in tasks beyond their management or professional ability when

necessary, and take delight in teamwork.

IV. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings of the study, it can be concluded that

stress experienced by the public elementary school teachers in

Baguio city is at normal level. The teachers are not easily affected

by the difficulties that they encounter in relation to their job.

Seemingly, they have a high level of stress tolerance. Generally,

gender, age, number of years of teaching experience, and civil

status of the public elementary school teacher do not significantly

affect the teachers’ level of occupational stress. The primary sources

of stress experienced by the teachers in Baguio City in order of

prevalence are as follows: (1) large class sizes (2) excessive

paperwork or documentation, and (3) inadequacy of resources,

materials and equipment to do the job. In contrasts, the least

prevalent sources of stress experiences and ranked last among the

indicators are as follows: increased level of competition among

colleagues, colleagues undermining competence or personality, and

not airing of personal opinion

On the basis of the conclusions forwarded, it is recommended

that the elementary teachers of the public schools in Baguio City and

concerned authorities should be made aware of the specific work-

related sources of stress for possible change and assistance along

these areas. A “stress awareness” drive by incorporating topics on

stress in the social orientation subject is encouraged. The normal

level of stress among the elementary teachers should be maintained

in all aspects. Regular assessment of stress level should be

conducted for preventive measures. Direct physiological measures

of stress like diagnostic tests and consultation should be conducted


107

by the Guidance Center and Medical Clinic. Creation of policies that

will encourage more social interaction between administrators and

teachers and holding workshops and retreats on the subject of

heightening awareness on stress management are also

recommended. Set a side a room or a suite on campus for spirit

rejuvenation. Creation of reward and recognition systems that will

strengthen work ethic of teachers is also important. The developed

Stress Management Program should be implemented in the school

to keep stress at a bearable level. In terms of further research, it is

recommended that the same study may be replicated in other

regions of the country to validate findings of the present research or

to explore and evaluate the other variables or factors that may affect

the stress experiences of the teachers.

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Hammond, T. & Onikama, A. ( 1997) Teachers Under Pressure. Sage Publications Ltd.

Herscher, E. (2008). Stress Management for Teachers. Great

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Documents

Stress Among Public Elementary School Teachers