A matter of teaching and relationships: determinants of teaching style, interpersonal resources and teacher burnout

Exploring burnout among preschool teachers in rural China: a job demands-resources model perspective

Rural preschool teachers are increasingly experiencing job burnout, which could lead to their intention to leave and negatively impact education quality. This research explored the prevalence of job burnout among preschool teachers in rural China. It further investigated the potential influence of job-related characteristics on their levels of burnout. This study surveyed 10,581 preschool teachers across 34 counties in 18 provinces in China, utilizing multilevel structural equation models to analyze the situation and factors influencing job burnout. The findings indicate that the situation regarding job burnout among preschool teachers is not encouraging, particularly in the western areas and independent public kindergartens. Job resources were found to be associated with a reduction in burnout, while job demands had the opposite effect. The findings also revealed that job demands served as a mediating variable between job resources and job burnout. Moreover, the results also showed that reduced job burnout among preschool teachers was related to teacher cooperation, decision making, kindergarten resources and salary. On the other hand, role commitments, business issues, and classroom management were associated with increased burnout among preschool teachers. Furthermore, the impact of demands and resources on burnout was found to be intensified by kindergarten variables. To address the issue of burnout, it is essential to recognize the diversity and heterogeneity of kindergartens and take specific measures to reduce work demands while providing adequate and specific resources. Attention should be given to diversity and integration to ensure a positive work environment that can effectively prevent job burnout among preschool teachers.

The roles of adaptability and school climate in first-year teachers' developing perceptions of themselves, their classroom relationships, and the career

The teaching career, and especially the transition from pre-service to in-service teaching, is uniquely characterized by change. Adaptability is an internal characteristic that has been shown to benefit teachers and may be especially relevant as they begin developing initial perceptions of themselves as educators, of their relationships with students, and of the teaching career at large. Importantly though, it is likely that the impacts of adaptability depend in part on the broader context. One such contextual factor that is highly relevant to teachers is their school's climate. The present study explored direct and indirect (moderated) relations among first-year teachers' (N = 133) adaptability and perceived school climate and their teaching self-efficacy, perceptions of the classroom relational climate, and career optimism. Path analysis revealed positive main effects of adaptability on self-efficacy and perceptions of classroom relational climate, as well as positive main effects of school climate on self-efficacy and career optimism. In addition, an interaction effect was detected whereby relations among adaptability and self-efficacy were strongest among participants who reported high and average levels of school climate. Results can inform future research on teacher adaptability and can also be used to inform interventions and supports provided to new teachers by school psychologists and other school personnel.

Psychosocial Risks in Teachers from Portugal and England on the Way to Society 5.0

Being a teacher is one of the most demanding jobs, as a result of this responsibility, these workers face many psychosocial risks. This study aims to characterize and compare psychosocial factors in Portuguese and British teachers and discuss how new developments in technology, namely digital technology can improve education and, in particular, contribute to fewer issues related to mental health. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire Medium Version (COPSOQ II) was applied to the teachers of six Portuguese schools (three public schools and three private schools), three British public schools and three private schools with an international British curriculum (Switzerland, Spain and Portugal). The results showed that cognitive, emotional, and quantitative demands, as well as work rhythm and work/family conflict, are the key psychosocial factors among these teachers. Differences were found between the teachers of both countries. Some models are proposed, through the proposals of Society 5.0, for their minimization and/or removal. Society 5.0 is the vision of a new human-centered society in the fifth stage launched by Japan in April 2016, and it is cited in our study with the hope that it will contribute to solving many problems of today's society.

Teacher self-efficacy and student misbehaviour: the moderating role of gender–classroom management

Purpose

Drawing on Bandura's social cognitive theory, the present study examines the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and student misbehaviour, while exploring the moderating effects of teacher gender using gender schema theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The structural equation modelling examined the study model. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires from 464 teachers in secondary schools in Sri Lanka.

Findings

The results revealed that teachers' self-efficacy in overall teaching negatively correlated with student misbehaviour. Teacher gender had no moderating effects, implying an indistinct patriarchal influence on which the hypothesis was based.

Practical implications

The present study offers suggestions and practical recommendations in the areas of classroom management, school leadership, teacher education, and education administration on ways to enhance teachers' self-efficacy, particularly their self-efficacy in managing students' problematic behaviours. The findings of the study may also imply that the patriarchal dominance in Sri Lankan households may be waning.

Originality/value

This research is the first ever to apply gender schema theory to explore the moderating effects of gender in the self-efficacy–student misbehaviour relationship.

Factors influencing teacher wellbeing and burnout in schools: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Teacher's wellbeing and mental health play a pivotal role in learning experiences and educational environment. For a better future, we need thriving teachers with strong wellbeing.

OBJECTIVE

The current scoping literature review aimed to explore the factors fostering wellbeing and causing burnout among school teachers.

METHODS

Applying appropriate search terms to relevant databases for the years 2016-2020 yielded 934 potentially relevant research articles which were further filtered to 102 articles.

RESULTS

The findings of this review suggested that emotion regulation, positive workplace milieu and teacher self-efficacy (feeling successful as a teacher) are important factors fostering teachers' wellbeing whilst negative workplace environment and negative emotions along with feeling marginalized or bullied by coworkers are factors behind teacher burnout. The strengths of this study include a rigorous research design and relational analysis approach.

CONCLUSION

Teacher wellbeing needs a workplace environment with minimum bullying and marginalization. An atmosphere of respect, inclusion, and mutual teacher support is needed to promote wellbeing.