Job Satisfaction, Work Attitude and Stress Tolerance of Public Elementary School Teachers
CHAPTER I
The PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE
INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the Study
Job satisfaction is simply how people feel about their jobs and different aspects of their jobs. It is the extent to which people like (satisfaction) or dislike (dissatisfaction) their jobs. As it is generally assessed, job satisfaction is an attitudinal variable. In the past, job satisfaction was approached by some researchers from the perspective of need fulfilment – that is, whether or not the job met the employee’s physical and psychological needs for the things provided by work (Cote S., and Morgan LM, 2002).
In a report on job satisfaction by the National Center for Education Statistics (2003) revealed many factors that contributed to higher teacher job satisfaction. Among them were the involvement of a supportive administrative staff, instructional leadership, better student behaviour, more teaching autonomy, and a safer, supportive school that promotes a positive atmosphere.
However, according to the Mayo Clinic (2010), stress mounts when work is no longer satisfying. Lack of job satisfaction can be a significant source of daily stress. As stated by Black (2001), teachers’ stress is rising due to such factors as greater time constraints, low salaries, excessive work overloads, lack of involvement in decision – making and problems with school disciplines. Teachers suffer, due to in part of to the low-pay-high-cost-of-living gap. Decisions handed from the top down leave teachers feeling like more trainers than educators. Teaching in low performing schools should be a rewarding experience, yet these schools are labelled failures. These are confounded as some educators are seen publicly lambasting others. The education community is on edge. With all the finger pointing and name calling, it is a wonder teacher can push this negativism out of their minds while they turn their full attention on their students (Nichols, 2006). Furthermore, a nationwide survey conducted
The PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE
INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the Study
Job satisfaction is simply how people feel about their jobs and different aspects of their jobs. It is the extent to which people like (satisfaction) or dislike (dissatisfaction) their jobs. As it is generally assessed, job satisfaction is an attitudinal variable. In the past, job satisfaction was approached by some researchers from the perspective of need fulfilment – that is, whether or not the job met the employee’s physical and psychological needs for the things provided by work (Cote S., and Morgan LM, 2002).
In a report on job satisfaction by the National Center for Education Statistics (2003) revealed many factors that contributed to higher teacher job satisfaction. Among them were the involvement of a supportive administrative staff, instructional leadership, better student behaviour, more teaching autonomy, and a safer, supportive school that promotes a positive atmosphere.
However, according to the Mayo Clinic (2010), stress mounts when work is no longer satisfying. Lack of job satisfaction can be a significant source of daily stress. As stated by Black (2001), teachers’ stress is rising due to such factors as greater time constraints, low salaries, excessive work overloads, lack of involvement in decision – making and problems with school disciplines. Teachers suffer, due to in part of to the low-pay-high-cost-of-living gap. Decisions handed from the top down leave teachers feeling like more trainers than educators. Teaching in low performing schools should be a rewarding experience, yet these schools are labelled failures. These are confounded as some educators are seen publicly lambasting others. The education community is on edge. With all the finger pointing and name calling, it is a wonder teacher can push this negativism out of their minds while they turn their full attention on their students (Nichols, 2006). Furthermore, a nationwide survey conducted