Teacher Stress in Tucson:A Needs Assessment

Melissa Godar & Laura Morehouse CPH 535Fall 2015

PurposeThe purpose of this needs assessment was to determine what factors that contribute to teacher stress are the most important to address in order to improve teachers’ work experience.

Source: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_r4RxAPvEduQ/TXqsk3BlszI/AAAAAAAALPE/6l58wENh3k8/s800/edbudget_500.jpg & http://thejosevilson.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Pay-Teachers.jpg

BACKGROUND

Theoretical Framework: Socio-Ecological Model

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/health_equity/culturalRelevance.html

Teacher Stress Overview

Source: http://curriculumstudies.pbworks.com/f/Burnout+in+Teachers+-+Isaac+Friedman.pdf

Literature Review: Education and Health

Source: http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2011/rwjf70447

Literature Review: Education and Health

Source: http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2011/rwjf70447

Literature Review: Education and Health

Source: http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2011/rwjf70447

Literature Review: Education in Arizona

Source: http://tucsonvaluesteachers.org/pdf/az-teach-survey-final.pdf

Literature Review: Education in Arizona❖ Percent of

Public High School Students Graduating in Four Years (2013)

Source: http://mapazdashboard.arizona.edu/education/high-school-graduation-rates

Literature Review: Education in Arizona

Source: http://tucsonvaluesteachers.org/pdf/az-teach-survey-final.pdf

Literature Review: Education in Arizona❖ Median

Annual Wage for Secondary School Teachers (2014)

Source: http://mapazdashboard.arizona.edu/education/teacher-wages

Literature Review: Education in Arizona

Source: http://tucsonvaluesteachers.org/pdf/az-teach-survey-final.pdf

Literature Review: Teacher Stress

Source: Gallup, Inc. (2014). State of America’s Schools: The Path to Winning Again in Education.

Literature Review: Teacher Stress

Source: Gallup, Inc. (2014). State of America’s Schools: The Path to Winning Again in Education.

Literature Review: Teacher Stress

Source: http://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/worklifesurveyresults2015.pdf

Gaps in Knowledge: Perception Problems❖ “What

Teachers Do” by NEA President

Source: Gallup, Inc. (2014). State of America’s Schools: The Path to Winning Again in Education.

Needs Assessment Specifics❖ Location

➢ Marana High School

❖ Context➢ Exploratory needs assessment

❖ Limitations➢ Lack of systematic approach in

conducting literature review➢ Small number of interviews➢ No quantitative data

❖ Study Population➢ MHS teachers➢ Tucson-area teachers

■ Generalizability

❖ Methods➢ Marana High School (MHS) teacher

meeting observation➢ MHS teacher key informant interview➢ Literature review

➢ Tucson Values Teachers key informant interview

➢ Additional literature search

RESULTS

Key Informant Interview: MHS Teacher❖ Sources of Stress

➢ Administrative neglect➢ Budget cuts/low salary➢ Increasing workload burden➢ Community perception

❖ Positive Protective Factors➢ Mentorship➢ Collaboration➢ Teacher camaraderie➢ Good instructional strategies

❖ Solutions to Stress➢ Increase wages by investing in

education➢ Reduce workload➢ Update the teaching model➢ Implement new professional

policies➢ Increase parental involvement at

the high-school level➢ Improve the community

perception of teachers

Tucson Values Teachers Interview❖ Teacher Stressors

➢ Low salary➢ Workload➢ Restrictions around testing

❖ Public Relations➢ Teacher perceptions

■ No respect➢ Community perceptions

■ Teacher “myths”

❖ Solutions to Stress➢ Mentorship➢ Advocating for education

❖ Education and the Economy

KEY FINDINGS

Major Findings

Expectations

Perceptions

Testing

Workload

Class Size

Pay

Administration

Politics

Support/Funding

Teacher Stress Student Engagement

Educational Attainment

Health

Crime

Poverty

Economy

Community

Next Generation

Retention

Job Satisfaction

Study Limitations❖ Time and resource constraints + magnitude and complexity of problem =

research is not comprehensive❖ Author bias❖ Alternative explanations possible

Future Directions❖ How can we re-shape public perceptions around teachers and education?❖ Document the relationship between educational quality and funding and

the social and economic conditions found locally and statewide. ❖ Develop better data collection systems to gather information about social

and economic impacts of education.❖ A systematic review of the proposed problems and solutions for the

education system. ❖ Create a model to demonstrate the widespread community and national

outcomes of investing (or not) in education.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Implications of Findings❖ There is a significant amount

of research and discussion, yet the problem persists.

❖ Action towards a solution is urgent.

❖ Teachers are important, but do not blame them.➢ Structural factors constrain or

empower teacher effectiveness.➢ It takes a school to prepare a

student for success.➢ Address myths that shape public

perception.

Next StepsCommunity

❖ Request that media outlets report a balanced view of schools and teachers.

❖ Foster a sense of collective responsibility and investment for quality and outcomes of education.➢ Public service announcements

Structures & Systems❖ Elect leaders and politicians who

advocate for education and publicly acknowledge the value of teachers.

❖ Encourage collaborative efforts from governments, private sector, schools, and civil society to invest in education.

District & School❖ Equip teachers to succeed.❖ Build time for professional learning

and collaboration into work hours.❖ Recognize teachers and share success

stories to build positive reputation.❖ Conduct regular internal evaluation to

address organizational issues.

Individual❖ Support teachers through

appreciation, volunteering, voting for education, and donating supplies.

Personal Reflection

Questions?