Abstract

This research was conducted to explore the phenomena of a study on the essence of stress faced by secondary-level teachers in Rawalpindi to find out the teacher's experience of stress and to identify the sources of stress between male and female teachers. The population of the study was comprised of all the teachers working in Govt secondary school of district Rawalpindi. The sample of the study comprised 100 secondary school teachers 50 males and 50 females were selected randomly. Data collected through questionnaires were tabulated, analyzed and interpreted using t-test at0.05 level of significance. The empirical study identified stress factors that have effects on male and female teachers ' work performance. The causes are poor low pay status, poor classroom environment, professional distress, large-scale class, poor public image, etc. The results of this study showed that there is no substantial difference in stress among male and female teachers.

Key Words

Teacher, Stress, Job, Work Performance

Introduction

The paper explores a key topic of social interest, but little is explored in large studies on Pakistani education systems from the viewpoint of a group of teachers. In a world which is subject to many political, economic and socio-cultural shifts, teaching may be a source of pleasure and fulfilment, as well as a source of tensions and dissatisfaction. Teaching is one of the world's most dynamic phenomena. The inextricable working world leads to too much tension as a career. Teaching The work-related stress of teachers is a feeling of concern and anxiety, which can be defined by different factors such as the environment, the existence and strength of emotional responses and the individual's temperament, especially during the job (Bertock, Nielson, Curley et Borg, 1989). Stress in the educational sector often affects the output of teachers as an important factor.

The word stress is referred to as 'uncomfortable, stressful, frustrative, emotional and nervous exhaustion' (Kyriacou, 2001). The Health and Safety Executive (2004) defines overpressure and demand stress but also recognizes the principle of tension which promotes and needs some tension. They find stress as the 'intervention variable' to be the result of a buildup of stressors that combine cognitive, behavioral and physiological components (Bell et al, 2000). Stressors include all adverse situations that endanger a person's well-being but are likely to cause individual evaluation differences (Evans and Cohen, 1987). 

In the working climate, most of the causes can be established, which include: poor working conditions, organizational difficulties, lack of resources and support or excessive authority, unable to control decision-making. Physical stress factors, such as noise, chaos, crowding, small classrooms or classes, security or administrative pressures, such as the loss of managers and the instability of their jobs, may also be included in the working environment.

The conceptualisation of intellectual stress influences the management of stress professionally (Kenny and Cooper, 2003). When reviewing literature, we note a multitude of stress management methods for teachers, including different types of possible techniques designed to prevent, reduce or eradicate them in the workplace. Many target people (teachers), such educational establishments or the workplace.




Statement of the Problem

This research study examined the stress phenomenon among a group of teachers at the school level. The teachers were given opportunities to document current causes of stress and explain them. This research was conducted to investigate the phenomenon of a study on the nature of stress faced by secondary-level teachers in Rawalpindi to find out the experience of stress encountered by the teacher and to establish sources of stress between male and female teachers.




Research Objectives

The research aims were as follows:

1. To investigate the phenomena of a study of the nature of stress faced by secondary-level teachers in Rawalpindi

2. To identify the teacher's experience of stress and the causes of stress between the male and female teachers. 

3. To find out the significant difference between male and female teachers in the way they experience stress. 




Research Questions

The study questions were then as follows:

1 What is the nature of stress affecting teachers at Rawalpindi District Government High School? 

2 Which sources of stress do teachers experience? 

3 To what degree do other aspects of life influence job stress? 

4 Which strategies do they follow in the face of everyday stress? 

5 Is there any significant difference in stress among male / female teachers in secondary education?




Significance of the Study

The aim of the research was not to generalize the stress of teachers and all teachers, but to understand stress from the perspective of the community of teachers within this study in the school environment. The data were segmented and structured during the study, so that patterns could be identified. The concepts were used to discuss the commonalities in the experiences of school teachers on stress, and to investigate the perception of teachers and their responses to the social and organizational influences that currently influence these school teachers.

Literature Review

Job Stress

Job stress can be characterized as employee consciousness and sense of personal instability due to the perceived working conditions or events, as well as the psychological and physiological reactions of the employee triggered by these unpleasant, unwanted or threats to the immediate atmosphere of the employee's place of business (Montgomery et al., 1996). In previous studies on accountants like those included in this report, work stress has been given considerable attention (Fisher, 2001; Bernardi, 1997; Patten, 1995; Choo, 1987).

Stress defines unpleasant feelings arising from work involving resentment, dissatisfaction, anxiety or depression that threaten the health of the worker (Kyriacou, 2001; Howard & Johnson, 2004). Stress is a general term used for people's living stresses (Jepson and Forrest, 2006) When a person feels unable to meet life's demands and challenges, he or she encounters stress. It is primarily a person who is affected by or who takes advantage of this situation because stress may either be a physical or psychical force affecting the organism or a power that provides life with energy. Psychological problems are an integral part of a person's life. Individuals typically encounter psychological difficulties in their jobs, maintaining relationships, health issues, and feeling stressed by

Stress is described as 'the condition of a specific syndrome that involves all changes in a biological system which do not require specific changes' (Selye 1974). (Selye) There are several causes of stress. Stress is expressed in various physical, economic, cultural and personal and social classes. Stress affects an individual's physical as well as mental well-being. It is more than managing to cope with stress. It is flexible and productive to cope with. Stress management involves finding ways of mitigating its impact and going through challenging tasks through stress management. This includes being able to minimize deceit and anxiety.

The teachers feel tension in their working environment, but coping with the learner and its better performance is a stressful situation themselves throughout the day. Kyriacou and Sutcliffe had identified the professor's stress thoroughly as a reaction to negative outcomes, such as an instructor's rage or depression, generally accompanied by probable pathogenic, physiological and biochemical changes resulting from the teacher's works. Lower work satisfaction is linked to higher stress levels and a decreased commitment to long-term jobs (Robert: 09 Jul 2006)

In the school setting, students and teachers are considered a significant source of stress in their lives. Teachers deal with students every day; contend with various delays, the lack of student involvement and special needs, lack of financial assistance and personal help. In addition, teachers will do a lot of work after returning home, such as planning, referring, paying the bills, assessing the misbehavior of students in the assessment of each of the three dimensions of burnout: personalisation, mental fatigue and personal achievement. Financial job stress was also negative (John McCormick, Kerrys Barnett, 2011) because of personal loss. Individuals with a higher internal regulation are more likely to have lower levels of work stress and higher levels of work success and satisfaction Jui-Chen, (2008).

 Stress causes of teachers can be described as low motivation for students, problems in discipline and workload stress, stresses of others, relationships with colleagues, conflicts and unspecified tasks, Poor facilities and regard for one's own job, disciplinary issues for the teachers, lack of support for fellow students, family and friends.

Teachers can also endure stress due to late school or failure to do their homework (Adams 2001; Joseph 2000). It is vital for education organizations to research and rationally address the stress sources of professors with an essential obligation to educate people. While numerous studies in educational organisations have determined tension, the number of researchers studied in different societies is limited (Kyriacou, 2001). This is why we have tried by comparing overall teacher stress rates in various schools to contribute to field research.




Methods and Procedure

Population 

All the teachers working in Govt Rawalpindi District High School were included in the study population.




Sample

The following category wise sample was taken out of the above-mentioned population.

• Twelve Govt. District High School Rawalpindi was randomly selected as the study sample. 

• Ten male and ten Rawalpindi district’s female government high schools randomly selected as the study samples were chosen. 

• Each school had five male teachers and five female teachers.




Research Instrument 

After going through the relevant literature, the researcher prepared one questionnaire using five-point Likert scale, consisting of books, journal articles records.

1. Questionnaire for teachers of government high schools.




Questionnaire for Teachers

The questionnaire for male and female school teachers each consisted of 40 items, based on a scale of 5 Likert points. This questionnaire was based upon teacher stress assessment. We used academic teacher qualification, technical credential, age, duration of teaching experience to assess subject attributes. Different tests have been used to analyze the relationships between work stress factors, ability to cope with stress and performance.

Data gathering Data Analysis

Following the study of the literature, coordinated with 100 teachers on the stress factors of students. These activities led to a draft of the Teachers Stress Report, reviewed by a team of experts made up of four teachers . The accuracy and value of survey item was reviewed by the expert panel. After a pilot test, minor changes were made.

Table 1. Analysis of Demographic (Personal) Information Participants are Displayed in Table 1.

Demographic	Frequency	percent
Variable
F.A/F.SC	05	5
B.A/BSC	25	25
M.A/M.SC	65	65
M.Phil	04	4
PhD	01	1
Total	100
Professional Qualification
PTC	00	00
CT	16	16
B.ed ,BS.Ed	44	44
M.ed	36	36
Others	4	4
Total	100
Age
31-35	22	22
36-40	34	34
41-45	22	22
46-50	16	16
51-over	6	6
Total	100
Period of Teaching Experience
1 to 5 years	6	6
6 to 10 years	15	15
11to15 years	24	24
16 to20 years	32	32
21 to 25 years	18	18
26 and above	5	5
Total	100

 

The table above reveals that Descriptive Analysis (Table 1) yielded 5% of respondent F.A / F.SC, 25% of B.A / B.SC yielded 65% of M.A / M.SC, and 4% of respondent M.Phil. 16 percent were C.T teachers, 44 percent were M.Ed teachers, 36 percent were M.Ed teachers and 4 percent were M.Ed teachers. Additionally, teachers were classified into age groups from 31 to 35,36 to 41 to 45,46 to 50 and 51 and over. The percentage of respondents listed in the above-mentioned age categories, 31 to 3522 percent; 36 to 40 were 34 percent, 41 to 45, 22 percent (19), 461 to 3522 percent. Moreover, 6 % of respondents were 5 years old or less.15% were 6 to 10 years old, 24% were 11 to 15 years old, 32% were 16 to 20 years old, 18% were 21.25 years old.

Table 2. Analysis of Perceptions of Teachers Regarding Stress

	Statements	Respondent	N	Mean	Mean Diff.	t	p
1.       1	Copying – copying books is a big burden on me.	Male Teacher	50	3.00	1.38	5.37	S
		Female Teacher	50	4.39
2.       2	The problem of transportation creates stress for me.	Male Teacher	50	3.47	0.16	0.60	N.S
		Female Teacher	50	3.64
3	Teaching different subjects according to different groups creates stress	Male Teacher	50	3.03	0.27	0.93	N.S
		Female Teacher	50	2.75
4	Few specialties in the field of teaching	Male Teacher	50	2.61	0.52	1.51	N.S
		Female Teacher	50	3.14
5	To me it is difficult to teach every day to 06 or 07 students.	Male Teacher	50	3.89	0.11	0.33	N.S
		Female Teacher	50	3.78
6	Just a little time to plan my lesson	Male Teacher	50	3.03	0.86	2.77	S
		Female Teacher	50	3.89
7	Assigning various roles irritated me	Male Teacher	50	3.39	0.19	0.74	N.S
		Female Teacher	50	3.58
8	Free-book management-record	Male Teacher	50	3.36	0.38	1.31	N.S
		Female Teacher	50	3.75
9	Monthly scholarship management-record	Male Teacher	50	3.29	1.08	3.72	s
		Female Teacher	50	4.36
10	Me frustrate overcrowded schools.	Male Teacher	50	4.06	0.75	3.91	s
		Female Teacher	50	4.81
11	I need to be of good standing and enjoy my work	Male Teacher	50	4.39	0.166	0.69	N.S
		Female Teacher	50	4.22
12	Poor pay, bring stress to me	Male Teacher	50	3.86	0.44	1.54	N.S
		Female Teacher	50	3.42
13	I am not comfortable with working situation	Male Teacher	50	2.94	0.33	1.10	N.S
		Female Teacher	50	2.61
14	Problematic students are barriers to my job.	Male Teacher	50	3.06	1.30	5.38	S
		Female Teacher	50	4.36
15	Lacking promotion	Male Teacher	50	4.33	0.78	3.19	s
		Female Teacher	50	3.56
16	Annual increase does not lead to the cost of living	Male Teacher	50	4.44	0.61	2.89	s
		Female Teacher	50	3.83
17	Did not earn bonuses and Best Results Acknowledgment	Male Teacher	50	4.11	0.41	2.03	s
		Female Teacher	50	4.53
18	I forget things with stress	Male Teacher	50	2.83	0.88	2.94	s
		Female Teacher	50	3.72
19	Missing student	Male Teacher	50	3.03	0.69	2.59	s
		Female Teacher	50	3.72
20	Out of Laboratory in town	Male Teacher	50	3.06	0.66	2.06	S
		Female Teacher	50	3.72
21	Students who are not good at research	Male Teacher	50	4.31	0.36	2.06	S
		Female Teacher	50	4.67
22	The key autocratic style	Male Teacher	36	4.14	0.30	1.23	NS
		Female Teacher	36	3.83

 

The table 2 indicates that there were different perceptions of teachers regarding stress and job stress such as There is no significant difference between male and female teachers regarding the problem of transportation creates stress for their teachers, Teaching different subjects according to different groups creates stress, few specialties in the field of teaching and as a teacher it is difficult to teach every day to 06 or 07 students.

Furthermore, the study results also indicate that there is a significant difference between male and female teachers regarding copy checking, preparation of lesson, maintenance of monthly scholarship record, overcrowded classes, problematic students and lack of promotion opportunity. The mean value all above sources generate more stress on female as compared to males

Conclusions

The results of the researcher were founded upon their observations. The cause of stress is only partly established. The conclusions were drawn from that report.

1. There is no significant difference between male and female teachers with regard to problem conveyance, lack of specialty in teaching different subjects, assigning different duties, maintaining free books, recording any heavy work-load. The mean values show that these sources generate more stress on female than male. 

2. There is no significant difference between male and female teachers with respect to teaching various subjects. Regular teaching of (06-05) classes, and obstacles in higher education, low status, and weak wages. Mean values indicate that these sources create more stress on males than females.

3. There is a major disparity between male and female teachers with respect to copy checking, lesson planning, monthly scholarship record retention, overcrowded classrooms, struggling students and lack of promotional opportunity. The mean value of all sources above produces more stress on the female compared to the male 

4. There is a major disparity between male and female teachers with respect to fewer annual scales, lack of incentives and acknowledgement, lack of knowledge, the rude nature of disobedient students and their lack of interest in studies and non-local workshops. The mean values show that accept annual increment all above source generate more stress on female as compared to male.

Recommendations

The following guidelines were presented using the finding and conclusion from the analysis of teacher stress at male / female middle school teachers.

1. The study result shows that indicate that government should provide bus, or the teachers should be appointed as much as possible at their nearest stations. 

2. The study results recommended that Government should appointment subject teacher.

3. It is recommended that Regular teaching to06-07 classes should be reduced to 04-05 classes. For more attraction and interest in that field they should be granted high status. Government should provide teachers with opportunities to improve their teaching skills for higher studies, and should raise their salaries to make them comfortable with what is required to promote education

4. The researcher recommends reducing the size of each class to 30. The principal should respect each teacher according to their experience and skills. The Government should organize seminars in their closest location to reduce teacher stress.

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