SOME DEMOGRAPHIC, PERSONAL AND CLASS CHARACTERISTICS AS PREDICTORS OF SCHOOL CLIMATE

Being a teacher, like any job, has some of its specifics that contribute to whether the teachers feel more or less comfortable in their workplace. In general, teachers believe that the school climate describes a general perception of the situation at a workplace. School climate determines the quality of relationships and the feeling of comfort or discomfort in the relationships between the participants of the educational process. School climate is associated with the quality of the school environment, common perception of school behavior, and school management. The aim of the study was to check the potential predictors of school climate among classroom teachers. Research included the contribution of demographic and class characteristics, stress experience, and social support as personal variables contributing to the prediction of the school climate. The study involved 311 classroom teachers (97.7% female) from Croatia. During the State expert summit for teachers Strengthening of professional competences of classroom teachers, in June 2017, teachers completed the Scale of Social Resources, Scale for Measurement of Teachers' Stress Sources, and the Questionnaire of School Climate, assessing their own stress levels, social support, and school climate. Research results showed that demographic and class characteristics are not crucial for predicting the school climate, however, school climate is connected to the teacher's experience of stress and support. Different sources of stress and social support proved to be significant predictors and accounted for 23.8% of the total variation of the school climate. A higher level of stress caused by the student's inappropriate behavior, a lower level of stress caused by the need for professional recognition, and the perception of greater social support predict a more positive school climate. Stress caused by inappropriate student behavior encourages teachers to change their behavior, but also to take responsibility for creating a positive classroom discipline through appropriate methods and forms of work which encourage student activity and promote a stimulating school climate. Teachers are aware that they can probably affect the stress of professional recognition a bit less, which creates a lesser need for stress for the climate to stay positive. Reducing the amount of stress is possible with the systematic support of competent institutions, experts, expert associates, and school principals, but also society as a whole, which should show greater respect for the teacher's calling