Elementary Title I Teachers Perception of Stress, Burnout and the Impact on Retention

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of stress due to their job, and if this had an influence on retention. The study concentrated on teacher’s perceptions on stress, teacher retention along with their views on coping strategies to handle or prevent stress. The conceptual framework for this study was the transactional model of stress theory by Lazarus and Folkman, which provided a better understanding of demands in education and the resources provided to teachers. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of stress due to their job and if this had an influence on retention. Data collection consisted of interviews with eight 8 teacher participants, as well as the Maslach Burnout Inventory for Educators. During the interviews, findings indicated all participants perceived themselves to be stressed. The frequency of this stress ranged from every day to often thought out the week. The MBI-ES was administered to all participants via email through Mind Garden. The MBI-ES found six of the eight participants were emotionally exhausted, and at risk for burnout. The interview transcripts and field notes were typed into a word document and coded using NVivo software. The common themes discovered from the interviews and coding indicated similar perceived stress by the participants. The following are the common themes the participants perceived as the cause of work-related stress: lack of resources, student behavior, low parent involvement, administration, and teacher accountability. The stress factors perceived by the participants indicate further research on teacher perceived stress, stress reduction, and stress coping and preventative strategies for teachers would be beneficial