Patterns of Job Satisfaction and Stress on High School Industrial Arts Teachers in the State of Iowa

The purpose of this study was to investigate patterns and sources of job stress and satisfaction on the Iowa high school industrial arts teachers and to determine if selected demographic variables (school level, school location, school size, teacher age, marital status, years of teaching industrial arts, educational level, and cluster of teaching) contributed to job stress and satisfaction;A questionnaire booklet was designed to investigate stress and satisfaction in nine areas: students, colleagues, principal/supervisor, administration, salary and benefits, working conditions, teacher status, expertise, and community. The booklets were mailed to three hundred fifty (350) samples who were selected by a stratified sampling technique, and one hundred eighty-three (183) were returned, with a return rate of 52.3%;Results revealed that: overall means of Iowa high school industrial arts teachers\u27 job stress and satisfaction were marginally in the positive range. Major sources of job satisfaction were faculty relationships, teachers\u27 own expertise, and community environment. The major sources of job dissatisfaction were salary and benefits, school administration, and teacher status. Major sources of eustress were teachers\u27 own expertise, faculty relationships, and principals\u27 attitude toward industrial arts. The major sources of distress were teacher status, salary and benefits, and school administration. A positive relationship between stress and satisfaction was found with a correlation coefficient of 0.787;When willingness for changing careers was examined, 49.4% of teachers would elect to leave the teaching profession. Salary and benefits was a main contributor to the decision;Significant contributors (demographic variables) to the nine areas of sources of stress and satisfaction were also revealed in the study