Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
II (LXIV)
No. 1/2012
57 - 65
Gabriel Albu*
Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, Bucuresti Blvd., 39, Ploiesti, 100680, Romania
Abstract
When referring to the teacher and the various aspects of his work, we tacitly assume that he is in a
serene and balanced mood. Therefore, we do not see a reason to pause and reflect on his spiritual
horizon, more often caught in the web of worries and concerns. The study seeks to capture the main
worries and concerns of the (contemporary) teacher and, at the same time, draws ways / methods of
psychological recovery, so that these worries and concerns do not affect in the least the overall quality
of his work and his involvement in relation to students.
Keywords: teacher; worry; concern
1. Introduction
Whether we like it or not, whether we are concerned or not, there have been and
will always be problems in education. They must be captured as such or in their
intricate correlations. Sooner or later, solutions arise either in relation to each
challenge or to the effects generated by - more or less the predictable correlation
between them. Often, out of haste or ignorance, superficiality or inability to openly
acknowledge, we just stick to the surface of the phenomena. We only consider what
(we think) is pressing, what we prefer or what we observe at first sight.
Considering that this is everything that there could be and therefore - all that may
be of interest / concern in most cases, our searches stop at this level.
In the recent literature and official documents, we hear extremely often about a
changing society, about performance and the rapid changes occurring in the
contemporary world - in all spheres of human existence; the introduction (and
assimilation) of changes in schools (due to economic and financial pressures); the
teachers need to continuously develop in line with new requirements; the rising
standards of education quality assessment; the reorientation and improvement of
educational policies; but there is little, if any, reference to the costs of these
requirements, changes, improvements and enhancements: more precisely, there is no
consideration the limits of the physical and mental strength of teachers or the
(medium and long term) risks that these changes require (and which people in
education are exposed to).
It is as if we walked into an absurd pun, only focusing on the change and
performance flow, as an end in itself and at any cost, without taking into account the
natural aspects of life, its beauty and its consolations, the dynamic and healthy
equilibrium.
It seems that the more concerned we are with the adaptation and change of the
educational macro-system, the more we forget (or underestimate) the micro-system
* Corresponding author: Tel.: +40-0244-575-598
E-mail address: gabrielalbu04@yahoo.com
issues - places where the life, work and relations of teachers, students, non-teaching
staff or auxiliary staff really unfold (along with their own, unique destiny).
Taking more closely to the fluctuations, requirements and crises of the labor
market, the financial system and political life, there are always problems at the level
of the education macro-system that require urgent and renewed forms of institutional
organization, reorganization, management and control. All these processes, decisions,
restructurings influence the mental and emotional status of teachers and set the tone in
their families.
Unfortunately, against this wave of institutional pressures - made more or less for
cultural, academic and axiological reasons - and of an ever more severe and more
streamlined system of constraints - with increasingly less room for authentic and
creative expression - there are little serious concerns regarding the investigation of the
current state of affairs, of the immediate, medium and long term repercussions on
teachers (and their families).
In these circumstances, it becomes increasingly important that in education and in
daily school practice we begin to understand what goes on behind the official
statements, intentions and decisions, to know what happens - in fact at the depth of
the institution life, in the teachers relation to it and into his spiritual life.
Due to an increase - on false pretenses of the workload (one more urgent and
more important than the other), the teaching profession is growing more demanding.
This trend increases the coefficient of fatigue and exhaustion of human resources, the
slow but obvious degradation of the emotional-relational atmosphere within school
perimeter. Stress, anxiety and burn-out / mental exhaustion are the main threats to the
physical, mental and emotional health teaching staff.
In short, the feeling of frustration and demoralization among teachers is very
strong Sir Ken Robinson noticed (2011, p 103). They (more) acutely feel that they
are treated only as mere performers, and through the imposed bureaucratic
performance models and the control levers, they perceive the limitation of their
autonomy and (personal) initiative. Overwhelmed, they do not have time and energy
to recover, they do not regain their mood to reflect, to prepare and to develop
fulfilling careers (according to their searches, their cognitive-scientific dilemmas and
their intrinsic cultural aspirations).
Intensely and permanently challenged by changes and endless work tasks, the
conditions are created that these multiple changes and professional and institutional
tasks are not to be perceived by the majority of the teaching staff as stimulating
challenges, but as imminent threats.
Also, those who have worked or are working with young people know the value of
spiritual stability in order to devote most of the skills, thoughts, attention and energies
to their students. It is a greatly and we believe - undeniably important that the
teachers fully concentrate on their work with the students, to know their problems, to
stimulate, encourage, support them, to console and respect, to understand them.
If, as we know, the attractiveness and depth of teaching and learning - in general require intelligent cognitive dissonances, the strength and depth of education involve
emotional balance and spiritual energy of the teacher. We could even say that
motivating cognitive dissonances can thus be identified and triggered against the
background of an undisturbed spiritual context (of the always emerging - and
legitimate - changes and / or the always urgent - and unchallenged - tasks).
When question marks arise from the uncertainty and instability of external
conditions, there is a high probability that the increased uncertainty and instability to
consume teachers energy and interest in solving questions related to his courses or
knowledge of the student.
In this context, we can say that the teacher needs to feel calm, safe and inner
balanced in order to focus on what he is supposed to do in school, on his interest for
children, on what happens in the classroom and with each student (of course, as far as
the customization of the teaching-learning-assessment is seriously considered). When
he is in a strongly anxious state (be it work, material, financial related, etc.) he has
difficulties concentrating.
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themselves to all sorts of traps, manipulation and betrayal with (the most)
unpredictable effects (concern: very big: 72.1%, big: 27%, small: 0.9%). Another
concern is the quality of the online world of their choice that their children cultivate
(concern: very big: 41.8%, big: 41%, small: 14.5%, very small: 2.7%).
Second, it is worries about the state of their parents life (even more if they are
retired). It is essentially about their (increasingly fragile) health care, for their
(accentuated) inability, for their (difficult) material condition, for their (weighing)
solitude (within the tested subjects this concern is 42.3% very big, 53.3% big, 3.7%
small and 0.7% very small).
Thirdly, it is worrying about their spouse (if any). As the nearest and dearest
person, the partner needs the time, energy, attention, dialogue, purity, tenderness,
consolation and support from the other (this concern is very important for 42.3% of
the questioned teachers, affects in an important way 53.3% of them, 3.7% are mildly
affected and 0.7 are very little affected). All our decisions and measures can have
unexpected/undesired effects or they can be missed altogether if we do not take care
for the private aspects of the teacher. It is important to protect the personal life that
gives the human being strength and energy of mind, on the one hand, and spiritual
richness and beauty, on the other.
3.2. Worries related to the various and inherent institutional responsibilities
First, it is about the concern to fulfill their duties in the best conditions (the subjects
have shown that 41.5% are very much concerned, 52.1% are much concerned, 5% are
mildly concerned and 1.4% of them are little concerned). The teacher is working in a
public institution and is responsible along with his colleagues - for its smooth
operation. Due to the quality of his involvement, the teacher participates in ensuring a
certain work atmosphere.
Second, there is concern about compliance with deadlines (which, in many cases
are very short) (42.2% are very much concerned, 47.1% are much concerned, 9.3%
are mildly concerned and 1.4% of them are little concerned). Teachers feel more
strongly that they live in a world of deadlines. They have multiplied and created
strong (and almost continuous) soul tension. Any non-compliance can lead to loss of
major investment, required projects and long-awaited improvements to the business or
the failure of scientific participation, useful to the entire teaching staff in school. Also,
missing deadlines can lead to fueling their perception as frivolous, lack of collegial
coordination, helplessness.
Third, given that each teacher like every person - has his own priorities, his own
overuse, it is about the worry about the cooperative availability of other teachers
(either in team activities or as support in more difficult contexts) (about this concern
7.9% of the teachers questioned said they are very much concerned, 56.4% are very
concerned, 29.3% are mildly concerned, 5.7% are little concerned and 0.7% are not
concerned at all). It is most common that each person is increasingly focusing their
attention on their problems and is becoming less willing to cooperate (when there is
not a personal interest or a gain / benefit, just for the sake of offering support when
asked).
3.3. Job security related concerns
This includes, first, a teachers concern for various and possible changes /
restructuring at the level of the educational macro and/or micro systems (45.55 of the
teachers are very much concerned, 24% are much concerned, 16.45 are mildly
concerned and 14.1% of them are little concerned). For example, because of the infant
demographic fluctuation, administrative decisions or internal staff movement there
may occur activity restrictions, classes reductions etc. When the labor market is
changing rapidly and - sometimes - unpredictably, the school tends to be
(increasingly) dependent on its fluctuations and the teachers job stability gets
(increasingly) uncertain. Worries about the possible loss of the (budgeted) job can
become permanent.
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Another concern - related, of course, to the first - is the one referring to the
fulfillment of the requirements for final evaluation grid (27% of the questioned
teachers are very much concerned, 45.9 are much concerned, 20% are mildly
concerned and 7.1% are little concerned). Throughout the school year the teacher is
concerned (and pressed) to obtain the necessary score that grants the maximum rating
(protective and - possibly - insurer of a merit salary / gradation of merit). The teacher
is always constrained by this concern and dependent on focusing on meeting the
criteria of the professional evaluation sheet. He calculates, recalculates, sizes and
resizes his activities according to the assessment standards at the end of the school
year (so that the requirements are as fully satisfied).
Thirdly, the teacher takes care to prepare and / or complete all (official) documents
required by the institutions management. Neglect attracts sometimes quite serious
penalties (30% are very much concerned, 50,8% much concerned, 12,1% mildly
concerned and 7,1% little concerned).
Among other concerns about job security we may include: those relating to
successfully passing inspections (regular, special, etc.); relating to the organization
and success of educational reunions, observed lessons or the students results in
different national testing, school competitions, Olympics etc.
3.4. Concerns related to his future (near, medium or long term)
First, it is the concern to meet any control (46.5% are very much concerned, 39.3%
much concerned, 12.1% mildly concerned and 2.1% little concerned). The teachers
life is punctuated by moments of verification by the system administrators (at central
or local level; external or internal evaluations).
Second, another concern is related to his salary (72.2% are very much concerned,
20.7% much concerned, 6.4% mildly concerned and 0.7% little concerned). Always
insufficient in value, the teacher is concerned about its increase and - also about the
management of his resources, so that he is able to pay (at present and in future) the
liabilities inherent to protect his health and to satisfy (at a minimum) his cultural
necessities (books, magazines, internet, theater, concerts, the participation in scientific
conferences, publishing articles, documentation, etc.).
Third, he is concerned for his own professional development (30.9% are very much
concerned, 57% much concerned, 10% mildly concerned and 0.7% little concerned
and 1.4 are not concerned at all). Most teachers are aware that - in order to survive
professionally and to be able to keep the audience / students interest, to meet the
various tests included in the training program they are forced to learn throughout
their entire life.
But even if - at first glance it is inevitable and useful, lifelong (self)education
poses some questions:
First, it is the motivation for a lifelong learning: either because they are
forced, coerced, institutionally threatened (unemployment, withdrawal, elimination,
marginalization, competitive pressure and so on), or because they feel an insatiable
love of knowledge, sincere desire to deepen (scientific) truths of the world, to master
the inner power of self-improvement.
It seems that when threatened with job loss and systematic institutional pressures
the joy of intrinsic learning is outweighed by the requirement of extrinsic learning,
motivated by material and financial reasons, competitive reasons or worrying about
the future.
The teacher is forced to join and participate in all kinds of programs, courses,
useful projects to satisfy the imposed criteria. He is always pushed by others (who
claim to know better than him what to do) or pushed from behind by benevolent
people concerned about the performance of the education system. He is anxious, a
little skeptical and waiting to cross (or tick) this tedious and unwelcome
improvement off a list. He does it just because he needs to, he registers because he
has to and he goes only because he must go.
Second, lifelong learning is not a pure, simple and serene uninterrupted
addition of knowledge and skills.
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Therefore, any type of lifelong learning assumes - where appropriate also the
unlearning. In these conditions, you may find that the act of unlearning - with all the
effort and goodwill of the teacher - is more difficult than permanent learning itself.
Any undertaken learning has (philosophical, epistemic, practical, applied, etc.)
grounds that may impair or disrupt / alter ongoing learning throughout life. There are
always some cultural, cognitive, attitudinal assumptions that precede lifelong
learning. They differ if learning occurs at the age of 30, 40, 50 or 60. It is about
prejudices, mental clichs, ideological stereotypes, emotional schemes or formulated
action reflexes practiced and accumulated over time.
Therefore, lifelong learning is an anguishing process that requires structuring and
restructuring, cognitive dissonances, selections, doubts, hesitations, recovery and
takeovers, reflections (related to utility, future developments, the expectations),
decisions, meta-knowledge, even reconsidering personal cognitive foundations
themselves.
Thirdly, lifelong learning takes time. Recent research conducted in the
Western European space (Schrenk, 2010), shows that individual assignments consume
more time beyond the official program of work.
In particular, the teacher has less and less free time for himself and his family. Due
to mobile phones, email and the multiplication of factors involved in maintaining
optimal functioning of the institution (in a tense competitive environment), the teacher
gets to be at the discretion of the employer, whenever the employer needs him. The
teacher is forced to give up his private life; he cannot organize a coherent program (he
is no longer controlling his own life) and accepts - obediently - to be loaded with all
kinds of (more or less bureaucratic) tasks and emergencies invoked on behalf of the
institutions operation efficiency. The teachers life is almost confiscated. In such a
conduct of his existence, the teacher hardly finds enough time for his (self)
development.
On top of that, the teacher has concerns. Among the concerns of most teachers we
notice:
concern regarding the fact that anyone or almost anyone listens to him.
He feels weaker, more distant from key decision making, more neglected by
managers and by those around him (whether or not colleagues) (57.3% are very much
concerned, 30.7% much concerned, 8.5% mildly concerned and 2.1% little concerned,
0.7% not at all concerned and for 0.7% of them there is not the case). In short, he
experiences a concern about his increasing perception of helplessness.
concern about the fact that he does not have enough time to prepare
carefully for lessons / teaching / daily meetings with students.
He is compelled to do everything in a hurry, to pass quickly from one point to
another, from one problem to another, from one requirement to another(41.6% are
very much concerned, 47.1% much concerned, 8.5% mildly concerned and 2.1% little
concerned whereas 0.7% are not at all concerned). The teacher feels increasingly
dominated by pressure perception correlated with the perception of superficiality /
improvisation.
Third, it is the concern about the neglect of family or the home
atmosphere that was damaged:
He no longer feels the warmth, indulgence, patience, sharing moments of deep,
empathic communication; he does not feel the powerful bound to his loved ones. It is
as if all went into inertia and habitual clichs. There is much, too much quasi
indifference. Each one is centered on his numerous problems, as if everything is there,
and runs without the family members, like a chatterbox (37.2% are very much
concerned, 37.9% much concerned, 15.7% mildly concerned and 5.7% little
concerned, whereas 3.5% do not feel any concern). In short, the teacher feels concern
about the perception of cracking family support.
A fourth concern is connected with the minimum of material comforts
(55.7% are very much concerned, 34.3% much concerned, 9.3% mildly concerned
and 0.7% little concerned). Most teachers (90%) live in fear of tomorrow.
They make many calculations (and are concerned with solutions) to honorably meet
the requirements of a decent life. They are concerned about the possible occurrence of
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additional costs, contingencies that can disrupt the normal course of financial
obligations. Therefore, this category of teachers feels concern about the perceived
material shortcomings and insecurity.
Another concern is related to the relationship many teachers have with
new communication technologies and Internet.
This is about the limited skills of many teachers to autonomously and with best
results use the new digital tools (13% are very much concerned, 23.5% much
concerned, 28.5% mildly concerned and 15% little concerned, whereas 20% say are
not at all concerned)1. Of course, such concerns will disappear in the next 5-10 years,
with the retirement of the contingent of teachers born between 1946 and 1964
(Boomer generation). It is the concern about the perceived inability to fully use digital
technology.
We can add two more concerns as significant as the preceding ones.
One of them is related to regular assessments (with rising scales,
because education is always threatened by bad performance and mediocrity in relation
to social developments; namely, by the routine and self-sufficiency of teachers)
(25.7% are very much concerned, 44.2% much concerned, 19.3% mildly concerned
and 9.4% little concerned whereas 1.4% are not concerned)
Teachers also know that more or less strained moments are to be expected. They
know they are regularly placed in front of panels of experts to whom they must
demonstrate the quality and richness of their knowledge, practical skills, and ways of
interaction with students along with a careful and complete preparation of school
documents. Therefore, it is concern about the perception of a possible failure (the
incapacity to endure mockery by their peers).
The other is related to instability, fluctuation, (very) quick change - at
short intervals of the structures and mechanisms of the education system, the change
of regulatory requirements, etc. (49.4% are very much concerned, 38.5% much
concerned and 12.1% are little concerned)
Those who do not keep up the pace can easily be accused of rigidity according to
external constraints. Reflective analytical spirit, discernment, rhythms and inner
values / principles of the teacher are listed weaker in the stock market of personal
capacity. In short, there is the concern about the perception of professional
inadaptability (and consequently personal inadaptability).
Of course the entire spectrum of teachers worries and concerns was not captured
(and we did not claim to catch). Further research will highlight other aspects. The fact
is that the teacher is and will always be caught in their web. He is in a position to
permanently exercise his anxiety management system (Hollis, 2009) to avoid being
overwhelmed, ruined by his own worries and concerns.
4. Conclusions and recommendations
When we talk about the teacher and his teaching, we tacitly assume that he is
always in a good and cheerful mood. In most cases we believe that he has a balanced
and solid inner world. Therefore we see no reason to stop and look at his souls
horizon, which is often cloudy, challenged, stirred and cornered.
Yet, in our more or less rigurous calculations and our scientific preoccupations it
would be necessary to focus on the concerns and worries of people behind the desk.
We almost never know what happens inside their soul. As people, they also have their
inner tensions.
Consequently, we believe it is high time we realize that development and quality of
education depend to a marked degree on the strength or weakness of the human mind
from behind the teachers desk. Worries and concerns absorb his energy, distract him
and affect his motivation; his activity remains superficial, lacking heart and
enthusiasm.
1
It is mainly about those teachers that belong to the Cold War Generation or the boomers, those
born between 1946 1964, those needed to face the wave of the hypertechnologization of the society,
and sooner or later of the school.
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