Get to know » Teachers » Self-reflection:
Teacher well-being
Teachers were asked to indicate how frequently they experienced specific challenges regarding their own well-being in their role. They could respond with ‘Never’, ‘Rarely’, ‘Sometimes’, or ‘Often’.
The responses in the sections below are from teachers who reported experiencing the listed challenges either ‘Sometimes’ or ‘Often’.
Students with teachers experiencing well-being challenges
The results in Table TT2.11 show the percentage of students who have a teacher who is either ‘Sometimes’ or ‘Often’ experiencing well-being challenges in their role.
In Small Island States, on average, 83% of students had teachers who ‘Often’ or ‘Sometimes’ experienced stress in their role, while 66% had teachers who ‘Often’ or ‘Sometimes’ felt overwhelmed by their role. Across the PILNA countries, the proportions of students with teachers who ‘Often’ or ‘Sometimes’ experienced stress ranged from between 52% to 100%. Most teachers in Small Island States are experiencing work-related stress and feelings of being overwhelmed due to their role and that these feelings are relatively frequent. Relatedly, more than half the students have a teacher who has difficulty sleeping because they think about work-related issues (59%).
About two out of five students have a teacher who believes their job is having an adverse effect on their mental health (38%), and their physical health (42%).
Beyond these key findings, an average of about two out of five students in Small Island States have a teacher who reported they do not have time for their personal life (37%), to eat healthily (39%), or to exercise (41%) because of their job.
Teacher well-being and teacher characteristics
From the responses to the eight sentences about challenges to teacher well-being, a regional scale was formed. The more teachers agree with the statements that form the scale, the higher their scale scores, and the lower their levels of well-being.
Each teacher’s score on this scale was compared with several demographic factors and other qualities to see if any differences existed. These factors were gender (male or female), age group (either 20–35 or over 35 years old), teaching experience (either less than 10 years’ experience or more than 10 years’ experience), and their highest qualification (either below degree level or degree level and higher).
There were no well-being score differences between teachers with degree level or higher qualifications and teachers with below degree level qualifications; teachers over 35 years of age and below 35 years of age; and teachers with more than ten years of teaching experience and teachers with less than ten years of teaching experience.
There was, however, a difference in well-being scores between female teachers and male teachers. Male teachers tended to have higher well-being scores than female teachers in Small Island States.
What does this mean?
The results are worrying for teacher well-being. A high proportion of students in Small Island States have teachers who are experiencing stress in their job and feeling overwhelmed by their job. About two out of five students have teachers who reported not having enough time for managing their well-being through their personal life – eating healthily and exercising – due to their job. A similar proportion of students also have teachers who believe their job is having an adverse effect on their physical and mental health. High proportions of students in Small Island States are being taught by teachers who are experiencing well-being challenges in their job. It is important that the reasons for this are understood and that the appropriate support mechanisms are put in place to increase teacher well-being.
It was also found that male teachers tended to have higher well-being scores than female teachers in Small Island States.
