Psychodynamic perspectives on teacher stress

Abstract

There is a well-developed literature on the phenomenon of teacher stress. There has, however, been little consideration of the place of unconscious processes in relation to teacher appraisal of pupil behaviours in the classroom. This paper presents a first-hand account of the experience of being a teacher with practical knowledge of stress in the classroom at the same time as attending a psychodyamically-orientated seminar group for teachers. The discussion is framed in terms of the literature on teacher stress and the presented case study material is used to illustrate how an understanding of psychodynamic concepts can lead to alterations in teacher appraisal of potentially stressful events in the classroom, leading to more space for thinking and improved outcomes in terms of the incidence of teacher stress. A case is made for the inclusion of psychodynamic theory in teacher training.

Keywords:

• Teacher stress
• teacher anxiety
• classroom dynamics
• emotions and learning