Investigating the Stress Levels of Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary Pre-service Teachers during Teaching Practicum

Abstract

This study investigated stress levels of pre-service teachers (PSTs) across three categories of teaching context: early childhood, primary and secondary. This paper focused on exploring the stressors in the completion of tasks in teaching practicum in the three categories of teaching context and an awareness of and access to support systems. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and an online questionnaire were used to measure the nature and level of stress. Significant results were found in relation to the school climate and the stress levels of PSTs across the three different teaching contexts. These findings have implications in terms of understanding different PSTs’ stress levels across the three teaching contexts and ways they could be supported to reduce their stress level and achieve better study outcomes.

Construct validity of the perceived stress scale (PSS-10) in a sample of early childhood teacher candidates

“…That is, they are required to undertake teaching practicum on top of a theoretical study load which worsens the already stressful environment. It has been frequently reported that the teaching practicum was rated as the most stressful study task for early childhood teacher candidates, which needs to be seen in the context of their stress levels strongly influencing their decision to stay in the teaching profession [5]. Practicum-related stressors experienced by early childhood teacher candidates include the gap between theoretical knowledge and field experience in the ECE profession, which includes the discrepancy between what is taught in the classroom and how nurture and support are actually provided in practice, the associated psychological burden, and the lack of preparation as a prospective early childhood teacher.…”

School Adoption by School-University Partnerships – an example from Germany

“…The research review by Hoffman et al (2015) suggests that intensive learning assistance is essential for handling professional challenges during an internship. The findings of Ekşi and Yakışık (2016) and Geng, Midford, and Buckworth (2015) show that support during internships can reduce student teachers' anxieties and stress. Richter et al (2013) demonstrated positive effects from constructive support through mentoring, even for career beginners.…”

Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability after the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development: Exploring for the Future

“…Moreover, new transdisciplinary turn has been noticed not only in philosophical background of the papers (see the next section of the paper), but also in six papers whose authors represented, using the terminology of transdisciplinary paradigm, different types of stakeholders (Mauser et al, 2013). Thus, in paper by Geng, Midford, and Buckworth (2015) the stress level of pre-service teachers during teaching practicum was explored in collaboration between the Charles Darwin University academics and representative from the Menzies School of Health. The author of the paper on the teacher ecological self Rea Raus (2016) represents both the academic institution and NGO (University of Tampere and Statera Research and Practice Center for Sustainability), while Bikse and her colleagues from Latvia (2016), who analysed the transformation of universities toward entrepreneurial universities, are academics from two universities and BA School of Business and Finance.…”