Are teachers really more stressed than anyone else?

[EcoCalc]

Stumbled across a news article with a teacher who said the stress was so bad she considered crashing her car just so she didn’t have to go to work. Iots of people on my Facebook feed agreeing that that was their experience.

Maybe I just don’t get it but surely teachers don’t have the monopoly on stress. I always get the impression that they feel their jobs are much worse than anyone else’s. Is it more that the personality type attracted to teaching isn’t necessarily equipped for the same levels of stress that lawyers or doctors have?

Just curious about people’s thoughts. Is teaching the MOST stressful thing in the world as it is being depicted as being?

Goady thread

And generally I am very supportive of teachers, as its a job I wouldn't want to do.

Slightly off topic but a hairdresser told me the other day that „research“ has shown hairdressing to be the most stressful job ever. I’m an NHS nurse... right then

Surely when you have any kind of stress in your life you are the most stressed person in the world. Same when people are unwell, you don’t consider that others are probably more unwell because your feeling so bad yourself so in your eyes your the most unwell person.
It’s not about teachers thinking they have the most stressful job ever and no other professions have stress it’s about at the very moment they are incredibly stressed out and are airing that and bringing it to the attention of others.
There’s also plenty of articles written about other professions and how stressful they are.
I’m a nurse and honestly think teachers deserve a medal I certainly couldn’t do it.

I'm a SAHM and a carer to my two autistic children. My stress is through the roof at times, but then I don't 'work'. The stress of raising an autistic child is likened to that of a combat soldier, apparently, I wouldn't know as I'm not a combat soldier.
I'm just putting this here as I feel teachers don't get it sometimes. They're stressed and so are we!
I do think there are different levels of stress and all 'jobs' can be stressful.
I'm stressed right now, hence the garbled post.

I'm just putting this here as I feel teachers don't get it sometimes. They're stressed and so are we!

Who is the “we” you are talking about?

it must be really hard. Some of us teachers do get it.

This graph should be making anyone with young kids feel stressed.

Wow. Where’s that from noble?

I think when people talk about other high stress jobs they are thinking of jobs in the city or similar. The thing in these jobs is that if you make a mistake, you lose a lot of clients money. But with teachers, and other jobs, if you make a mistake you can have a major impact on a child's life. The kind of people attracted to teaching tend to care about people. So yes most do care if they say the wrong thing and make a child cry for a week for example.

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer

I do know a teacher convinced that hers is the most stressful job

Does she actually say this or are you falling in to the trap of only hearing what you want to hear?

Is she just always saying that she has had a stressful day or is she saying that her job is the most stressful?

There is a big difference.

noblegiraffe I am. I am also very concerned by my DD being taught by stressed out and unhappy teachers. What will that be teaching her about mental health? No wonder have so many teenage girls with mental health problems.

summers Research has actually shown that hairdressers are one of the happiest occupations.

I was a career changer into teaching, from financial services. Worked in the City, long days and commutes etc.

Teaching is stressful. It's mostly a lack of control thing. Teachers can't always control what and how they teach, how they mark and feedback etc etc as well as that whilst you have control over classes it's....a fine balance. It doesn't take much to too things.

That can lead to feelings of stress, as can any job where the incumbent isn't entirely in control of their work. Add on the fact you can't always help kids you desperately want/need too, parents who call you an effing c for giving their child detention, constant monitoring by management and a never empty inbox and it's a toxic mix of feeling not good enough to do the job and task overwhelm.

Maybe it's because teacher are overwhelmingly helpful types. They want to help, want to do the best they can. They go in with the very best intentions to make a difference and there's not enough hours or money to achieve what they feel they ought to, for the kids. To do the job they want to do. Again, lack of control, feeling not good enough. Stress results.

By no means is teacher stress 'worse' than any other jobs but it is hard to get those outside teaching to see that it's not a 9-3, 37 week year.

I LOVE my job, but in part time and work in a super school with sensible policies and a commonsense boss. I've worked in schools where it's not like that and it's wretched.

Its like any job, you've got to find the right place and people, problem is that the burnout rate is huge. Most new teachers dont last five years. That's a huge issue.

Is it that teachers are eloquent and educated and therefore able to express themselves better so appear to moan more?

Who can say? I think standing in front of a class of 30 horrible hormonal teenagers (who are trying to prove themselves as 'cool' or tough) must be horrible - I don't think I could do it.

When you compare the holidays though - around six weeks off for summer (some of it spent on prep, I know) when most workers count themselves lucky to get six weeks off all year - it makes it difficult to feel sympathetic.
Plus many of us suffered at the sharp tongues (or worse) of teachers who bullied us for whatever reason, it's no wonder we feel negative about them.

My BIL was a teacher and it was moan, moan, moan yet he retired in his mid-fifties with a lovely index-linked pension thank you very much. He was one of the most spoiled, big-mouthed, entitled and ignorant specimens I've ever met - I hope he wasn't typical.

Scuse the typos. Typing one handed with sick child in the other...

jacks pastoral support in school has been cut to the bone.

Purple the National Foundation for Education Research: www.nfer.ac.uk/news-events/nfer-blogs/latest-teacher-retention-statistics-paint-a-bleak-picture-for-teacher-supply-in-england/

Some schools are better than others. My DH has moved from a very stressful school to one that suits him much better and he is doing really well, where as last year I thought he might have a heart attack any day and that’s no exaggeration. Old friends who work in the same school are always coming home crying, even men

You came up with the idea of teachers having the monopoly over stress. For what it’s worth I’m a teacher and I don’t find the job too stressful most the time. Obviously there are times when I find it stressful but not often thankfully. However I have several colleuges who are off long term with stress.

As a career changer I do find the attitude big some teachers a bit 🙄 but tbh I found exactly the same working in financial services.

Overwhelmingly, teachers are a bunch of nice people doing their best to help kids. It'd do many parents well to remember that....we are doing our best. Sometimes that won't feel good enough. I know, I'm a parent too. But I can count on one hand the number of people who acted like PPs BIL.

boney

I have said that i know ONE teacher that tells her friendship group that teachers have the most stressful job, and that as such no one else in the room understands stress and what it can do

Evry other teacher i know DOES NOT say this

I absolutely accept that the vast vast majority of teachers do not say this

Ill even go so far as to say that anyone who says they know teachers who say this may well know the same teacher

But she says it...we just leave her to it, she doesnt need anyone adding to her quite obvious stress by denying that she has the most stressful job

Apart from that she is lovely and obviously a very dedicated teacher

You read an article about teacher stress generally which demonstrates just how awful some teachers are feeling and your reaction is to berate rather than wonder what is going on? Really?

Have you not seen the news? Have you not seen the constant barrage of adverts on TV, in magazines, on bus stops trying to recruit people to the profession? Wasn’t like that 20, or even 10 years ago. Are you not concerned that in some schools, children are being taught by non-qualified and/or non specialists in core subjects? Have you not noticed the reduction in age of the average teacher in the last few years and wondered where has all the experience gone? Would you be happy if your child were in a school with a high turnover of staff - say 30% or more a year? Are you happy that your child is reduced to a number on a spreadsheet that by hook or by crook, the teachers must make them reach? Do you not consider that your chikdren’s school should have funds for the basics such as exercise books and glue sticks?

@morningconstitutional2017 Just to confirm, there are some lovely teachers out there.

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer

I am honestly not having a pop.

Its just that people (generally) hear what they want to hear.
As demonstrated by the OP.

Working in education is ridiculously stressful at the moment. Yes, teachers are very stressed. Are they more stressed than other professions? Does it matter? It’s not a competition?!