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Wellness of teachers: A neglected issue in teacher development
Date Issued
2008
Publisher
The Chinese University Press
ISBN
9789629963774
Citation
In Lee, J. C. K., & Shiu, L. P. (Eds.). (2008). Developing teachers and developing schools in changing contexts (pp. 101-116). The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press.
Type
Book Chapter
Abstract
Studies related to teacher occupational stress and burnout in Hong Kong have been reviewed. For teacher occupational stress, its definition and inducing factors like student misbehavior, professional distress, poor school administration, heavy workload and time management problems, and student guidance work are discussed. Besides, the notion of burnout, which is seen as a manifestation of teacher occupational stress, is also delineated. The definition of burnout, its three-dimensional structure proposed by Maslach and Jackson (1982) as well as major findings from North America and Hong Kong are presented. From viewing teachers' mental health from this stress-and-burnout perspective, the authors argue for a more strengths- based "wellness" approach which draws on the resources and assets of teachers to attain better health. The theoretical assumption of wellness and major findings from the West are then presented to support this argument. It is hoped that more studies on teacher wellness can be conducted and the move to this new wellness perspective is likely to offer new insights to teacher development and promote the well-being of teachers.
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