An observational study on work engagement, emotional exhaustion andpsychosocial safety climate in primary teachersAbstractPresent study aims were to identify specific knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics(KSAO’s) required of a primary school teacher to effectively perform her role and examine heremotional exhaustion, job engagement and organisational psychosocial safety climate (PSC)levels. The primary teacher was observed at her usual workplace for nine hours engaged in hertypical daily work. Teacher KSAO’s, demands and challenges were documented, followed by ashort interview to ask questions regarding the role. Finally, the teacher completed three selfreport psychometric scales to measure emotional exhaustion, engagement and PSC, theseincluded; Maslach Burnout Inventory, Job Engagement Inventory and PSC Inventoryrespectively. Results revealed the teacher experienced low levels of emotional exhaustion,indicating low risk of burnout. The teacher’s job engagement level was slightly lower thanAustralian national and industry averages, and PSC levels indicated the organisational climatewas at low risk of psychological harm. In conclusion recommendations for future research andintervention to address teacher engagement and organisational climate were discussed.Australian primary schools are largely the responsibility of State and Territory Governmentswith their primary focus on development of literacy and numeracy skills and to provideknowledge to children about the world around them (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS],2019). In 2018, there were 9,477 schools across Australia, with approximately 3,893,834students and 288,583 full-time teaching staff (ABS, 2019). The average student-to-teacher ratioacross all Australian schools in 2018 was 13.5:1 (ABS, 2019). The minimum skill level requiredof a primary school teacher is a bachelor degree (ABS, 2009). For tasks of a primary schoolteacher, refer Table 1.Work-related stress represents a significant challenge globally due to poor workerpsychological health and financial costs associated with illness absenteeism, presenteeism andworker compensation (Dollard, Shimazu, Nordin, Brough & Tuckey, 2014). In Australia alone,$543 million is paid annually in workers compensation for work-related mental health conditions(Safe Work Australia [SWA], 2019). Further, school teaching in Australia is considered one ofthree occupations most at risk of work-related mental health conditions with 8% ofschoolteachers having reported serious work-related mental health claims (SWA, 2019).Work-related stress and burnout in teachers have been an interest for many researchers(Berjemo-Toro, Preito-Ursua & Hernandez, 2016; Hanaken, Bakker & Schaufeli, 2006).Burnout is conceptualised as a psychological syndrome characterised by emotional exhaustion,reduced accomplishment and depersonalisation, (Maslach & Jackson, 1981). Sources of teacherstress typically include; emotional student demands (i.e. disruptive behaviour); heavy workload(i.e. insufficient time for planning) and oversized classes with inadequate or no teachingassistance available (Khan, Yusoff & Khan, 2014; Greenglass & Burke, 2003). Studies havereported a significant positive relationship particularly with emotional student demands(classroom disturbance) and emotional exhaustion (Aloe, Amo & Shanahan, 2014; Hakanen etal.,2006), where Dicke, Stebner, Linniger, Kunter & Leutner, (2018) found in their longitudinalstudy of teacher wellbeing, prior high student demands increased emotional exhaustion up to 2years later.Table 1.Primary School Teacher Tasks – teaching literacy, numeracy, social science, creative expression and physical education skills to primaryschool students– presenting prescribed curriculum using a range of teaching techniques and materials– developing students’ interests, abilities and coordination by way of creative activities– guiding discussions and supervising work in class– preparing, administering and marking tests, projects and assignments to evaluate students’ progress andrecording the results– discussing individual progress and problems with students and parents, and seeking advice from StudentCounsellors and senior teachers– maintaining discipline in classrooms and other school areas– participating in staff meetings, educational conferences and workshops– liaising with parent, community and business groups– maintaining class and scholastic records– performing extra-curricular tasks such as assisting with sport, school concerts, excursions and specialinterest programs– supervising student teachers on placement Note. Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, Unit Group 2412 Primary SchoolTeachers (ABS, 2009).Work engagement is a positive affective emotional state represented by vigour,dedication and absorption that result in positive outcomes at both the individual andorganisational level (Bermejo-Toro et al., 2016). Research has found both personal and jobresources such as autonomy, self-efficacy (Tuxford & Bradley, 2015), job control, managementcommunication and social climate (Dicke et al., 2018) positively influence teacher’sengagement. Although critical in understanding how demands and resources moderate workstress and engagement at the task level these studies fall short on identifying organisational levelfeatures that contribute to shaping of work conditions (Yulita, Idris & Dollard, 2014).Psychosocial safety climate (PSC) conceived as an organisational resource, is assessed byshared worker perceptions of organisational policies, practices and procedures for the preventionof workplace stress, considered a ‘cause of the causes’ (Dollard & Bakker, 2010). The level ofPSC, characterised by management organisation, priority, commitment and participation in theworkplace is crucial for understanding potential implications the workplace climate can have onworker psychological health and productivity outcomes, for recognised PSC risk benchmarks(Bailey, Dollard & Richards, 2015), refer Figure 1. Evidence within a school environment foundhigh PSC contexts, specifically enacted managerial support reduced emotional exhaustion, andincreased positive work engagement and higher levels of psychological health (Yulita et al.,2017). Further, Dollard & Bakker (2010) found high PSC enabled employees to cope withdemands, provided relevant support practices (i.e. opportunity to debrief after emotionallychallenging experiences) were available.The aim of the current study was to directly observe a primary school teacher within theirworkplace and detail KSAO’s required to carry out their job. Further, through interview andobservation of the work context we also remark on various demands experienced by the teacherand examine the participant’s level of emotional exhaustion, work engagement and psychosocialsafety climate using three psychometric scales.Figure 1.National Standard for Psychosocial Safety Climate (PSC): PSC 41 as the Benchmark for JobStrain and Depressive SymptomsMethodParticipantBethany (pseudonym) were a 34-year-old Caucasian female employed as a part-time (two daysper week) primary school teacher at a public primary school in Adelaide, South Australia.Bethany were married with two dependent children under the age of 5. Bethany had completed aBachelor of Education (Primary/Junior) and had worked as a primary school teacher for 10years. Additionally, she was in the final stages of completing a Masters in Positive MentalHealth and Wellbeing (Education). For job requirements of a primary teacher, refer Table 1.ProcedureBethany was observed going about her normal work as a primary school teacher at herworkplace from 8:00am–5:00pm on a weekday. The researcher recorded KSAO’s required ofthe participant to effectively perform her role and documented emotional, cognitive, physical andinterpersonal demands observed throughout the day. Upon completion of the school day theresearcher conducted a 30minute interview with the participant and administered threepsychometric scales to assess burnout, engagement and PSC, which the participant filled outwith the researcher present.ResultsObservations/ContextBethany’s day began with addressing student behavioural issues from the previous day,involving a brief discussion with the principal prior to the arrival of students. The priority andmanagement of this issue was repeatedly assessed and reported on between principal and teacherthroughout the day (4 brief face-to-face discussions in total). The participant reported she feltgreat relief from the guidance and support received from the Principal to problem solve andmanage the issue (for school organisational hierarchy, refer Figure 1).Figure 1.Flow diagram of the Primary School Teacher’s Education Organisational HierarchyThroughout the day Bethany was observed to frequently debrief with fellowteachers (during assembly, combined class activities, and after school). During these debriefsBethany empathised and shared concerns with other teachers about problematic school issues,the main topic of discussion was teacher angst regarding a staff meeting held the previous weekto discuss the move of year 7 to high school by 2022. The participant informed the researcherusual means of communication between teachers and the leadership team were via email, adaybook located in the lunchroom or staff meetings.Bethany taught 5 lessons throughout the day with the same class of 25 students,lesson topics included maths, science, English, reading and physical education. The knowledge,skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAO’s) required to undertake these lessons werethrough observation and interview with the participant, refer Table 2.Table 2.Knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics of primary school teachers Knowledge• Bachelor of Education (Junior/Primary Teaching)• Child Protection Training (required every 3 years)• First Aid Training (required annually)Skills• Strong verbal and written communication skills were required to;– explain material in terms that were accessible and meaningful to students– adapt communication style based on different needs of students, as well asprofessionalism and clarity with parents, other teachers and principal– build student relationships to set boundaries, be clear of teacher expectationsand develop mutual student-teacher respect• A high level of autonomy, creativity and critical thinking were required to design,develop and implement own lesson plans (with little to no direction from employeror collaboration from other teachers) to encourage engagement and activeparticipation from students. • A high level of technical skill was required by the teacher to understand the contenttaught, with teacher demonstrating deeper level of understanding when responding touncertainty or answering topical and unpredicted questions from students.• A high level of interpersonal skills demonstrated to engage with several keystakeholders of the school community including, principal, deputy principal, otherteachers, parents and students; the participant displayed professionalism and varyingdegrees of assertiveness, negotiation, listening skills, verbal and non-verbalcommunication.Abilities• Strong organizational abilities required to;– Coordinate, prioritise and manage workload including lesson planning,grading and assessing students work/progress and attend staffmeetings/school assembly– manage time and meet deadlines for student grades, projects and work to becompleted• High level of classroom management required to ensure lessons run smoothlywithout disruption from students to ensure delivery of content.• Strong leadership abilities demonstrated by the teacher to encourage teamwork,positive affect and create a vision for students when teaching different concepts.• A high level of patience, adaptability and higher order thinking required to deal withdifficult classroom situations or parents and other colleagues when discussion topicswere particularly challenging.Othercharacteristics• High level of competence required to enter data on student progress, record marksfor tests and assignments and other assessments in order to generate reports to SeniorLeadership.• High level of job control (skill discretion) is entrusted to the teacher to design herown lesson plans and teach curriculum in accordance with the Department forEducation with minimal to no input, guidance or direction of the senior leadershipteam.• The participant was also required to understand, follow and adhere to policies,practices and procedures implemented by the school, The Department of Educationand the Government, such as the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017(Government of South Australia, Attorney-General’s Department, 2017) and the‘Extreme severity and serious critical incident reporting process’ (refer Appendix 2)amongst many others. Note: KSAO data was collected through observation and interview with the participant.Throughout the day Bethany was observed to demonstrate high levels of cognitive,emotional, physical and interpersonal demands, these were detailed in Table 3.Table 3.Physical, cognitive, emotional and interpersonal demands of primary school teachers Physical• Excessive standing and walking throughout the shift to teach, manage the classroom, giveinstruction, answer questions and check progress, only sitting down briefly to mark studentswork• Frequently bending over students’ desks to track student activity progress and assist withbookwork• Setting up of activities including;– carrying, lifting and handing out paper, cardboard, plasticine– unpacking and putting together glue guns for dioramas• Bending and picking up 20 or more books stacked on the ground for markingCognitive• A high level of recall and memory required to teach curriculum to students without referringto textbooks, notes or various other resources• A high level of multiple simultaneous attention required to stay focussed on lesson contentwhile concurrently answering questions or prompting problem solving questions forstudent-led resolution and addressing unruly behaviour• The ability to analyse problems, make decisions and evaluate alternative solutionsspontaneously to resolve issues as they arise i.e. a student’s distress over not being able tocomplete her work when the glue gun stopped working, the teacher improvised with othermaterials so the student could finish her project• Shift and adapt different teaching styles dependent on different individual student needs(varying degrees of ability and confidence levels)Emotional• The teacher was observed to demonstrate high levels of emotional demands from students,such as;– Emotional regulation required to manage and respond to a student who wasrepeatedly disrupting other students and not engaging with his own work• Managing the ongoing implications of student misbehaviour that had occurred the previousday flowed into the day under observation, where researcher observed student notresponding to teacher instructions. The teacher attempted several ways to engage him, sherequired a great sense of self-efficacy to manage the effects of student behaviour in order to continue to effectively teach the class (note this point also requires a great deal ofinterpersonal demand).• The teacher indicated she struggled with the emotional effects of macro level decisionsexternal to the school including;– lack of funding from the Department for Education and therefore the inability tohave a student support officer to assist with students including, problematic studentsand students with slower learning abilities.– The impact of career instability as a primary school teacher due to shifting year 7 tohigh school by 2022• The teacher was observed to navigate, manage and respond to a high level of emotionaldemand from fellow teachers and Principal regarding school issues, such as lack of teacherassistance, funding, instability of future (note this point also requires a great deal ofinterpersonal demand).Interpersonal• A high level of interpersonal demands was placed on the teacher to convey curriculum thatwere uninteresting to some students, the teacher was observed attempting to appeal to allstudents by using the following interpersonal skills;– Humour was applied at appropriate times to motivate students where the topic wasunappealing– Clear communication was adapted to cater for all skill levels for ease ofunderstanding.– A high level of active listening was demonstrated to respond to questions from thosestruggling with key content, including observing body language and non-verbalcommunication– Empathy and patience was provided to those who were struggling to understand keyconcepts• Most students displayed a great deal of respect and obedience for the teacher, whichallowed the teacher freedom to go in and out of the classroom to the art room next door tomonitor students’, this appeared to come through high levels of relationship building andmaintenance the teacher was observed to do with the students throughout the day, including;– Asking students about their weekends and school holidays– Enquiring about band practice or sports team events specific to each individual – Recalling past events and experiences students had divulged and building on thesediscussions, demonstrating familiarity and shared knowledge between teacher andstudent• The participant indicated parents can become quite emotional with feedback regarding theirchild’s learning progress or if they disagree with a performance action implemented by theteacher for behavioural issues, which can have a triad affect between teacher-parent-studentand impact the students learning, this may negatively influence the child’s relationship withthe teacher and can place emotional demands on the teacher affecting the ability to teach.• The participant indicated there have been instances of affective superiority from fellowteachers who have been in the industry for longer and feel that they hold power over someof the newer teachers, including influencing preferred classes to teach and cherry-pickingstudents. This has flow on effects for teachers who then have several students strugglingwith behavioural problems instead of 1 or 2. Note: Physical, cognitive, emotional and interpersonal demand data were collected through observation andinterview with the participant (refer Appendix 1 for interview answers).Three psychological scales were administered to the participant to examine, engagement,burnout and PSC these included, the shortened version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale,UWES-9 (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2003), the 5-item emotional exhaustion subscale of the MaslachBurnout Inventory (Maslach & Jackson, 1981) and the 12-item PSC Inventory scale (Hall,Dollard & Coward, 2010).Survey ResultsThe participant scored lower than both Australian national average (McLinton,2014) and national industry (Education) average for emotional exhaustion (McLinton & Bailey,2014), indicating lower risk of burnout, refer Table 4. Further, the participant scored slightlylower on engagement scores when compared to AWB national and industry averages. Lastly, theparticipant scored well above AWB national and industry average scores considered at moderaterisk for PSC, indicating her organisational climate was at low risk of psychological harm. ForPSC benchmarks (Bailey et al., 2015), refer Figure 1.Table 4.Total scores for Burnout, Work Engagement and Psychosocial Safety Climate for participant, accordingto the Australian Workplace Barometer for Australian National Averages and Australian NationalIndustry (Education) Averages. Psychometric ScaleParticipantScoreMAustralian NationalAverageM (SD)Australian NationalIndustry Average(Education)M (SD)Burnout (Emotional Exhaustion)*Work Engagement*Psychosocial Safety Climate*10494715.94 (7.60)51.29 (9.62)40.10 (9.97)16.30 (7.75)54.01 (8.07)39.88 (10.42) *Note: burnout scores range from 5-35 with higher scores indicative of higher levels of burnout; work engagementscores range from 9-63 with higher scores indicative of higher levels of work engagement; and psychosocial safetyclimate scores range from 12-60 with higher scores indicative of better organisational psychosocial safety climate.DiscussionThe focus of the current study was to assess primary teacher burnout, engagement andpsychosocial safety climate through direct observation, interview and psychometric inventories.The participant scored low on emotional exhaustion in contrast to similar studies that claim highemotional demands positively relate with burnout (Aloe et al., 2014; Dicke et al, 2018; Hakanenet al., 2006). Through contextual analysis of exhaustion scores and direct observation, it isplausible influence of frequent visits with the Principal regarding a stressful student issue mayhave ameliorated effects of emotional exhaustion by the priority and importance given to theparticipant. This observation may be further supported by results on the PSC-12 where scores onsubscales for commitment and priority are reflected highly (refer Appendix 5, first 6 items).Though participant scores were lower for work engagement than AWB national andindustry average scores, the participant’s score was still relatively high when maximum range forwork engagement was considered overall. Further, review of engagement subscales suggests theoverall engagement score could be slightly skewed due to extremely low scores on vigour andhigh scores on the other two subscales, refer Appendix 4. It is possible low scores on vigourmay have been influenced by factors external to the workplace, such as lack of funding by theGovernment to provide student support officers to assist with class management and studentlearning (refer emotional demands, Table 3).Finally, analysis of high PSC scores and observation of the work environment foundorganisational climate to be highly reflective of management commitment, priority,communication and participation. We highlight two supporting observations. Firstly, thePrincipal was observed to meet the participant repeatedly to manage an ongoing student issue,this demonstrated commitment and priority of a highly emotional situation, like findings byDollard & Bakker. (2010). Secondly, it was evident that communication and staff participationwas prioritised in relation to staffing concerns to align with the state Government’s reform torelocate Year 7 to secondary school by 2022. It was evident leadership were taking changesseriously with planned meetings already underway to discuss changes, as noted from teacherdebriefs. This demonstrated a commitment to keep workers informed and provided anopportunity for feedback and discussion, likely to effect worker stress and psychological health.Although findings are encouraging, limitations of the current study must be considered.Firstly, the study included the use of single participant data therefore external validity preventsgeneralisability to the wider population. Additionally, the observational nature of the study mayhave influenced the participants behaviour based on knowing she was the subject of the study,like the widely cited Hawthorne effect (Parsons, 1992). Future research might consider the useof the same design with observation time reduced to half for practicality and financial reasons.The current study value-adds to the existing body of knowledge on work-stress bycontextualising survey data through observation and interview to get a broader understanding ofthe influence of burnout, engagement and PSC within the work environment. The studyhighlights integral information not captured through survey alone and raises practicalimplications for future consideration. Further research suggests studies of similar design to beprioritised through AWB data that identifies organisations at psychological risk which shouldresult in onsite assessment to observe and assess organisational climate to provide preventativeand intervention measures. Further, the Government need to be more fully informed of the strainplaced on teachers by inadequate funding leaving teachers under resourced that may impactteacher engagement and psychological health, particularly if ABS data is not reflective of currentteacher-student ratio, all school average 13.5 (ABS, 2019) compared to 25 students inparticipants class. Consideration of the teacher organisational climate is necessary to protect andpromote worker psychological health and work engagement.ReferencesAloe, A. M., Amo, L. C., & Shanahan, M. E. (2014). Classroom management, self-efficacy andburnout: A multivariate meta-analysis. Education Psychology Review, 26(1), 101-126.Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10648-013-9224-0Australian Bureau of Statistics (2019). Schools Australia 2018. 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Retrieved fromhttps://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2017.03.023Appendix 1.Interview Questions for shadowing experienceLocation: Public Primary School in Adelaide, South AustraliaPosition: Primary School Teacher (Year 5)Date: 18 October 2019 (8:00am – 5:00pm)Demographic information about participant (age, gender, education level)– The participant was a 34 year old Caucasian female, teaching for 10 years but 6 years within thecurrent primary school– Participant was married with 2 young children under the age of 5 years old– The participant also has an acute interest in positive and mental health and wellbeing in Education andhas completed a professional certificate in Positive Psychology and is in the final stages of completinga Masters in Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing in Education.What is their job title?– Primary school teacherWhat is their average shift length and days?– The participant worked 2 days per week (permanent part-time)– The Department of Education requirement for work hours is 8:30am to 4:00pm.o The participant advised she works an additional 1.5 hours on top of this unpaid each work dayHow much non-paid work do you engage in outside of work hours?– 1.5 hours on top of daily department requirements for planning, marking, report writing etc– 37.5 hours required for training and development, outside of school hours, at own expense and outsideof expected school hours– 60 hours professional development required over 3 years on top of the above requirements, the schoolwill contribute to this but it is mostly independent (ie positive training, Smarter (numeracy program)Do you get regular feedback about your performance?– ‘In theory’ there is supposed to an annual performance review but in the 6 years of working at theschool, the participant had not had a single performance review by the leadership team.– The participant advised she gets her feedback from the students.– The participant advised the school does have performance management procedures.What qualifications were required for this job role?– Bachelor of Education (Junior/Primary)What education and training has the worker undertaken to complete this role?– Bachelor of Education (Junior/Primary)– First Aid (required annually)– Child Protection Training (required every 3 years)What are their roles on a daily basis?– Teaching and imparting education curriculum to students, including English, maths, science, physicaleducation,– Yard duty– Coordination of daily lessons in conjunction with all school activities, assembly, sports events, etc– Session and assessment planning– Marking– Assessing / Observation on student progress and learning– Feedback – written / verbal– Parent enquiries– Development and implementation of new ideas– Preparing resources and activities– Gathering resources and materials for activities– Report writing– Data entry– First aidWhat are their daily movements like (high, low)– The participant was observed to engage in a highly physical role, standing walking, bending overstudents’ desks.– The participant was also observed to actively participate in physical education, including running andchasing students in the games that were played during the shadowing experience.What is the organizational hierarchy like?– Participant made it very clear that the Department for Education was in control over and above thePrincipal– She mentioned there was a case where a parent was not happy with a school decision, (that was asound decision for a troubled student from the participants perspective), the parent went to theDepartment and made a complaint and requested that her request be implemented which theDepartment honoured, the decision then had to be overturned by the Prinicpal– The leadership team consists of the Principal, Deputy Principal and Health & Wellbeing Coordinator– There were 22 teachers, 1 Student Support Officer– Approx 380 students, and their parentsWhat is the size of the organisation?– Current student population at the school approx. 380 studentso Teacher to student ratio is 25:1 on day of shadowing activity, total class number was 35:1– Current teacher population at the school 22 teachers (including leadership team and specialist teachersi.e. Indonesian, Performing Arts)How do workers communicate between each other?– School staff communicate with each other via email and a daybook that is kept in the staff room, whichdetails special visitors or classes that may be off-site– Staff meetings are held weekly, which the participant does not attend as it is a non-workday for her, itwas advised minutes are not distributed across staff after these meetingsDo the workers work alone or in teams?– The participant advised teachers can work together if they chose too but they are not obligated too.She advised it would probably be advantageous for a full-time teacher to work with others to minimizeplanning time and share resources and material and combine activities.– The participant advised she did not do any planned hand over with the other teacher who makes up thefull time equivalent role for the Year 5 class, however they do engage regularly when the participant isat work due to the other teacher assisting with another year level on the days the participant is working.What are the knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs) required to complete this role? Knowledge• Bachelor of Education (Junior/Primary Teaching)• Child Protection Training (required every 3 years)• First Aid Training (required annually)Skills• Strong verbal and written communication skills were required to;– explain material in terms that were accessible and meaningful to students– adapt communication style based on different needs of students, as well asprofessionalism and clarity with parents, other teachers and principal– build student relationships to set boundaries, be clear of teacher expectations anddevelop mutual student-teacher respect• A high level of autonomy, creativity and critical thinking were required to design, developand implement own lesson plans (with little to no direction from employer or collaborationfrom other teachers) to encourage engagement and active participation from students.• A high level of technical skill was required by the teacher to understand the content taught,with teacher demonstrating deeper level of understanding when responding to uncertainty oranswering topical and unpredicted questions from students.• A high level of interpersonal skills demonstrated to engage with several key stakeholders ofthe school community including, principal, deputy principal, other teachers, parents andstudents; the participant displayed professionalism and varying degrees of assertiveness,negotiation, listening skills, verbal and non-verbal communication.Abilities• Strong organizational abilities required to;– Coordinate, prioritise and manage workload including lesson planning, grading andassessing students work/progress and attend staff meetings/school assembly – manage time and meet deadlines for student grades, projects and work to becompleted• High level of classroom management required to ensure lessons run smoothly withoutdisruption from students to ensure delivery of content.• Strong leadership abilities demonstrated by the teacher to encourage teamwork, positiveaffect and create a vision for students when teaching different concepts.• A high level of patience, adaptability and higher order thinking required to deal with difficultclassroom situations or parents and other colleagues when discussion topics were particularlychallenging.Othercharacteristics• High level of competence required to enter data on student progress, record marks for testsand assignments and other assessments in order to generate reports to Senior Leadership.• High level of job control (skill discretion) is entrusted to the teacher to design her own lessonplans and teach curriculum in accordance with the Department for Education with minimal tono input, guidance or direction of the senior leadership team.• The participant was also required to understand, follow and adhere to policies, practices andprocedures implemented by the school, The Department of Education and the Government,such as the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017 (Government of South Australia,Attorney-General’s Department, 2017) and the ‘Extreme severity and serious critical incidentreporting process’ (refer Appendix 2) amongst many others. What physical, cognitive, behavioural, emotional, interpersonal demands are present in the organisation? Physical• Excessive standing and walking throughout the shift to teach, manage the classroom, giveinstruction, answer questions and check progress, only sitting down briefly to mark studentswork• Frequently bending over students’ desks to track student activity progress and assist withbookwork• Setting up of activities including;– carrying, lifting and handing out paper, cardboard, plasticine– unpacking and putting together glue guns for dioramas• Bending and picking up 20 or more books stacked on the ground for markingCognitive• A high level of recall and memory required to teach curriculum to students without referring totextbooks, notes or various other resources• A high level of multiple simultaneous attention required to stay focussed on lesson contentwhile concurrently answering questions or prompting problem solving questions for student-ledresolution and addressing unruly behaviour • The ability to analyse problems, make decisions and evaluate alternative solutionsspontaneously to resolve issues as they arise i.e. a student’s distress over not being able tocomplete her work when the glue gun stopped working, the teacher improvised with othermaterials so the student could finish her project• Shift and adapt different teaching styles dependent on different individual student needs(varying degrees of ability and confidence levels)Emotional• The teacher was observed to demonstrate high levels of emotional demands from students, suchas;– Emotional regulation required to manage and respond to a student who was repeatedlydisrupting other students and not engaging with his own work• Managing the ongoing implications of student misbehaviour that had occurred the previous dayflowed into the day under observation, where researcher observed student not responding toteacher instructions. The teacher attempted several ways to engage him, she required a greatsense of self-efficacy to manage the effects of student behaviour in order to continue toeffectively teach the class (note this point also requires a great deal of interpersonal demand).• The teacher indicated she struggled with the emotional effects of macro level decisions externalto the school including;– lack of funding from the Department for Education and therefore the inability to have astudent support officer to assist with students including, problematic students andstudents with slower learning abilities.– The impact of career instability as a primary school teacher due to shifting year 7 tohigh school by 2022• The teacher was observed to navigate, manage and respond to a high level of emotional demandfrom fellow teachers and Principal regarding school issues, such as lack of teacher assistance,funding, instability of future (note this point also requires a great deal of interpersonal demand).Interpersonal• A high level of interpersonal demands was placed on the teacher to convey curriculum thatwere uninteresting to some students, the teacher was observed attempting to appeal to allstudents by using the following interpersonal skills;– Humour was applied at appropriate times to motivate students where the topic wasunappealing– Clear communication was adapted to cater for all skill levels for ease of understanding. – A high level of active listening was demonstrated to respond to questions from thosestruggling with key content, including observing body language and non-verbalcommunication– Empathy and patience was provided to those who were struggling to understand keyconcepts• Most students displayed a great deal of respect and obedience for the teacher, which allowedthe teacher freedom to go in and out of the classroom to the art room next door to monitorstudents’, this appeared to come through high levels of relationship building and maintenancethe teacher was observed to do with the students throughout the day, including;– Asking students about their weekends and school holidays– Enquiring about band practice or sports team events specific to each individual– Recalling past events and experiences students had divulged and building on thesediscussions, demonstrating familiarity and shared knowledge between teacher andstudent• The participant indicated parents can become quite emotional with feedback regarding theirchild’s learning progress or if they disagree with a performance action implemented by theteacher for behavioural issues, which can have a triad affect between teacher-parent-student andimpact the students learning, this may negatively influence the child’s relationship with theteacher and can place emotional demands on the teacher affecting the ability to teach.• The participant indicated there have been instances of affective superiority from fellow teacherswho have been in the industry for longer and feel that they hold power over some of the newerteachers, including influencing preferred classes to teach and cherry-picking students. This hasflow on effects for teachers who then have several students struggling with behaviouralproblems instead of 1 or 2. Appendix 2.Appendix 3.Appendix 4.Appendix 5.
