Ergonomics and Teaching: An Investigation About Brazilian Teacher’s Stress

Abstract

This article is an investigation on stress of teachers from lower Elementary School in the public educational system of Natal/ Rio Grande de Norte/ Brazil under the perspective of Ergonomics, which means to map the occurrence of stress and the main stressors present in the work place of the studied group. To reach that, a field survey was conducted with a qualitative and quantitative approach. The sample of the survey is made of 52 teaches from lower Elementary in schools of the municipal public educational system in Natal/RN/BR. The tools used in the collection of this data were the Inventory of Stress Symptoms – ISSL, to measure the level of stress in teachers and a questionnaire with direct multiple choice questions as well as indirect questions, in order to get to know the social-professional profile of the research subjects and to identify and analyze the stressors agents present in the teachers’ work activities, relating them to their causes. Results show that 73,08% of teachers participating in the reach are stressed. The mains stressor agents are the problems in their relationship with students, students’ parents and school administration plus the inadequate school environment (excessive noise, heat, poor light, etc.).

Keywords: Stress, Ergonomics, Teacher, Education, Occupational disease.

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe100231