Teacher stress and morale have an impact on the education students receive and an individual's approach to the job as a professional educator. A principal’s leadership style can impact the stress and morale of teachers, having an impact on educator attrition. The purpose of this non-experimental, correlational design study was to determine to what extent school leadership and personal stress have on teacher morale. Research questions were formulated to investigate those relationships between principal’s leadership style and an educator's stress and morale. Results show that leadership style can impact both stress and morale in a variety of ways and degrees.

This study examined the degree of principal leadership style's effect on teacher morale in 14 public schools in northern New Jersey with a total of 138 participants. Of the 14 participating schools, 10 schools were categorized as elementary level, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Four schools were categorized as high school level, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade. Factors guiding research included teachers' consecutive years of educational service, high-stakes testing subject areas, and a school's socioeconomic status to determine if they contribute to the relationship of principal leadership and teacher morale. Morale levels of teachers were calibrated using the Purdue Teacher Opinionaire (PTO) and the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). The PTO measured factors affecting teacher morale. The LPI measured staff perceptions of principal effectiveness in relation to the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership (Kouzes & Posner, 2012). The study was quantitative in nature and employed a correlational research study design technique. Survey responses were analyzed using an Independent Sample t Test to measure relationship strength. Outcomes identified from this research will contribute positively to the greater educational setting, whether through contributing to leadership training for future principals, informing professional development for seasoned vesteds, or aiding in the creation of future teaching tools. Study results indicate that teachers involved in high-stakes testing and teachers working in the lowest socioeconomic educational environments felt significantly different than teachers not exposed to these factors. This research exposes pertinent leadership characteristics that may prove vital to the development of current and future school leaders and aid the development of specific professional development opportunities. (ProQuest abstract).

Learn all the essentials for making your first year of teaching a success! In this exciting new book, internationally renowned educator Todd Whitaker teams up with his daughters--Madeline, an elementary teacher, and Katherine, a secondary teacher--to share advice and inspiration. They offer step-by-step guidance to thriving in your new role and overcoming the challenges that many new teachers face. Topics include: Learning classroom management skills such as building relationships and maintaining high expectations and consistency Setting up your classroom and establishing procedures and rules Planning effective lessons and making your instructional time an engaging experience Managing your own emotions in the classroom and dealing effectively with misbehavior Working with peers, administrators, and parents to build support and foster collaboration The book is filled with specific examples and vignettes from elementary, middle, and high school classes, so you’ll gain helpful strategies no matter what grade level and subject area you teach. You’ll also find out how to make tweaks or hit the "reset" button when something isn’t going as planned. Things may not always go perfectly your first year, but the practical advice in this book will help you stay motivated on the path to success! Bonus: As you read the book, get even more out of it by discussing it with others. Free study guides for practicing teachers and student teachers are available as eResource downloads from our website (www.routledge.com/products/9781138126152).

This book offers a research-based, practical approach to recognizing, managing, and preventing teacher burnout. It provides a description of the origins and symptoms of burnout and a personality profile of teachers who are most susceptible to burnout. Organizational issues and administrative roles that contribute to burnout are identified, along with suggestions for improvement. There are eight chapters in two parts. Part 1, "The Burnout Syndrome," includes (1) "When the Flame Flickers: Recognizing Burnout," (2) "Flame Extinguishers: Sources of Burnout," and (3) "Smoldering Embers: The Cost of Burnout." Part 2, "Recovery and Prevention," includes (4) "Igniting the Flames: Revitalization Strategies," (5) "Guardian of the Flame: The Principal's Role," (6) "Tending the Flames: Supervision," (7) "Fuel for the Flame: Staff Development as Prevention," and (8) "Stoking the Fire: Improving the Workplace." (Contains 99 references.) (SM)

This booklet presents articles that deal with identifying signs of stress and methods of reducing work-related stressors. An introductory article gives a summary of the causes, consequences, and cures of teacher stress and burnout. In articles on recognizing signs of stress, "Type A" and "Type B" personalities are examined, with implications for stressful behavior related to each type, and a case history of a teacher who was beaten by a student is given. Methods of overcoming job-related stress are suggested in eight articles: (1) "How Some Teachers Avoid Burnout"; (2) "The Nibble Method of Overcoming Stress"; (3) "Twenty Ways I Save Time"; (4) "How To Bring Forth The Relaxation Response"; (5) "How To Draw Vitality From Stress"; (6) "Six Steps to a Positive Addiction"; (7)"Positive Denial: The Case For Not Facing Reality"; and (8) "Conquering Common Stressors". A workshop guide is offered for reducing and preventing teacher burnout by establishing support groups, reducing stressors, changing perceptions of stressors, and improving coping abilities. Workshop roles of initiator, facilitator, and members are discussed. An annotated bibliography of twelve books about stress is included. (FG)