A Psychological Study Burnout among Tamil Medium Secondary School Teachers

Abstract

In spite of the fact that teaching has already been a high-stress profession (Haberman, 2009), in Sri Lanka, the implementation of secondary level reforms (1999) in the general education system has created a relatively higher stressful working environment, particularly for teachers in the secondary classes. The curricular changes including School Based Assessment, student centered approach, etc., have significantly increased the stress level of the teachers because of the challenges and demands placed on them in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities. Hence teachers are overloaded in their work. Dorman (2003) identified role overload as a potent variable which influences work pressure and subsequently teacher burnout. Therefore, it is imperative to study about the prevalence of burnout among secondary school teachers. In Sri Lanka a few studies have been conducted to examine this particular phenomenon. However, these studies concentrate more on Sinhala medium teachers (De Silva, 2007). Therefore, this study is focusing on Tamil medium teachers with regard to the prevalence of burnout and possible outcomes. If teachers are working under high levels of stress for significant periods of time they develop burnout characteristics (Blasé, 1986) including depleting energy that leads to emotionally overextended and exhausted (emotional exhaustion), negative, cynical attitude and feelings about students and colleagues (depersonalization), and negative self-evaluation in relation to his or her job performance (diminished personal accomplishment). The issue of teacher burnout seriously affects the well-being and the performance of teachers and consequently, it becomes a serious issue to school administration as well as the effectiveness of a school. Paradoxically the burned out teachers who stay in the school cause more damages to students than those who leave the school (Haberman, 2009). Hence this study is timely and useful in addressing the issue of teacher burnout.