Exploring Teachers' Perceptions of the Activators and Alleviators of Their Pandemic-Induced Stress

• In Event: Supporting Teachers in Challenging Times: Considerations for School Community, Climate, and Culture

Abstract

The pandemic caused widespread stress, including for PK12 teachers. Teachers were tasked with sudden changes in their practice from the comfort of experienced face-to-face teaching to, for many, the unknown of online teaching. While prior studies have investigated the levels of pandemic-induced stress in teachers, we report on a study of how teachers perceive their stress, its stimuli, and what teachers think helps alleviate it. This study is embedded in a professional development project between a College of Education and a large minority-majority public school district, whose goals were to advance teacher skills in online and hybrid teaching. We also report on aspects of this professional development teachers found helpful to mitigate their stress, which can inform future interventions.

Authors

• Diane Jass Ketelhut, University of Maryland

• Virginia Byrne, Morgan State University