A phrase that the happiness of preschoolers depends on the happiness of their teacher means that teachers affect infants, toddlers and preschoolers in kindergarten and daycare center. When earlier studies are investigated, lots of studies examined the relationship of the job stress of teachers to their teacher efficacy and burnout, but few studies have ever focused on three variables of early childhood teachers at the same time, which are job stress, burnout and disciplinary style. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among the job stress, burnout and disciplinary style of early childhood teachers in charge of infants, toddlers and preschoolers in kindergartens and daycare centers in an effort to improve their treatment, work environments and welfare and the quality of educare.
The following research questions were posed:
1. What is the awareness of early childhood teachers on their job own stress, burnout and disciplinary style?
1-1. What are the differences in their awareness of job stress, burnout and disciplinary style according to their general background(age, class in charge, career and the type of workplace)?
2. What is the relationship among the job stress, burnout and disciplinary style of early childhood teachers?
3. What influence do the job stress and burnout of early childhood teachers exercise on their disciplinary style?
The subjects in this study were 350 kindergarten and daycare center teachers who were selected by random sampling from Busan. A survey was conducted, and the collected data were analyzed by a statistical package PASW WIN 18.0. A frequency analysis and Cronbach alpha coefficient were utilized. Statistical data on mean and standard deviation were obtained to address the research questions, and one-way ANOVA (F-test), independent-samples t-test, product-moment correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis(enter, stepwise) were utilized.
The findings of the study were as follows:
First, the awareness of the early childhood teachers about their own job stress, burnout and disciplinary style was correlated with one another. As for differences in job stress, burnout and disciplinary style according to general background, there were significant differences according to age, class in charge, career and the type of workplace.
Second, there was a positive correlation among all the job stress, burnout and disciplinary style of the early childhood teachers.
Third, as a result of analyzing how the job stress and burnout of the early childhood teachers affected their disciplinary style, the two variables had the closest mutual influential relationship with power- assertive discipline, followed by indifferent discipline and logical explanation.
Concerning job stress awareness, many of the early childhood teachers found themselves to be overloaded. Regarding burnout, many were lacking in a personal sense of achievement. As to disciplinary style, power-assertive discipline was dominant. And there were significant differences among the teachers in job stress, burnout and disciplinary style according to general background. It implied that the disciplinary style of the early childhood teachers became more positive when their job stress and burnout were relieved. Therefore a decrease in job stress led to less burnout and then served, in turn, to improve positive discipline.
As a research study was implemented in this study by asking the teachers to rate themselves in the form of a survey, the findings of the study might not be objective enough, and the findings of the study should be complemented in this regard.
In addition, the teachers from the region of Busan were investigated, and the findings might not be generalizable. This fact should be taken into account when someone intends to make a follow-up study, and more intensive research efforts should be made other than a survey. For instance, teachers who suffer from heavy job stress should be observed in the classroom setting, or anecdotal record, interview or observation journal should be utilized.