Yesterday, today, tomorrow Exploring teachers’ daily emotional stress experiences in secondary education

This dissertation explores the intricate nature of work-related stress among secondary education teachers, examining its relationship with professional learning, future work perspectives, and daily resilience (buoyancy). The teaching profession, while rewarding, presents unique challenges that significantly impact teachers' well-being. Stress in this field not only affects teachers' health and job satisfaction but also leads to higher absenteeism and turnover, disrupting educational continuity and quality.
The primary aim of this research is to enhance understanding of how stress affects teachers daily and to explore resilience mechanisms. Through daily research methods, the study captures the dynamic teaching environment and the variability in stress and coping. The main studies are presented in chapters 2 to 5. Chapter 2 validates the reliability of daily stress measurement instruments, confirming significant daily variations in teacher stress. Chapter 3 explores the relationship between stress and professional learning, revealing a complex interaction where overall higher stress reduces engagement in professional learning, but no consistent daily relationship is established. Chapter 4 finds that a positive future outlook reduces same-day stress but doesn't carry over to the next day, while those thinking more about their future report higher stress levels. Chapter 5 highlights the dynamic nature of buoyancy and stress, emphasizing their state-like variability rather than trait-like consistency.
It is concluded that educational systems must recognize and address the fluctuating nature of teacher stress. Targeted interventions are needed to support daily stress management, enhancing teachers' engagement, well-being, and sustainability in the education sector.