Teacher Motivation and Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction and motivation were measured by interviewing a sample of 50 teachers. A sample of 12 teachers was then tested using the Experimental Sampling Method (ESM). Teachers were randomly addressed by dedicated pagers five times a day for 5 days and completed mood and activity surveys for each beep, yielding 190 reports on teachers' daily experiences.

The conventional survey data matched the ESM data. Job satisfaction and motivation are significantly correlated with level of responsibility, gender, subject, age, teaching experience and career. For this group of teachers, working in a school with a selective student body, motivation and job satisfaction were high. According to the results, the satisfaction of higher-level needs appears to be the most important thing for job satisfaction.

introduction

Teachers are probably the most important professional group for the future of our country. Therefore, it is worrying that many teachers today are dissatisfied with their work. "The mean CES-D score (depression scale) of a sample of 75 teachers in Los Angeles was 15.6, about double the mean score in community surveys" (Beer & Beer, 1992). A CES-D score of 16 or higher is considered significant as it is associated with an increased risk of depression (Schonfeld, 1989). It is crucial to determine what increases teachers' motivation. Many factors have been examined to find those that promote teacher motivation. Wage incentives have proven ineffective in increasing motivation. In their study of 167 teachers, Sylvia and Hutchinson (1985) concluded: "Teacher motivation is based on the freedom to try new ideas, on achieving adequate levels of responsibility and inherent work tasks .... Based on our findings, programs such as benefit payments were expected to backfire.They explain that true job satisfaction comes from the satisfaction of higher-order needs, "social relationships, appreciation and fulfillment," rather than lower-order needs. Indeed, Rothman (1981) contrasts the financial and security motivations for admission to education during the depression years with today's idealistic and intellectual beliefs, especially since other occupations pay as much or better. 1973) that fewer teacher readings and more classroom discussions have a positive effect on teacher morale under and further the importance of higher-order needs. Studies show that improving teacher engagement is beneficial for both students and teachers; However, there is no consensus on the specific benefits. For example, the researchers found conflicting results when they examined whether teachers' motivation leads to better academic performance. Stevens & White (1987) examined student records from 15 school districts with 191 subject teachers. The California Standards Achievement Test results were used as the best estimate of each teacher's learned behavior in the classroom. There was no direct correlation between teacher morale and student performance. However, Stevens & White speculated that further research on the subject would have required an examination of student achievement levels before contacting the teachers participating in the study. "If pre- and post-test scores could be obtained for the time students spend in a teacher's class, the success of those students in that teacher's class could be more appropriately measured." The results of another study of teachers in small independent school districts showed that high levels of interaction within the teacher group, as measured by answers to questions from the Halpin & Croft Observational Climate Description Questionnaire, were significantly correlated with higher scores. of students in California. Success test (Jordan, 1986). The high level of social interaction of teachers at work is probably associated with a high level of motivation; Therefore, the possibility that higher teacher motivation leads to higher student achievement cannot be ruled out. Although the relationship between teacher motivation and student achievement has not yet been established, Peck, Fox and Morston (1977) have shown a correlation between teacher motivation and student self-esteem. “Teachers with a positive attitude towards teaching had students with high self-esteem. Students seem to recognize the effectiveness of teachers who are satisfied with their teaching performance. Rothman (1981) suggests that this association exists because teachers are more than educators; are role models The benefits of teacher satisfaction for both teachers and students underline the importance of examining how teachers feel about work. This study is an exploration of how teachers feel when they complete their daily homework. The experimental sampling method is used to determine which daily work-related activities lead to the greatest motivation and job satisfaction. The Experimental Sampling Method (ESM) uses an electronic device to interview the subject several times a day. After receiving a beep, the subject responds to a short survey of what they are doing, who they are with, and how they feel.

The ESM thus provides a richer and more detailed picture of the participants' daily life and emotions than conventional surveys. ESM has been used to study how people feel when they perform different activities and to determine which daily activities are most psychologically rewarding (Kubey & Csikszentmihalyi, 1981). Csikszentmihalyi (1990) has suggested that people achieve a state of happiness and contentment when they engage in an activity and function to the best of their abilities. In this situation, the individual experiences "a high level of concentration, immersion, power and control". He calls this experience "flow". In the present study, the concept of flow is used to determine which activities are more 'psychological'.
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