Stress Management Strategies Adopted by Financial Management Teachers in Secondary School for Effective Teaching

Stress Management Strategies Adopted by Financial Management Teachers in Secondary School for Effective Teaching

CHAPTER ONE

Purpose of the study

The purpose of the study are;

To investigate the extent to which financial management teachers in secondary Schools are stressed.
To investigate the causes of stress among financial management teachers in secondary Schools
To find out the coping strategies adopted by the financial management teachers for effective teaching
To determine the influence of financial management teachers experience on their stress management strategies.

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Conceptual Framework

Concept of stress

Stress is one of the most fundamental problems spanning through human endeavour. Hornby (2003), conceptualized stress as a pressure condition, causing hardship, tension and disquiet which occurs as a result of problems in one’s life. When a person says, “I am under stress”, he may mean that he is ill, that he is under financial pressure or any of a hundred other things. Thus, stress can be viewed as a normal phenomenon of human existence, as an inevitable developmental challenge that helps in the mastery of new skills and behavoural patterns (Onifade and Odedeyi, 2005). Problems, however, usually occur when stress becomes excessive. Hence an individual with excessive stress always experiences disrupted emotions, cognitive and psychological malfunctioning. Chronic stress is also associated with the development of physical illness, including such leading causes of death as heart diseases and high blood pressure (Helgerson, 1999).

Stress has been viewed by Ejike (2009) as a psycho-emotional turmoil which all of us have to contend with as we journey through life. The author opined that we are exposed to this monster in our homes, workplace and indeed every undertaking of our life. This stressor arises as a result of the quest in man to achieve the desired goals both socially and economically. Oboegbulem (2004) defines stress as a feeling which occurs when an individual’s working or living conditions or circumstance make demands beyond his capacity to handle such a situation physically or emotionally. The author further posits that stress may be expressed in the form of physical or mental disturbance, strain, obstacles in the path of achieving goals, conflicting demands, uncertain role prescriptions, tasking work conditions, among others.

Based on evolutionary analysis, Franken (1994) conceptualized stress as a “fight/flight” syndrome. The author opined that basically, there are two ways that animals can deal with threat; they can either fight or flee. A rabbit is said to be depending on its ability to flee to stay alive while a lion on the other hand depends on its ability to fight to obtain its food. The human being, being a higher animal is endowed with a perfect sense and perception and does not run away from his problem in the pretence that he is solving it; rather he adopts the position of a lion to issues. According to Powell and Enright (1999), the fight/flight situation contains basic requirements which must be met. They listed them as follows: the first thing is that one has to expend a great deal of energy, the second is that one must keep safe, the third is that one must be ready to deal with injury in order to deal with stress. They concluded by viewing stress as a reaction that maximizes the expenditure of energy.

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Introduction

It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain Stress management strategies adopted by financial management teachers in secondary school for effective teaching. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of Stress management strategies adopted by financial management teachers in secondary school for effective teaching

Summary

This study was on Stress management strategies adopted by financial management teachers in secondary school for effective teaching. Four objectives were raised which included: To investigate the extent to which financial management teachers in secondary Schools are stressed, to investigate the causes of stress among financial management teachers in secondary Schools, to find out the coping strategies adopted by the financial management teachers for effective teaching and to determine the influence of financial management teachers experience on their stress management strategies. The study adopted a survey research design and conveniently enrolled 80 participants in the study. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from staffs of selected secondary schools. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).

Conclusion

The need for this study arose out of the awful state of affairs in our secondary Schools today. There are generally lapses emanating from human and material factors which are hampering the expected high standard of performance and level of productivity in the schools due to stress. This situation often leads to morbidity with unwanted consequences, hence the need for the study. If the identified ways of management of stress are adopted by these teachers, a healthier work force will be achieved. Thus the identified stress management strategies will go a long way if adapted to curb the effects of stress.

Recommendation

The government should as a matter of priority vote more money into the education sector of the country especially as it affects health care education. This will no doubt, go a long way in ameliorate the teachers’ stress and improve the smooth administration of health sector education.
Effort should be made to sponsor seminars, workshops and conferences for teachers periodically to up-date their knowledge on symptoms, causes and management of stress among them.
Effective management of these institutions should be put in place and managers should help others to thrive around him at work and outside work. This will help the manager to create an optimum stress level, prevent excessive stress and help others to cope with excessive stress.

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