Investigation of Emotional Labor in Teaching

Abstract

Teaching, as a profession, involves high levels of emotional labor. This aspect of teaching makes it distinct from other lines of work. It is an emotion-based profession, and good practice of teaching is full of positive emotions. This positivity is a must in the teacher's relationship with his/her students to ensure a healthy classroom atmosphere. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' emotional labor behaviors based on various variables. This study was designed as a descriptive survey model, conducted on 556 teachers working in 21 different schools in İstanbul. With a stratified sampling method, the study data were collected through a measuring tool consisting of 'Personal Information Form' and 'Emotional Labor Scale'. Percentage (%), frequency (f), standard deviation (s), mean score (x̄) values were calculated, and One-Way ANOVA tests and T-test were performed. As a result of the research, it was found that teachers' overall emotional labor behavior level was medium. The highest average score, which was collected under the factor of "genuine emotions," is "high"; the lowest average score, which was collected under the "surface acting" factor, is "low", and teachers' deep acting level was "medium." Teachers' emotional labor levels vary based on gender, profession, and school type. On the other hand, teachers' emotional labor levels do not vary according to their age, tenure, and education level. The findings were discussed, and recommendations were made to the practitioners and researchers.