A Study of Teacher Morale

208 Pages·09.47 MB·English

by  Anderson, Lester William

A STUDST OF TEACHER MORALE
fey
Lester W*r'Anderson
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy,
in the Department of Education, in the Graduate
College of the State University of Iowa
August, 1950
ProQuest Number: 10902138
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The writer is deeply indebted to
Dr. P. J. Bloomers for his guidance and
helpful criticisms In directing this study*
He Is also very grateful for the
Interest and suggestions of Dr* L. A* Van Dyke
and Dr. A* W. Hieronymus*
Gratitude is expressed to the
school administrators and teachers who
cooperated In making available data pertinent
to this study*
/
ill
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Fag©
I Statement of the problem ...... 1
XI Review of Opinions Concerning Morale**** * ** *•** 6
The Croup Alma Should Be Carefully Defined .. . 9
The Individual Must Be in Sen oral Agreement
with the Alms of the Group• ..........**. 10
The Alms Should Be the product of Voluntary
and Co-operative Planning•••••*•*****•*.... ' 12
The Individual Must Feel Confident of
Attaining the Goals• * . . . * * * * * * * 1 3
The Particular Abilities and Interests of
The Individual should Be Utilised*........ 14
The Individuals Should Have a Feeling of
Confidenee in Their Leaders ............. IS
The Individual should Have a Feeling of
Confidenee In His Group *....... 17
The Individual Must Feel Confidence In
Himself...... 19
The Individual Must Feel Satisfied with the
Manner in which the Community Accepts Him
Socially*.. ..... 20
The Individual Must Possess Adequate
physical Health .... 21
The Individual Must Feel Secure Economically* 22
Student-Teacher Relations Must Be Agreeable.* 22
III Related Studies................................ 24
Review of Previous Studies....... 24
Morale Scales ...... 39
Summary...... 42
IV Summary of Morale Fae tors*.... *.................... 44
V Method of I n v e s t i g a t i o n • * 49
Methods Used by Other Investigators to
Assess Morale*......... 49
The Method of Assessing Morale Adopted for
This Study......... 53
Scoring the Questionnaire* ............ 59
The Reliability of the Questionnaire....... 61
iv
Teacher opinion Regarding the Relative
Importance of Selected Factors of Morale.••* 61
Collection of Certain Pertinent Information
About the Teachers .................... 62
Collection of Pertinent Information About
The School as a Whole•..••*.*• . . . 62
The Selection of the Participating Schools.• 64
VI Analysis of Data............ 67
The Difference in Morale for the Two Classes
of Schools S t u d i e d 67
Analysis of Individual Items.*... 68
Analysis of Certain School Characteristics
and Teacher M o r a l e . .......... 151
Analysis of Certain Teacher Characteristics
and Teacher Morale ..... 154
Teacher Ratings of Eleven Factors Affecting
Morale....................... 157
VII Summary ..... 158
V
TABLE OP TABLES
Table P*g®
1 Comparison of Teat Item Humber in the
Opinion Survey and Its Corresponding
Number in the outline of Morale Factors*.** 50
XI pertinent Character!atica of the Twenty
Schools Studied.................. 66
III Summary of Analysis of Variance (Sub-
Croups within Croups Design}*............ * 59
XV Extent of Faculty Discussion and Agreement
Upon Goala and objectives*................. 83
V Teacher Response to Decisions by the
Majority* .............. 84
VI Teacher Agreement with School Policy on
Curricular Offerings•*..••.*»........... 85
VH Teacher Agreement with School Policy on
Belative Emphasis Given Vocational
S u b j e c t s . 86
Vtll Teacher Agreement with School Policy cm
Emphasis Given College preparatory Courses* 87
IX Teaeher Agreement with School Policy on
&nphasia Given General Courses«........... 88
X Teacher Agreement with School Policy on
Student Guidance .......... 89
XI Teacher Agreement with School Policy on
Emphasis Given Extra-curricular Activities* 90
XII Teaeher Agreement with School Policy on
Emphasis Given Inter-school Athletics..... * 91
XIII Teaeher Agreement with School Policy on
Emphasis Given Intra-mural Athletics 92
Vi
XXV Teacher Agreement with School Policy on
Discipline of student s * * *......... • 95
XV Teacher Agreement with School Policy on
Methods of Classroom instruction* .... 94
XVI Teaeher Agreement with School Policy on
Student promotion**......•........ 95
XVII Teaeher Agreement with School Policy on
Standards for Assigning Marks...... * 96
XVIII Teacher Agreement with School Policy on
Use of Standardised Tests...* 97
XIX Teacher Participation in Determining
School Policy* ............. * . .............. 98
\
XX Degree of Voluntary Participation on
Committees................................. 99
XXI Matching Staff Qualifications and
Teaching Assignments* ........ * * ...... 100
XXII Reaction of Fellow Teachers to Other
Teachers* * ...... 101
XXIIX Reaction of Administrator to Teacher. .*.*•* 102
XXIV Teacher Eatings of Their Fellow Teachers. .* 105
XXV Adequacy of Reference and Library Books...* 104
XXVI Adequacy of Textbooks ................. 105
XXVII Adequacy of Spec ial Equipment.............. 106
XXVIII Adequacy of Classroom Supplies* .....*.. 107
XXIX Adequacy of Movies and Other Audio-
Visual Aids...... 108
XXX Adequacy of Classroom Furniture 109
XXXI Adequacy of Janitorial Services ..... n o
XXXII Teachers Evaluate Their own Teaching
Ability * ill
vii
XXXIII Congeniality of Teaching Staff. .......112
XXXI? Teacher Eatings of the Quality of Their
School ........p....................... US
XXX? Community Attitudes toward Teachers........ 114
XXXVI Teaeher participation in Social Affairs
of the Community.... .... US
XXXVII Teaeher Restrictions outside of School 116
XXXVXIX Teacher Ratings of Superintendent In
Management of School Business Af fairs..... • 117
yxrix Teaeher Ratings of Superintendent In
Securing Adequate Finances. ..... 118
XL Teacher Ratings of Superintendent in
Hi s Relation ships with Parent s........ 119
XLI Teacher Eatings of Superintendent in
His Personal Relations with Teachers......• 120
XLI I Teacher Ratings of Superintendent in
His Insight into Problems of Classroom
Teaeher s..... .... 121
XLIII Teacher Ratings of Superintendent In
His Willingness to Support Teacher
Decisions. .... 122
XLI? Teacher Ratings of Superintendent In
His Fairness in Dealing with Teachers..... * 123
XL? Teaeher Ratings of Superintendent in
Selection and Hiring of Teachers.••••••...• 124
XLVT Teacher Ratings of Principal* s personal
Relations with Teachers .... 125
XLVXX Teacher Ratings of Principal in Aiding
Teachers with Educational Problems .... 126
XLVI1I Teacher Ratings of principal In Fairness
in Dealing with Teachers. ..... 127
vlii
XLIX Teacher Eatings of Principal* s Support
of Teachers In Disciplinary Hatters*..... * 128
1* Teacher Eatings of Principal* s Ability
to Set Along with Students. ...... 122
11 Teacher Eatings of Principal’s Relation­
ships with parents and Community..*.... ISO
H I Teacher Ratings of Principal’s Effective­
ness in Managing Routine A f f a i r s 131
H U Teacher Ratings of Principal’s Overall
Ability to Keep Things Running Smoothly... 132
LIT Teachers Rate Their H e a l t h 133
h? Adequacy of Community Recreational
Facilities.......... 134
LVI Teacher Confidenee in Tenure......... 133
LVII Teaeher Attitudes Regarding Present
Salaries ...... 136
LTIII Teaeher Satisfaction with Living Quarters. 137
LXX Attitude of Students toward Teachers...... 138
IX Teacher Relationships with People
Outside Teaching ....... 139
LXI Hours Per Day Spent by Teachers on
School Work ..................... 140
LXIX Method of Assigning Special Duties
to Teacher ........... 141
LXXXX Degree to which Extra-curricular Assign­
ments Match Teacher Interests and
AMI i tie s ............... 142
LXX7 Attitude of Teachers toward Choosing
Teaching as a Career .... 143
XX? Enjoyment Teachers Receive from Teaching.. 144
ix
LXVI Clerical Assistance Available to Teachers
for Typing of Class Examinations. 145
LXVII Clerical Assistance Available to Teachers
for Duplicating Class Examinations..»•*•**+ 146
LXVIII Clerical Assistance Available to Teachers
in Typing Special Study Materials*. ........ 14?
LXIX Clerical Assistance Available to Teachers
in Duplicating Special Study Materials...•* 146
XXX Clerical Assistance Available to Teachers
in Recording of Grades on permanent Record
Cards*................ 149
I<XXX Clerical Assistance Available to Teachers
in Correcting Objective Examinations .••••.* 150