Abstract

NEVES, Mary Yale Rodrigues  and  SILVA, Edith Seligmann. The pain and delight of being (becoming) a teacher: work and mental health. Estud. pesqui. psicol. [online]. 2006, vol.6, n.1, pp. 63-75. ISSN 1808-4281.

This article approaches the experiences of psychic suffering and pleasure from teachers of the first phase of fundamental education of the Municipalitie of João Pessoa - PB. The analysis of teachers work shows the significative presence of negative feeling among teachers, due to general signs of suffering, suffocation, stress, exhaustion, anxiety, depression and work fatigue. The investigation showed that some factors, like the hierarchic relations, the long and exhaustive work journey, the difficulty to operate the control of the class, the continuous salary shortening and, mainly, the progressive disqualification and social non-recognition of work, frequently affects the teachers' health / suffering. The greatest source of pleasure concerns the pleasant relationship these teachers have with their students. It was also identified some ways they manage to cope with their daily difficulties, turning many times their everyday work in psychically structurating.

Keywords : Teacher’s work; Gender; Health; Psychic suffering; Pleasure.

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