Mindfulness, and Workplace Outcomes for Secondary Teachers
For teachers to most effectively teach and support students in their classrooms, we want them to feel good about the work they do and burnout from emotional exhaustion. This study investigates how mindfulness, as measured by a comprehensive questionnaire, may play an important role in supporting teachers’ well-being, and specifically asks how mindfulness and other demographic factors may affect the key workplace outcomes of job satisfaction, efficacy, burnout, and resilience. Analyses were performed on data collected from 86 participants, of 330 who were contacted, and who were all secondary teachers in the Los Angeles area at total of five urban and suburban schools. Using Pearson correlation calculations, it was found that mindfulness levels significantly correlated to each of the four workplace outcomes. Investigating further with multiple regression models, it was found that four of the five facets of mindfulness, measured as subscores in the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) instrument, in different combinations were strong, positive predictors for workplace outcomes, as were years of experience, and whether or not the participants practice mindfulness. A MANOVA test quantified this relationship further, giving another predictive model for each workplace outcome based on whether or not participants reported regularly practicing mindfulness. Implications of these strong connections between mindfulness—both as exhibited qualities, and as a regular practice—and the workplace outcomes of job satisfaction, efficacy, burnout, and resilience, are discussed with recommendations for policy, practice, and further research.
burnout, efficacy, job satisfaction, mindfulness, resilience, teacher, Education, Educational Leadership
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