Over Half of Danish Teachers Suffer Weekly Workplace Stress

Parents with children in Danish public schools may notice classroom pressures worsening. Over half of surveyed public school teachers in Denmark report weekly workplace stress.

The survey was done by Danmarks Lærerforening, the Danish Union of Teachers. It included 1,901 public school teachers and kindergarten class leaders. Sixteen percent of respondents feel stressed every single day. Another 36 percent experience stress on a weekly basis. About 23 percent feel stressed once every month. Nine out of ten stressed teachers blame poor workplace conditions.

Over one-third of teachers took sick leave because of job stress. Union chair Gordon Ørskov Madsen warned that many teachers are leaving public schools. Teachers pointed to classroom disruptions and heavy workloads as main causes. They also lack enough preparation time for daily lessons.

Teachers struggle to get extra help for pupils with special needs. Some parents expect teachers to solve student conflicts outside of school. Associate Professor Nana Vaaben said teachers experience moral stress. This happens when teachers cannot give students the help they need.

Teachers want fewer teaching hours and more lesson preparation time. They also ask for better support for special needs pupils. The teachers union will bring these demands to upcoming government talks.