The Role of Personal Characteristics and School Characteristics in Explaining Teacher Job Satisfaction

Abstract

Recent studies show that teacher job satisfaction declined in Spain over the last decade. Also, it is significantly lower in secondary education than in previous educational levels. In this paper we identify variables that contribute to the explanation of teacher job satisfaction in secondary education. We use the Spanish sample (192 schools and 3339 teachers) participating in the 2013 edition of TALIS (Teaching and Learning International Study), sponsored by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). Employing hierarchical linear models, we assess the importance of teacher variables and schools variables as predictors of job satisfaction. Self-efficacy, control of classroom discipline, age, sex, years of work experience at the current school and employment status are personal factors explaining the teacher job satisfaction. Among institutional factors, the important effect of teacher-students relations stands out.

Resumen

Estudios recientes muestran que la satisfacción laboral del profesorado español disminuyó en la última década, y que resultó significativamente más baja en educación secundaria que en etapas educativas previas. Este trabajo pretende identificar variables que contribuyen a la explicación de la satisfacción del profesorado de educación secundaria. Se utiliza la muestra española (192 centros y 3339 docentes) participante en la edición 2013 del estudio TALIS (Teaching and Learning International Study), promovido por la OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). Mediante modelos lineales jerárquicos, se valora la importancia de variables del profesorado y de los centros como predictores de la satisfacción laboral. La autoeficacia percibida, el control de la disciplina en el aula, la edad, el sexo, la continuidad en el centro y el estatus laboral son factores personales que explican la satisfacción laboral. Entre los factores institucionales, destaca el importante efecto de las relaciones entre profesorado y alumnado.