Thick air in the classroom

Let's get this out of the way: Parents know it just as well as the carers in daycare centres: Being together with children is enriching and exhilarating, but
but also demanding and exhausting. It is the same for teachers. But what does this look like from a medical professional's perspective? The umbrella organisation for teachers in Switzerland
(LCH) has had the workload of teachers observed and measured by the Institute of Occupational Medicine (ifa). The results were compared with the requirements of the Labour Act
and the construction and health standards applicable to all professions. The study showed that the teaching profession is characterised by a variety of psychosocial stresses and that some of the workspaces have considerable deficiencies.

Breaks too short and lack of opportunities to retreat

So what specifically causes stress and strain among teachers? The results clearly show that psychosocial factors such as the frequency of interaction between teachers and pupils, the lack of breaks or breaks that are too short, the lack of opportunities to retreat and constant availability make the teaching profession stressful and in some cases place a great deal of strain on teachers.
the teaching profession stressful and sometimes place a great deal of strain on teachers.
For example, the specialists at the Institute for Occupational Medicine ifa in Baden recorded over 200 interactions per hour for a kindergarten teacher during her working day.
Only a few professionals achieve equally high or higher values, such as the ticket inspector on the train or the employee of a takeaway stand at peak times. The interactions
in these professions are not nearly as complex. It is also interesting to note the difference when only half the class is present: the interactions are not halved.
interactions are not halved, but at 70 are significantly less than half.

No breaks: Children need to be supervised at all times, especially in kindergarten.

With more than one contact per minute, the interaction density is still considerable, but significantly lower than with a full class. In English lessons in a primary school class, as many as 276 interactions per lesson were measured. Not surprising, given that
foreign language lessons at primary school are heavily focussed on oral communication.
Even if there are countless jokes about teachers and their many breaks: For teachers in particular, relaxing breaks during the teaching day are rare.
There are often no opportunities to retreat. In kindergarten in particular, the children
children usually have to be supervised at all times, even during snack time.
This is why «snack breaks» are certainly not breaks for kindergarten teachers. However, with such an intensive working day, a short walk outside and the opportunity to take a short break would be essential. Otherwise, an unfavourable and tiring permanent workload would result, explain the occupational physicians.

There are regulations on how much space a billy goat should be given in the stable, namely 3.5 square metres. However, there are no regulations on how much space should be available for children and teachers in the classroom to ensure a climate conducive to learning. They are in the classroom and don't even realise it: but the CO2 concentration is increasing rapidly and the indoor air quality is deteriorating. Even though the sensory organs are constantly getting used to it, the air deteriorates very quickly
and can soon lead to concentration problems, a drop in performance and even headaches and respiratory irritation in full classrooms.
Even with regular airing, there is no guarantee of good indoor air, according to occupational health experts. The indoor air should therefore be checked with CO2 measuring devices and the necessary measures should be initiated if the results are critical.
should be initiated. According to ifa, the same applies to measuring room lighting, temperature and humidity.

«Significant deviations from the norm»

It is clear that the size of a classroom and the size of the class are of great importance - not only in terms of the density of interactions: If the number of pupils
If the number of pupils per room volume is too high and the air is therefore poor, the children learn less well.
The study summarises: «In terms of ventilation, lighting and room size, some of the teachers' workplaces deviated considerably from the norm.»
It is not just for the teachers, but also for the children that the school communities must
urgently endeavour to make improvements. Children should be able to stay healthy and learn well in their classrooms. However, learning is demonstrably affected if the air is stale or has too high a CO2 content.
Other areas highlighted by the study are the many responsibilities, working in free time and almost constant availability. In the LCH job satisfaction study from 2014, teachers stated that the relationship between working hours and recovery time is problematic. The feeling of never being finished with work
work is one of the difficulties in the teaching profession that teachers have to deal with time and again.

«A teacher doesn't have to be
for parents around the clock.
be available around the clock.»

In order to stay healthy, it is particularly important in this profession to structure yourself well and set boundaries. The assessment of an exam, for example, does not have to be «discussed» with parents via WhatsApp after 10 pm. It makes perfect sense for a teacher
not be permanently available to parents via email, WhatsApp and telephone. Emergencies are of course excluded. 82 per cent of teachers would choose their profession again - according to the LCH job satisfaction survey.
This satisfaction is mainly due to the «direct contact with people» and in particular teaching children and young people. A really good finding - for the teachers, but also for the children.
Employers, municipalities and cantons should therefore do all the more to provide premises that favour learning and do not impair health. And
and ensure that health-preserving conditions are created so that many teachers can continue to practise their profession with dedication and for the benefit of the children.
children. School is about the future of our children - so it is all the more important that they are taught by healthy and motivated teachers.
Picture: fotolia

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