An increasing number of teachers are being referred to occupational health clinics for being severely stressed, reports DR.
A clinic in Esbjerg that takes in patients from all Southern Jutland municipalities has felt the recent increase in teachers seeking medical care.
Lene Bech Jeppesen, a psychologist in the Esbjerg clinic, tells DR that she is seeing “both younger and more experienced teachers” coming in mainly due to the new school reform and working time rules.
“They feel there is a high workload and they have difficulty being prepared for their lessons,” she said.
READ MORE: Teacher sick leave on the rise
Jeppesen also notes that the teachers she sees face a second “dilemma” when confronted by parents who complain that the teaching isn’t up to standard and feel teachers are not prepared enough.
Mette With Hagensen, chariman of the National Organization of Parents of Elementary School, calls the situation “unfortunate” if parents are complaining about the teaching.
However, she believes that parents in general “have great support for primary school teachers” and they are “fully aware that the establishment of the new school reforms will take time and is hard.”
Since the beginning of the school year teacher sick leave has been on the rise. Jeppensen says that those who come in suffering from severe stress could take up to “half a year from sick leave before they are up again”.
