O trabalho docente no ensino superior: a relação entre indisciplina e o sofrimento psíquico

Abstract

The changes in the sphere of the teachers work conditions has awakened worries of researchers, especially regarding to the professional s health as a fundamental aspect of the quality of education. One of the adversities the teacher has to face in school is the students behavior, sometimes characterized by apathy, demotivation and indifference towards the work routine and the demand to be productive. This way, this research has the goal of understanding the relations between indiscipline and the detrition of the mental health in the work of a teacher in Higher Education. Taking this into consideration, we sought a way to identify how the teacher defines the indiscipline and the mental detrition at work and analyze, from the teacher s speech, the relations between these variables. The methodology chosen to obtain this data was the research of qualitative investigation, in the genre of field research. The data collection was done through semi structured interviews, and, observations in the classroom. Ten teachers, from the first and fourth semesters of a Pedagogy degree in a private University in the state of Sao Paulo, took part in the study. The results show that for the teachers, the psychological struggle can be represented in four categories; i) high work load; ii) expectations with results; iii) non identification of their function as a teacher; and iv) lack of motivation from the students. When we discuss indiscipline, the teachers resort to terminologies like moral, respect, motivation, autonomy and indifference. More specifically in the observations, it was evident in the students behavior, as manifestations of indiscipline, parallel talks and inadequate use of technological distractions (cellphones and laptops). It s hoped that this research allows, from the comprehension of how the tutor lives with the questions related to the emotional struggle at work, provide assistance so that the intervention strategies are planned ahead. New investigations are recommended so that we can amplify the understanding about the existing needs for the accomplishment of the teacher s work.