Exploring the Relationship Between the Age of Newly Recruited Algerian EFL Primary School Teachers and Stress in Classroom Management

Ten Newly Recruited Teachers in Djelfa- Algeria

Résumé

Teaching young learners at primary schools is taxing even for most experienced teachers as teaching takes a toll on both the body and the mind. From this respect, the study aims to explore the potential relationship between two variables: age at the time of recruitment and stress in classroom management. Hence the work attempts to answer two questions. The first one discusses how the age of newly recruited EFL primary school teachers in Algeria correlates with their stress level and classroom management skills. The second ponders on whether professional development programs are tailored to address age-related considerations. In longitudinal research that extends over an eighteen-month period, the study utilized the mixed-method approach relying on two data collection tools: a questionnaire and interviews with triangulation in mind. The results indicate that a teacher being recruited at an older age, thirty or more (in the context of this research), can struggle with classroom management, energy levels, stress, and even their ability to relate to learners of various age groups.  Furthermore, teacher training does not incorporate any discussion on the potential impact of a teacher's age on classroom management, focusing instead on universal strategies that are deemed to fit all teachers.