The emotion of fear among schoolteachers: sources and coping strategies

The work environment is characterised by various situations that stimulate fear and anxiety which are common in many organisations, including schools. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the fears felt by elementary and high school teachers and trace its features and sources. Based on interviews with 12 Israeli schoolteachers, we found three areas in which our interviewees reported feeling some sort of fears: teacher–student interactions, professional domain, and teacher’s interactions with other school members. Likewise, two strategies to cope with fears appeared in the interviewees’ accounts, ranging from passive strategies that avoid facing the source of the fear directly (e.g. transition to another school, emotional disconnection) to more active ones (e.g. involving colleagues, humour) directed at the source of the fear. Some practical and empirical suggestions are provided.