Abstract
This paper examines stress within educational contexts as a complex, relational, and systemic experience rather than solely a negative condition. Drawing on research related to stress perception, coping, leadership, trauma, and resource access, the paper highlights how stress affects educators, students, and families across early childhood and special education settings. Key themes include the role of perception in shaping stress responses, the impact of resource availability and socioeconomic factors, the transfer of stress within classroom environments, and the influence of leadership and organizational stability on teacher and student well-being. Using an ecological framework, the paper emphasizes that stress operates across interconnected systems and concludes that reducing stress in schools requires collaborative, equitable, and family-centered approaches that support both educators and learners.
Recommended Citation
Matthews, Sarah
(2026)
"Stress in Educational Context,"
Spark! Innovations in Early Childhood Education: A Research-to-Practice Journal for Educators: Vol. 2:
Iss.
3, Article 4.
Available at:
https://repository.lsu.edu/spark/vol2/iss3/4
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