Saúde mental e vivência da docência em uma escola pública de Manaus sob o viés da fenomenologia de Martin Heidegger

Abstract

In Brazil, the health issues of public school teachers have been influenced by several factors, with the most prevalent being compromised mental health, excessive workload, and inadequate pay. Teaching is a complex and dynamic profession that also requires significant effort in building relationships within the school environment, especially the teacher-student relationship. This study aimed to understand the meanings and significance in the discourse of teachers from a public elementary and high school in Manaus regarding their mental health in light of the demands posed by students, using the framework of Martin Heidegger’s phenomenology. The research is aligned with the field of Psychological Processes and Health. A qualitative research approach was employed, based on the phenomenological investigation method in psychology, utilizing field diaries and phenomenological interviews. The participants were 10 teachers from a public educational institution in the city of Manaus. Data analysis, following Amadeo Giorgi’s guidelines, resulted in five categories: Category 1 - Being-a-teacher with being-a-student; Category 2 - The facticity of being-a-teacher; Category 3 - Everyday life demands creativity and self-care: authenticity in facing daily challenges; Category 4 - Experiencing the school as both teacher and student; Category 5 - It’s not them who make me ill: an enemy called the system; and Category 6 - Living my true self: the satisfaction of being a teacher. The study concludes that teachers, despite responding to the demands of student suffering, perceive themselves as psychologically healthy. Their illness arises from a combination of factors, primarily stemming from the way the educational system is structured. To cope with suffering in the face of the phenomenon investigated, teachers resort to detachment and denial, distancing themselves from students. Another way they manage suffering is through external strategies such as religiosity or spirituality. It is strongly recommended that the State reorganize itself to promote the health of school stakeholders, implementing measures that include enforcing existing legislation, improving teacher remuneration, and restructuring the Brazilian educational system.