THE EFFECTS OF NEEDS, ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS AND TEACHERS' CHARACTERISTICS ON JOB SATISFACTION IN KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to (a) identify and assess perceived professional needs of kindergarten teachers, (b) identify perceived professional needs, organizational factors and teachers' characteristics which significantly discriminate between “satisfied teachers” vs. “dissatisfied teachers” and (c) assess their relative contribution to the discriminant function. Ninety‐three female kindergarten teachers from one school district of a major city in Israel participated in the study. Factor analysis yielded five factors collectively accounting for 62.4 percent of the explained variance. These factors — esteem, autonomy, self‐actualization, security and social — correspond to Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Results indicate that teachers are most satisfied on the two lower needs — security and social — and are less satisfied on higher needs — esteem, autonomy and self‐actualization. Results obtained from the discriminant analysis demonstrate the significant role of the three higher needs — age, teaching experience and organizational complexity — in differentiating between satisfied and dissatisfied kindergarten teachers.