Later start times may be preferred by secondary school teachers

1. In this study, the majority of surveyed teachers reported a preference for later school start times.

2. Preference of teachers was shown to be determined mainly by their own sleep behaviors and perception of students’ sleepiness and receptiveness in morning lessons.

Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good)

Obtaining sufficient sleep is a challenge for adolescents. A contributing factor are school schedules requiring secondary school students to wake up early, which are misaligned with their biological sleep pattern. However, studies on how teachers view school start times (SSTs) remain limited. In this observational cohort study, the attitudes of high school teachers for later school start times (SSTs) were investigated.

A total of 694 teachers (17 different high schools) in Zurich, Switzerland completed a cross-sectional online survey that spanned from May to July 2017. Participants were excluded if they did not report, school, sex, or age. The survey assessed whether teachers endorsed later SSTs and how they would compensate for later SSTs. Furthermore, the survey examined: 1) sociodemographic characteristics; 2) school & work-related characteristics; 3) sleep characteristics; 4) perception of students in the morning.

The results demonstrated that 51% of teachers preferred later STTs, with the preferred options to compensate for later SSTs being to shorten lunch breaks or to cancel free afternoons. 53.5% of teachers rated current stress as “rather strong” or higher. Teachers also demonstrated shorter sleep–wake patterns and sleep duration on school days than free days, and their median daytime sleepiness score was 7 (scale 0-10, 10=strong sleepiness). Moreover, students’ sleepiness and receptiveness were reported as 5 and 6, respectively. However, the study was limited due to the possibility of teachers working at multiple schools and thus affecting data, it points out two main factors affecting teachers’ preference for SSTs: their own sleep behavior, and their perception of students in the morning. Overall, teachers themselves might benefit from later SSTs, and psychoeducation about students’ sleep biology and associated cognitive performance would influence teachers’ attitudes about later SSTs.

Click to read the study in Journal of Sleep Research

Image: PD

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