This study is an in-depth investigation of the experiences of a small group of elementary school teachers in Japan, who have among the longest working hours in the world. A total of eight teachers from four public elementary schools volunteered to take part in this study. Its design is descriptive-qualitative, using an in-depth, semi-structured…

Excessive workloads are a concern for teachers across the world. Overwork puts pressure not only on the physical and mental health of teachers, but also on their ability to provide quality education to their students. Nevertheless, many teachers struggle under the weight of excessive workloads, and have very little input in the top-down policies…