The results of the Gallup poll, which was based on telephone interviews last year of nearly 172,300 people — 9,370 of whom were teachers — are actually not inconsistent with the MetLife findings. Although the MetLife survey showed that 39 percent of teachers were “very satisfied,” down from 62 percent in 2008, an additional 43 percent were still “somewhat satisfied,” leaving only 17 percent somewhat or very dissatisfied.

The Gallup poll certainly found challenges among teachers. Teachers were second only to physicians in reporting having felt stress, and when asked, “Does your supervisor always create an environment that is trusting and open, or not?” teachers answered “yes” less frequently than respondents in any other profession, including workers in sales, construction and mining, and service occupations.

With regard to overall job satisfaction, teachers ranked fourth, after physicians, business owners and nurses.

Brandon Busteed, executive director of Gallup Education, said that while certain lifestyle factors like longer vacations could contribute to teachers’ job satisfaction and sense of well-being, the actual work clearly drove their sentiments. In answer to the question, “At work, do you get to use your strengths to do what you do best every day, or not?” 91.5 percent of teachers polled answered “yes.”

“The mission and purpose of teaching and the rewards they get on a daily basis, such as happiness and laughing and learning a lot, is definitely driving well-being,” Mr. Busteed said.“The only thing that is keeping them back from being off the charts in well-being,” he said, “is that they are not being well managed.”