This article presents the first stage of a small-scale research project into the relationship between teacher stress and personal values. It starts by outlining the problem of teacher stress and an overview of the literature investigating the sources of it. A particular combination of factors related to personal values that may increase vulnerability to stress is then suggested and a research project conducted to investigate this idea is described. The results of the research are discussed in the light of the relevant literature. Finally a speculative interpretation of the results is presented together with some tentative recommendations in relation to stress for individual teachers.