The present study researched teachers’ emotions related to their pedagogical work with disengaged students. The aim of the study was to investigate teachers’ emotions experienced during classroom practice and how emotions were related to their perceived well-being. Based on the literature, we assumed that teachers’ perceived well-being was affected by the emotions in their classroom practice through their feelings of autonomy, competence and relatedness. Data were collected using qualitative methods. In our results, we reported that teachers experienced mixed emotions elicited by interactions with students, student learning, colleagues and the programme. We determined the characteristics of classroom practices that contribute positively to teachers’ perceived well-being as well as characteristics that diminish teachers’ perceived well-being. Implications for practice are discussed.