Why Do You Work with Struggling Students? Teacher Perceptions of Meaningful Work in Trauma-Impacted Classrooms

Abstract

This study contributed new findings to the construct of meaningful work (MW) and negative impacts on MW. In other professional samples, finding meaning in work has been shown to be an effective buffer when facing workplace adversity. However, prior investigation has neither identified nor explored the specific sources and mechanisms of meaningful work that teachers derive from educating trauma-affected students. Within a cross-sectional sample of primary and secondary teachers (N = 18) working in traumaaffected classrooms, two interrelated sources of MW: (1) practice pedagogy and (2) teacher wellbeing were further analysed for discussion via Rosso, Dekas, and Wrzesniewski's (2010) four mechanisms of MW (i.e., individuation, self-connection, contribution, and unification). These findings argue for the new development of trauma-informed pedagogies that both (1) enable teachers to redress the complex and unmet needs of students and (2) incorporate domains of meaning that teachers bring to their trauma-affected work.

Narrative inquiry on early-career teachers’ stories ofPagdadalain caring for students in low-resource urban public schools

“…Studies suggest that caring for struggling students affect teachers’ construction of identities and meaning of their work. Teachers who successfully address students’ needs found care work as personally and professionally meaningful (Brunzell et al, 2018 ) and have increased sense of compassion satisfaction, professional competence and commitment (Abraham-cook, 2012 ; Hill, 2011 ). However, teachers’ lack of specialized psychosocial care knowledge may lead to role confusion, blurring of professional boundaries, and foster a sense of incompetence (Alisic, 2012 ).…”

How Teachers Find Meaning in their Work and Effects on their Pedagogical Practice

“…It appears that having a calling orientation is closely linked with Seligman's (2012) wellbeing dimension of M in PERMA (meaning), in that deriving a sense of purpose at work makes work a meaningful activity and may in fact contribute to wellbeing. In an Australian qualitative study of the meaning that teachers derive from educating trauma-affected students, Brunzell, Stokes and Waters (2018) argued for the development of pedagogies that incorporate domains of meaning that teachers bring to their work with trauma-affected students in order to reduce burnout and stress and improve teacher wellbeing. Brunzell et al (2018), Steger et al (2012), and Wrzesniewski (2003) all highlighted the lack of research surrounding teachers' perception of meaning in their work and called for further research to be undertaken.…”

“…In an Australian qualitative study of the meaning that teachers derive from educating trauma-affected students, Brunzell, Stokes and Waters (2018) argued for the development of pedagogies that incorporate domains of meaning that teachers bring to their work with trauma-affected students in order to reduce burnout and stress and improve teacher wellbeing. Brunzell et al (2018), Steger et al (2012), and Wrzesniewski (2003) all highlighted the lack of research surrounding teachers' perception of meaning in their work and called for further research to be undertaken. To date, no studies have been located by the researchers that examine the pedagogical implications of teachers having calling orientations.…”

Disrupting the Deficit Gaze: Equity Work with University Supervisors

“…Additionally, students are coming into schools having experienced (or currently experiencing) trauma (Felitti, et. al, 1998; Center for Disease Control/National Center for Health Statistics, 2013); in turn, teachers themselves are facing increasing levels of vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue (Brunzell et al, 2018;Eyal et al, 2019). As a result, EPPs must prepare teachers for an educational landscape with shifting challenges.…”