Conceptualisations of teacher resilience in challenged education spaces

Abstract

In order to address the limited existing knowledge on teacher resilience in challenged contexts, this qualitative secondary data analysis study explored teacher conceptualisations of teacher resilience in challenged Global South educational spaces. Phenomenology framed the study, and the theoretical framework was the Relationship Resourced Resilience theory. The study purposively sampled extant qualitative baseline and intervention Isithebe data on peri-urban primary school teachers from challenged contexts (purposively selected teachers n=38, females n=36, males n=2) from purposively selected peri-urban primary schools (n=6) in socio-economically challenged contexts in the Nelson Mandela Metropole). Following thematic analysis of textual and visual participatory and reflection data (verbatim transcriptions and photographs), it became evident that teachers conceptualised that teacher resilience was enabled by Being a quality teacher and Supportive relationships. Teachers mobilised relationships as protective resources to allow them to give and receive social support. The relational space also enabled teachers to act as role models to school stakeholders. Both of these positive outcomes from relational pathways supported teacher wellbeing in the form of job satisfaction. Teachers also used opportunities for professional development to participate in life-long learning to ensure quality education.