Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Issues of concern
High rates of Early Career Teacher attrition
Reality Shock Teacher education to teaching (Friedman, 2004)
Can resilience help?
Risk
factors
Contextual
collegial support
strong, caring leadership (Howard &
Johnson, 2004, p. 412)
Beltman, S., Mansfield, C.F. & Price, A. (2011). Thriving not just surviving: A review of research on
teacher resilience. Educational Research Review, 6, 185-207.
Focus of research
Location of research
Sources of data
USA 34%
Interviews 68%
Australia 30%
Questionnaires/surveys 35%
Scales 32%
Canada 8%
Documents 30%
Ireland 6%
Observations 20%
Online discussion 6%
Focus groups 4%
Student achievement 4%
Drawings 2%
No studies found that directly asked teachers how they would describe a resilient
teacher
Bounces Back
Copes with demands of
teaching / stress
Flexible and adaptable
Positive and optimistic
Seeks help/takes advice
Manages emotions
Cares for own wellbeing
Enjoys teaching
Enjoys challenge
Focused on learning and
improvement
Okay with making mistakes
Maintains motivation and
enthusiasm
What makes
a resilient
teacher?
Mansfield, C.F., Beltman, S., Price, A. & McConney, A. (2012). Dont sweat the small stuff: Understanding teacher
resilience at the chalkface. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(3), 357-367.
% of
participants
Emotional
61%
Motivational
54%
34%
Professionrelated
Social
42%
Findings
Interviews
Process
Contact with those completing surveys who had agreed to participate
further
14 interviews (face to face and by phone) conducted and transcribed
by project Research Assistant
Participants
11 female, 3 male; all in 1st or 2nd year of teaching
4 in 20s, 5 in 30s, 3 in 40s, 2 in 50s
Data analysis
Examined overall challenges and responses across participants
Examined process of resilience within participants
Findings: Challenges
101 separate challenges; ongoing demand rather than critical incidents
Personal
Interpersonal
Infrastructure
Work-life balance
Personal attributes
School organisation
e.g. perfectionist
Knowledge
Students
Classroom resources
Feel overwhelmed
Parents
Pre-service preparation
Findings: Vignettes
Sarah: I am where I am meant to be.
Joanne: Youre just a relief teacher.
Richard: The staffroom is the place to vent.
Jessie: I am resilient, thats why Im leaving, but Im still going
to teach
Keep calm
Focus on what you love about the job
Enjoy the kids / have fun
Manage emotions
Positive self talk
Believe in yourself
Have realistic expectations
Persist
Focus on improvement
Build confidence
And exercise!
No matter what I go for a run burn up energy and calm my mind
Critical role played by support networks in and out of the school context.
Emerging questions
References (1)
Ablett, J. R., & Jones, R. S. P. (2007). Resilience and well-being in palliative care staff: a
qualitative study of hospice nurses' experience of work. Psycho-Oncology, 16(8), 733740.
Beltman, S., Mansfield, C., & Price, A. (2011). Thriving not just surviving: A review of
research on teacher resilience. Educational Research Review, 6(3), 185-207.
Bobek, B. L. (2002). Teacher resiliency: A key to career longevity. The Clearing House, 75(4),
202-205.
Castro, A. J., Kelly, J., & Shih, M. (2010). Resilience strategies for new teachers in high-needs
areas. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(3), 622-629.
Chong, S., & Low, E. L. (2009). Why I want to teach and how I feel about teaching formation of teacher identity from pre-service to the beginning teacher phase.
Educational Research Policy and Practice, 8, 59-72.
Day, C. (2008). Committed for life? Variations in teachers work, lives and effectiveness.
Journal of Educational Change, 9(3), 243-260.
Fantilli, R. D., & McDougall, D. E. (2009). A study of novice teachers: Challenges and
supports in the first years. Teaching & Teacher Education, 25(6), 814-825.
Fleming, J. L., Mackrain, M., & LeBuffe, P. A. (2013). Caring for the caregiver: Promoting the
resilience of teachers. In S. Goldstein & R. B. Brooks (Eds.), Handbook of Resilience in
Children (pp. 387-397). New York: Springer Science+Business Media.
Flores, M. A. (2006). Being a novice teacher in two different settings: Struggles, continuities
and discontinuities. Teachers College Record, 108(10), 2021-2052.
References (2)
Friedman, I. A. (2004). Directions in teacher training for low-burnout teaching. In E. Frydenberg
(Ed.), Thriving, surviving, or going under: Coping with everyday lives (pp. 305-326).
Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
Horwitz, M. (1998). Social worker trauma: Building resilience in child protection social workers.
Smith College Studies in Social Work, 68(3), 363-377.
Howard, S., & Johnson, B. (2004). Resilient teachers: Resisting stress and burnout. Social
Psychology of Education, 7(4), 399-420.
Howe, A., Smajdor, A., & Stckl, A. (2012). Towards an understanding of resilience and its
relevance to medical training. Medical Education, 46(4), 349-356.
Jenkins, K., Smith, H., & Maxwell, T. (2009). Challenging experiences faced by beginning casual
teachers: Here one day and gone the next! Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 37(1),
63-78.
Mansfield, C. F., Beltman, S., Price, A., & McConney, A. (2012). Dont sweat the small stuff:
Understanding teacher resilience at the chalkface. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(3),
357-367.
Olsen, B., & Anderson, L. (2007). Courses of action: A qualitative investigation into urban teacher
retention and career development. Urban Education, 42(1), 5-29.
Sinclair, C. (2008). Initial and changing student teacher motivation and commitment to teaching.
Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 36(2), 79 - 104.
Tait, M. (2008). Resilience as a contributor to novice teacher success, commitment, and
retention. Teacher Education Quarterly, 35(4), 57-76.
Tempski, P., Martins, M. A., & Paro, H. B. M. S. (2012). Teaching and learning resilience: a new
agenda in medical education. Medical Education, 46(4), 345-346.