Background
Teacher retention is an important factor in the quality of student education in rural schools (HREOC, 2000). Challenges teachers experience include the distance from the support of family and friends, teaching outside of their subject area, and inaccessibility of professional development, resources, and facilities.
Despite generous economic incentives, potential career progression, and community atmosphere, some early career teachers struggle to adapt to rural life. Job satisfaction and students’ learning outcomes are affected by teacher wellbeing.
Teacher wellbeing is the psychological capacity for teachers to manage normal stressors within the profession, including awareness of positive emotional states, setting authentic goals, celebrating accomplishments, maintaining positive connections with others, and reflecting on meaning and impact (Falecki & Mann, 2020).
Hypotheses/Research Questions
In what ways do early career teachers flourish in rural teaching?
What are their perceptions and affordances for their wellbeing?
How can these perceptions and affordances inform the profession?
Sample Characteristics and Sample Size
6 early career teacher (1-5 years of teaching experience), in rural education employment, formed 6 case studies/portraits.
Design
Qualitative interviews using PERMAH-focused questions (conducted in the beginning and end of 2019) and data analysis using portraiture (Lawrence-Lightfoot).
Results
Findings showed that there was an overwhelming sense of dissatisfaction the rural early career teachers had with their work-life balance. Yet, there was huge value on relationships, personal and professional. It appears that it was the relationships themselves that kept these early career teachers flourishing and feeling functional, supported, and capable.
Scientific Contribution
As there is limited research regarding early career teachers’ wellbeing in rural schools, this research intends to examine their perspectives of and affordances for their wellbeing and how they flourish in their new rural profession and offer recommendations to improve the attraction, recruitment & retention of early career teachers in rural schools.