Megan Kotrla, Stephanie Flores-Koulish, Ph.D.
Exploring Teacher Well-Being
Teacher retention is at an all-time low and is continuing to worsen now more than ever, especially when considering the pandemic. Teachers feel unsupported, undervalued, and disregarded in many forms when it comes to decision-making. This is exacerbated by high levels of work-related stress and burnout. Although multiple factors can be attributed to the drastic increase in teacher burnout, a significant contributor is the lack of consideration to a teacher's well-being.
The purpose of this study is to explore the main factors that could benefit overall teacher well-being. It will consider the current school environment and how it shapes teacher attitudes and feelings, the pressures of meeting both administrative expectations and student metrics, and the unprecedented changes and implications brought forward by the pandemic. Teachers within an elementary school in Baltimore County will complete a survey on what they feel will most benefit their well-being. Further information will be gathered by interviews with select teachers. A review of research about teacher attitudes on the current state of their career, teaching retention and outlook, and the importance and impact of valuing a teacher's well-being will help show different ways that a teacher’s well-being can be positively or negatively influenced by intervention or change. My hope is to find promising and concrete solutions that support a greater well-being for teachers.