Teacher Candidates Wonder: Can Emotional Labor and Authentic Student-Teacher Relationships Coexist?

• In Event: Nourishing Healthy School Communities: Cultivating Relationships, Social-Emotional Learning, and Trauma-Informed Practices

Abstract

In this mixed methods study, we explore teacher candidates' (N=108) early learning experiences related to the emotional labor demands of teaching. We collected data via questionnaire (n=96), two rounds of individual interviews (n=17; n=10), and written reflections (n=10) in the spring of 2018 across three teacher preparation programs at a mid-sized, public Midwestern university. We found that these teacher candidates perceived limited opportunities to learn about professional emotion-related expectations and related regulation strategies, and that the majority of these opportunities were during field experiences rather than in the university classroom. Candidates often grappled with perceived tension between building strong relationships with students and performing emotional acting (being inauthentic). We discuss implications for research and practice.

Authors

• Christy Suzanne Galletta Horner, Bowling Green State University

• Kristina N. LaVenia, Bowling Green State University

• Meg Vostal, Bowling Green State University

• Oluwatobi Ishola, Bowling Green State University

• Colleen Boff, Bowling Green State University