Working in the Pressure Cooker: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Teacher Resilience in a High Achieving School

Abstract

Teacher stress and teacher resilience are a concern nationwide, especially within the context of a growing teacher shortage. Using the theoretical framework of the social ecological theory of resilience, this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) examined the phenomenon of teacher resilience in the environment of a high achieving school. The lived experiences of 10 teachers in a high achieving high school were analyzed through lived experience descriptions and in-depth semi-structured interviews. The research questions explored teacher experiences of resilience in a high achieving school, and the leadership actions which support or challenge this experience. Four group experiential themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) resilience results from meaningful work and finding the balance, (b) leadership is a source of support more than a source of stress, (c) high expectations and an overwhelming workload both support and challenge resilience, and (d) colleagues are both a great support and a stressor. These themes are validated by resilience research in other contexts, and emphasize the need for school leaders to support caring, trusting professional relationships, high expectations, clear communication, and teacher agency as part of positive organizational structures.