Teacher Identity

Introduction

In this section we’ll discuss different factors that shape teacher identity in contexts of crisis, post-crisis and state fragility. We’ll also consider the impact these factors have on student well-being.

By the end of this section, you will:

• Have an in-depth understanding of teacher identity issues in contexts of crisis, post-crisis and state fragility

• Be able to apply these concepts and recognize elements of teacher identity important in your context

• Understand how teacher identity impacts positively or negatively on student well-being

Teacher identity is one of the three interconnected pieces defining who a teacher is and what attitudes he or she has toward teaching. To explore/review the other parts of the puzzle – teacher motivation and teacher well-being – you can use the menu on the left.

Who or What Is a Teacher?

Teacher identity refers to who teachers are and what sort of experiences they bring to the classroom setting. Of course, the “who” and the “what” vary tremendously from teacher to teacher. Understanding the particulars of teacher identity is key to providing effective training and support for teachers.

Question for Reflection/Discussion:

When you hear the word “teacher,” what comes to mind?

Activity:

To help you think about teacher identity, complete this statement in a way that makes sense to you:

A teacher is _________________.

Read the statement over and over and “fill in the blank” again and again, completing the statement in any way that holds true for you. There are no “correct” or “incorrect” answers. When you can think of nothing new to add, click to continue.

For Facilitators:

If you are facilitating a group, brainstorm ideas, beliefs and assumptions about who or what is a teacher. Compile the group‘s ideas on a board, flip chart, blackboard or whatever materials are available to you.

What Is a Teacher?

While you may feel very certain about the responses you gave, not everything you know, believe or assume about teachers is true for all teachers. To help you expand your views, here are some ideas about teacher identity that came from a brainstorming session amongst IRC staff in West and East Africa:

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

What do you think about these answers? How are they similar to the ones you gave? How are they different? If you had to rank the most positive qualities and skills for a teacher, which would you list as the top five? What qualities or skills listed above or from the your own list can help teachers to create a protective environment for children and youth?

What Is a Teacher?

While discussing the positive qualities and skills of a teacher, the workshop participants also pointed out that “teacher” may be a controversial term. Teachers can be a negative influence. A teacher can also be used by governments as an instrument for politics. In Southern Sudan, for example, the government in Khartoum changed the education policy with regard to language and religion and brought in teachers from the North to teach Islamic beliefs and Arabic language.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

What do you think about this kind of negative role of teachers? What ideas do you have about changing the attitudes and behaviors of teachers in a more positive direction?

Who Is the Teacher, as a Person?

In addition to positive traits like being a good role model, many personal and cultural factors also shape teachers‘ identities. These factors include gender, ethnic group and religion, for example. Yet another set of factors shaping teacher identity includes life experiences such as one‘s level of education, specific skills, vocation or one's occupation. All of these factors – personal, cultural and one‘s life experience – contribute to the way teachers see themselves and the way the community sees them. What else makes teachers who they are, as people?

Question for Reflection/Discussion:

When you hear the word “teacher,” what other factors (in addition to qualities and skills) might contribute to who that teacher is, as a person?

For Facilitators:

Suggest to the group that they brainstorm ideas, beliefs and assumptions about who or what a teacher is, as a person. Compile a list on a board, etc.

Activity:

To help you think deeper about your ideas of teacher identity, complete this statement with as many factors as you can. Make a list of all the items you come up with:

The most important factors in a teacher‘s identity, which contribute to who he or she is as a person and as a teacher, are _________________________.

There are no “correct” or “incorrect” answers here. Just list the factors that make sense to you. When you can think of nothing new to add, share with a colleague and see if he or she has other ideas to add or to challenge your ideas. Then click to continue.

Who Is the Teacher, as a Person?

To help expand your views of how different personal/cultural factors and how one‘s life experience contribute to teacher identity, here are some ideas that came from brainstorming amongst IRC staff in West and East Africa:

Personal Identity Elements Who are teachers as people?
Contributing personal and cultural factors Gender Race/ethnic/tribe/clan group Age Self-esteem/self-confidence Religious beliefs Personal relationships Physical appearance: e.g., uniform, dress code Other beliefs and attitudes – cultural Language
Contributing life experiences Past experiences (including trauma) Legal status – as refugee, returnee, etc. Level of education Professional certification Experience working with children Facilitation skill Other professional skills

Question for Reflection/Discussion:

What do you think about this list? In what ways are these items similar or different to the ones you listed? In what ways are they different?

Activity:

In your context, which important issues shape teacher identity? Make a list of them. If you had to rank these issues, which would you say has the most potential for affecting a teacher‘s ability to teach effectively? What elements do you think are important to the community's perception of teachers? Now discuss with a colleague your list of issues and why you ranked them as you did.

Who Is the Teacher, as a Person?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

As we‘ve discussed, teacher identity includes professional as well as personal elements. Both impact teaching and the work teachers do with children and youth. IRC staff in West and East Africa highlighted the influence of gender, ethnicity and religion on teacher identity. Think about these questions:

• How do gender, ethnicity and religion impact teacher identity?

• How might a teacher‘s gender, ethnicity and/or religion affect his or her attitudes toward students who share the same gender, ethnicity and/or religion?

• How might a teacher‘s gender affect his or her behavior toward students of the opposite gender?

• What about a teacher‘s attitude toward students of a different ethnicity and/or religion?

• How do any of these issues impact teaching and learning in your context?

Becoming a Teacher – Different Paths

In more stable and “developed” contexts, there are strict criteria for teacher selection. Across all levels of student education, usually only those teachers with formal teaching qualifications are accepted into the profession.

In the UK, for example, teaching is a graduate-only profession. Teachers must complete either a four-year Bachelors of Education degree program or a one-year Post-graduate Certificate in Education after any other bachelor's degree. Even in vocational training schools, professional certification is required for trainers. For example, in Sierra Leone, teachers of technical and vocational subjects are prepared through two types of programs: (1) a diploma program of three years' duration in the teacher training college, (2) a three- or four-year degree course in business or engineering followed by a year's post-graduate pedagogical study. Because of these entry requirements and the amount of time and effort required, entering the teaching profession is not a decision taken lightly. Prospective teachers usually have clear and strong reasons for becoming teachers. However, in emergency settings the criteria by which teachers are selected may have to change to accommodate the current situation.

Becoming a Teacher – Different Paths

In crisis and post-crisis contexts there are many pathways to teaching. For example, teachers are often nominated by their peers or elders in their community to teach the children. When Baziqa, now 14, finished the first grade, the teacher selected her to teach the new first grade class.

Where few qualified and experienced teachers are available, usually the most educated and most trustworthy men and women are selected as teachers. This is the case, for example, in the Shimelba refugee camp in northern Ethiopia and in the community-based schools that have been established with IRC support in Afghanistan and in Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan.

Likewise, experienced electricians were selected to teach three-month certificate training courses for young people in Pakistan. Many of them had never completed formal schooling. However, they had practical knowledge of the field and were able to offer students on-the-job training in addition to theory.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

What are the different pathways for becoming a teacher in your context? In what ways have they changed due to the crisis situation?

Becoming a Teacher – Different Paths

An important aspect of teacher identity is seeing oneself as a teacher. But what if the teachers never actually wanted to become teachers? Perhaps they took the job because better opportunities were not available. Perhaps they became teachers only because community members requested it of them. How might that affect their teacher identity?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

Think about situations in which you‘ve found yourself that required you to take on unexpected roles. Answer these questions:

• How did you deal with the new responsibilities?

• How might your attitude about the new "role" have helped you do your best?

• How might your attitude have gotten in the way of your performance?

Activity:

Sometimes new teachers may have difficulties in knowing what is expected of them by different people such as head teachers, supervisors, parents, students and program staff.

• In your context, how can you do a better job of making sure that teachers have a clear understanding of the expectations for the job?

• Make a list of questions you could ask in an interview or orientation session to assess the level of clarity teachers have about the job‘s requirements and expectations.

For Facilitators:

Encourage the participants to work together to make lists of these questions and role-play asking and answering them.

Beyond Delivering Lessons

When community members suddenly become teachers and are immediately placed in a learning environment, there is little time for professional training. Being thrust into a new role can cause “identity” confusion/difficulties for new teachers. If teacher training is available, it often assumes that trainees have a general idea of who and what a teacher is. It also assumes they know their roles and responsibilities.

As a result, these trainings usually focus only on “nuts and bolts” issues such as classroom organization, lesson planning and basic methodologies. They ensure that the lessons are delivered as well as possible. Of course subject lessons are important, but the teacher‘s broader role in protecting children and ensuring students‘ well-being is also highly important. Unfortunately, that aspect of teacher identity is rarely discussed. Teachers who have had difficult experiences, who have not chosen to be a teacher, and who have other ambitions in life may be even less prepared or motivated to fulfill this role.

Beyond delivering lessons, teachers‘ responsibilities include making sure that children and youth have:

• A feeling of belonging in the learning environment

• A sense of control over their lives

• Feelings of self-worth

• Positive relationships with teachers

• Positive relationships with peers

• An intellectually stimulating environment

Teachers who focus only on lesson delivery are rarely aware that these other responsibilities connect with student well-being. Providing support for new teachers, therefore, includes directing teachers to look at these critical elements of student well-being.

Communities can play an active role in providing additional support and encouragement for new teachers. Review the section on The Role of Parents and Community under the Student Well-Being module for more details.

For more detailed information about student well-being, explore the Student Well-Being Module.

Click here for Healing Classrooms Tools for Teachers and Teacher Educators.

Click here to learn more about supporting new teachers.

Beyond Delivering Lessons

On the other hand, despite a lack of professional training, some personal and cultural aspects of teacher identity can be positive forces for child protection: for student well-being and therefore for quality education. These cultural aspects include:

• A teacher who belongs to the same community/ethnic/religious group as students and can relate to them easily

• A teacher who speaks the same language as the students

• A teacher who is familiar with protection concerns faced by children and youth in her or his community and knows how to address these concerns using available resources

• A teacher who has good relationships with the children‘s families, etc.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

In your local context, you may know teachers who are fully committed to their work and to their identities as teachers. These teachers may continuously look for opportunities to enhance the well-being of their students.

• Think about these committed teachers and what exactly they do for their students, beyond the delivery of lessons.

• How you could support and encourage other teachers to follow this model of teaching for student well-being?

For Facilitators:

Encourage individuals to share the best practices of committed teachers with the group. Discuss which aspects of a teacher‘s identity contribute to a child-friendly, safe learning environment. Also talk about good practices as well as new ways to increase learner-centered teaching through training, interventions, teacher support networks and forums.

How Does Teacher Identity Affect Student Well-Being?

In crisis and post-crisis contexts, teachers may spend little or no time discussing codes of conduct and establishing clear expectations of professional behavior and attitudes. Ultimately this may mean that students‘ well-being is compromised. In the worst cases, teachers even use their professional position to exploit students. For example, they may charge students extra fees for extra help, and for providing class notes and educational pamphlets. They may demand sex for good grades and extra privileges in school. Some apprenticeship supervisors or teachers providing on-the-job training to students have subjected their students to long work hours and dangerous work conditions, and provided little supervision or compensation. This type of teacher behavior is absolutely wrong and unacceptable. Apprentices who live with their supervisors are especially vulnerable to abuse and exploitation because they have been separated from their parents or caregivers and have few other adults to turn to for support and protection.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

When teachers abuse their professional position to exploit and/or abuse students, what might be the result for the children‘s learning experiences? For student well-being?

How Does Teacher Identity Affect Student Well-Being?

The fact that some teachers in crisis and post-crisis situations may be under-qualified and lack teaching experience means that they have limited strategies to create learner-centered and child-friendly classrooms. In the absence of other models, teachers often fall back on the sort of teaching they experienced as student. Those educational experiences were probably very traditional, and may even have been abusive with a heavy use of corporal punishment.

Activity:

Building on the earlier discussion of the teacher identity issues in your context, consider how these issues impact teachers‘ capacity to promote student well-being through their everyday interactions with students. What are the ways teachers promote or inhibit student well-being? What identity factors contribute to teachers' promoting or preventing student well-being? Can you put these into a similar framework that would be a useful tool for program design and/or development?

A next step would be to consider how you would design a teacher training to emphasize the positive elements of teacher identity and the importance of protecting children and giving them a sense of belonging. How would you ensure that the teacher trainees got the message?

Promoting Student Well-Being

When teachers are unsure about being teachers and are half-heartedly committed to their work, they may not be very effective. For example, they are unlikely to spend time and effort preparing quality lesson plans or activities. They are unlikely to provide additional support to students who are experiencing difficulties. Furthermore, when other possible jobs and opportunities present themselves, uncommitted teachers leave. What about the children who have formed attachments to these teachers and have come to trust and rely on them? Children suffer when teachers who are a constant presence in their otherwise unstable and insecure lives leave teaching. A high turnover of teachers is not good for the students, for the school or the community.

Promoting Student Well-Being

Activity – Part 1:

Imagine a conversation between a troubled new teacher and his or her Program Officer. The teacher had no teaching experience prior to being asked to become a teacher. The teacher never felt “like a teacher.” Now the teacher has another job opportunity and is planning to leave. The Program Officer wants the teacher to stay. So do the students.

• What might the teacher say to the Program Officer to explain the situation?

• How might the Program Officer respond?

• Show that you understand the teacher‘s point of view by listing three reasons why the teacher wants to leave. Use what you‘ve learned about teacher identity issues as well as those from your own context.

• What might the Program Officer say to make the teacher reconsider the decision to leave?

Promoting Student Well-Being

Activity – Part 2:

Imagine the same teacher a few months earlier, when he or she first began teaching. Answer these questions:

• How could the Program Officer have anticipated some of the difficulties this new teacher might have?

• What training or teacher support activities might have prevented the teacher from leaving?

• How might ongoing support strengthen teacher identity so that teachers are more committed to the profession and the well-being of the students?

For Facilitators:

If you are in a group, ask two volunteers to act out the roles of teacher and Program Officer while the group listens closely to the perspectives of each actor. After a few moments, stop the actors and ask the group to describe what they heard and understood from each perspective.

In summary, it‘s not always possible to change someone‘s mind after they‘ve made a decision. But if training anticipates certain difficulties in the area of teacher identity, those difficulties can be addressed before they cause a teacher to leave. By helping teachers with teacher identity issues, you help with their professional and personal development, which can help to promote student well-being.

Summary Framework: Teacher Identity

Who you are as a person naturally impacts who you are as a teacher. It also greatly influences how you teach and/or work with children and youth. Through our focus on teacher identity, we are not defining the exact qualities and skills that constitute a teacher. Rather we are trying to identify a broad range of factors that make up teacher identity and influence it. It‘s important to recognize that some teacher identity factors carry more weight than others, depending on the country and context. Understanding the factors, whatever they may be, is key to developing effective and meaningful teacher support.

	Teacher Identity Framework
	Definition	Possible Positive Implications	Possible Negative Implications
Teacher Identity	The personal and cultural characteristics and experiences of teachers. Remember: Teachers are diverse men and women with varied experiences that brought them to teaching. They have their own priority needs, desires and expectations.	Teachers may have a strong desire to learn and develop themselves. Teachers may have been nominated by the community, have a deep understanding of the cultural and socio-economic context and have existing positive relationships and status with parents, children and youth, and community leaders.	Teachers may have joined the profession without a strong desire for teaching or promoting the protection and development of children and youth. Teachers often do not have professional identity as a teacher.

Activity:

Review this framework. Consider other possible positive implications for teacher identity issues in your context. Consider other possible negative implications of teacher identity issues as well. Now develop your own context-specific Teacher Identity Framework to use as a tool in program design and development.

Click here for a printable version of this framework.

Teacher Motivation

Introduction

Teaching is a difficult and demanding profession. Doing the job well requires that teachers give of themselves intellectually, emotionally and physically. It is also a very important job. The future of a society is in the hands of those who teach society‘s children and youth. Yet in spite of its demands and its importance, in many countries, teaching is not well paid compared to other professions. As a result, teaching cannot attract well-qualified people by salary alone. So what does motivate teachers?

Teacher motivation refers to the different professionally related factors within the school context that encourage teachers in their work. Teacher motivation sustains teachers when difficulties arise and may help them feel satisfied and proud to be a teacher. Motivational factors can include:

• Support from supervisors

• Support from colleagues

• Opportunities to learn

• Opportunities to participate in decision-making on school-related matters

• Regular, reasonable compensation

• Opportunities for vocational and skills trainers to expand their businesses

Understanding how these factors influence teachers is a key to providing them with the encouragement and support they need to be effective teachers.

Teacher motivation is one of the three interconnected pieces defining who a teacher is and what attitudes he or she has toward teaching. To explore/review the other parts of the puzzle – teacher identity and teacher well-being – you can use the menu on the left.

Introduction

In this section we will discuss different factors that create teacher motivation in contexts of crisis, post-crisis and state fragility. We will also consider the implications of these on student well-being. And we will draw on examples from Healing Classrooms findings, promising practice interventions and from the Healing Classrooms regional workshops in West and East Africa in September/October 2006.

By the end of this section, you will:

• Have an in-depth understanding of teacher motivation issues in contexts of crisis, post-crisis and state fragility

• Be able to apply these concepts and identify teacher motivation dynamics in your local context

• Understand how teacher motivation impacts positively and negatively on student well-being

• Identify actions that can be taken in your context to strengthen teacher motivation to support student well-being

Motivating Factors

Teacher motivation factors are especially important in crisis and post-crisis situations where teachers may be paid only a basic “incentive.” Or they may receive minimal compensation from the community through school fees or other in-kind contributions. If teachers are on the government payroll, fragile or post-crisis governments rarely have resources to compensate teachers fully for their work. Nor do they have the systems to ensure that teachers‘ salaries reach them on time and without the involvement of middlemen.

Even when teachers feel fortunate to receive their small compensation, there may be other factors within the school working to negatively impact teacher motivation. These may also cause teachers to perform poorly and even to leave the profession. Some potential discouraging factors may include:

• lack of experience

• low compensation

• difficult life circumstances

• apprehesion about meeting the immense needs of children and youth

Motivating Factors

In crisis and post-crisis contexts where there are uncertainties about the outlook for their community, teachers may be eager to do whatever they can to contribute to the community and to ensure brighter futures for the younger generation. This sort of motivation can help to ensure quality education. Other teacher motivations that can positively impact students include ongoing teacher education and professional development opportunities. The objective in exploring issues of teacher motivation is not just that teachers remain in their teaching jobs. The hope is that they grow and develop as teachers, working to provide children with quality instruction and interaction oriented to healing and well-being.

Motivating Factors

We can all agree that it is important to have good teachers. We can also agree that salary alone is not likely to be enough of a motivator for teachers to want to continue working to become excellent teachers. That is why it is essential to understand what motivates and what discourages teachers in your context. Only then can you strengthen the existing motivators, address factors that discourage teachers and introduce new motivators.

Activity:

To help you think about teacher motivation, complete these two statements:

Teachers in my context are motivated by ___________________________.

Teachers in my context are discouraged by _________________________.

Read the statements over and over and "fill in the blanks," completing the statement in any way that holds true for you. There are no "correct" or "incorrect" answers. When you can think of nothing new to add, share with a colleague and see if he or she has any new ideas, or ideas that challenge your initial thoughts.

For Facilitators:

If you are facilitating a group, brainstorm ideas about what motivates and discourages teachers. Compile the group‘s ideas on a board, flipchart or paper if available.

Motivating Factors

To help you expand your views, review these ideas the IRC staff in West and East Africa suggested as some factors that motivate teachers:

Teachers involved in vocational and skills training and youth programs have also reported the following additional motivating factors:

Activity Part 1:

Review these motivation factors. How are they similar to the ones you gave? How are they different? Change or add to the list above to reflect the realities of your context. When it is complete, share it with other staff or colleagues for further input. It can then be used as a tool for program design and development.

Motivating Factors

Activity Part 2:

Review the list above and add or change any additional motivations important for teachers in your context. Remove any factors that do not apply in your context. Again, when it is complete, share it with other staff or colleagues for further input and discussion. Which motivations do you think are most significant? For which teachers? For example, are the motivators the same for male and female teachers? Are the motivators the same for school teachers and teachers in vocational and skills training for youth? What impacts might these different motivations have on students?

Motivating Factors

During teacher trainings, IRC staff discussed the relationship between teacher trauma and motivation. Specifically they explored how teaching and caring for children and youth could actually help teachers themselves and support their own psychosocial well-being. Therefore, the opportunity to teach in and of itself may constitute a significant form of motivation.

At the same time, however, trauma may mean that teachers are unable to cope well with the stresses of the classroom, or with the emotional and learning needs of vulnerable children and youth.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

In your context, how would you evaluate the relationship between teacher trauma and motivation?

Teacher Motivation and Student Well-Being

The relationship between teacher motivation and student well-being is not complicated. If teachers are happy, if they feel professionally stimulated and have the technical and moral support from colleagues and supervisors, then these feelings will be reflected in the quality of their teaching. They will manage their classrooms more effectively and do well in their relationships and communications with children, youth and their parents. Motivated teachers are likely to “go the extra mile” to ensure a child has understood a difficult math problem, for example. They will follow up if a young person seems “under the weather,” or is acting out of character one day. Children and youth will also respond to teachers' positive attitude and will be encouraged to trust them, to ask questions and to share any concerns.

Teacher Motivation and Student Well-Being

When teachers are discouraged and disgruntled and when they feel isolated, unsupported, and unmotivated, children and youth suffer. Unmotivated teachers are not likely to spend more than the minimum amount of time on teaching-related activities. If these teachers experience negative behavior from colleagues or community members, their professional dissatisfaction may lead to a tendency to try to retaliate against their students. Teachers may target children or youth with a rough and uncaring manner. Likewise, these teachers might exhibit an “I don‘t care” attitude toward their duties.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

Building on the earlier discussion of the teacher motivation issues in your context, now consider how motivation issues impact teachers‘ capacity to promote student well-being through their everyday interactions in the classroom. What has been the effect on the learning experiences of children and/or youth?

Summary Framework: Teacher Motivation

Teacher motivation is an important factor in promoting quality teaching oriented to the healing, well-being and protection of children and youth. Teachers should always receive a decent salary and adequate compensation for the important work they do.

Click here to read the teacher management guidelines outlined in the UNESCO / ILO Recommendations.

Other motivation factors found in the school environment, relationships with students, colleagues, community, and the act of teaching and facilitating learning, deserve consideration as well. Different factors have power to motivate and/or discourage teachers in crisis and post-crisis contexts. They need to be studied and acknowledged, with appropriate and context-specific steps taken to support rather than diminish teacher motivation.

	Teacher Motivation Framework
	Definition	Possible Positive Implications	Possible Negative Implications
Teacher Motivation	The different professionally related factors within the school context that encourage or discourage teachers in their work. + Positive factors may help them feel happy, satisfied and proud to be a teacher. These factors may sustain them when difficulties arise. - Negative factors make teachers feel frustrated, unmotivated, and professionally isolated and unsupported.	Teachers may be motivated by other factors, such as a desire to help their community or to be a community leader. Teachers may be encouraged through participatory approaches to training and management that respect and value their skills and experience. Support from colleagues, an opportunity to learn and participation in decision-making on school-related matters	Teachers may be easily discouraged by difficult working conditions. (A small or non-existent salary). Teachers may be discouraged by negative attitudes (“deficit model”) from trainers and managers. Lack of inclusion in decision-making processes on school-related issues.

Click here for a printable version of this framework.

Activity:

Review this framework. Consider other possible positive implications for teacher motivation issues in your context. Consider other possible negative implications of teacher motivation issues as well. Now develop your own context-specific Teacher Motivation framework to use as a tool in program design and development related to teacher support.

Teacher Well-Being

Introduction

Teachers in crisis and post-crisis contexts are frequently affected by the same traumatic events their students and their family members have lived through. They may have experienced the loss of loved ones, homes, property and previous jobs. Naturally, these events can affect a teacher‘s well-being.

Teacher well-being refers to lived experiences and factors outside of the school context and which are related to community and family. These well-being factors encourage teachers in their work and sustain them when difficulties arise. They may help teachers feel happy, satisfied and proud to be a teacher. Teacher well-being factors can include:

• The ability to support and be supported by family and friends

• Safety and security for themselves and their loved ones

• Physical health, particularly among teachers with HIV/AIDS

• Hope and confidence in the future

Teacher well-being is one of the three interconnected pieces defining who a teacher is and what attitudes he or she has toward teaching. To explore/review the other parts of the puzzle – teacher identity and teacher motivation – you can use the menu on the left.

Introduction

In this section we will discuss different factors that contribute to teacher well-being in contexts of crisis, post-crisis and state fragility. We‘ll also consider the implications of these factors on student well-being, drawing on examples from Healing Classrooms findings and promising practice interventions, as well as from the Healing Classrooms regional workshops in West and East Africa in September and October 2006.

By the end of this section, you will:

• Have an in-depth understanding of factors affecting teacher well-being in contexts of crisis, post-crisis and state fragility

• Be able to apply these concepts and identify teacher well-being issues in your local context

• Understand the possible positive and negative implications of teacher well-being for student well-being

• Identify actions to take to strengthen teacher well-being in your context

Well-Being Factors – Teachers Are More Than Teachers

Teachers in crisis, post-crisis and fragile situations may be so preoccupied with their own survival and that of their families that they can invest little real energy and commitment in their teaching. In times of physical, economic and social uncertainty, teachers experience high levels of stress, which makes it difficult for them to think clearly, to be a healing influence on their students and to protect students from additional harm or abuse.

In such situations, especially when teachers have limited teaching strategies, they may be easily provoked to anger and violence. Teacher stress and a lack of checks and balances in place puts children and youth – and especially girls and young women – at high risk for abuse and exploitation.

A Positive Force

As highlighted in the section on teacher identity, we recognize that teachers may also be mothers, fathers, daughters, etc. During difficult circumstances they are, quite naturally, concerned with their own family‘s protection, security and survival. Teachers‘ personal losses and preoccupations can have a profound impact on teachers‘ abilities. Therefore, teachers may need space or support in processing their own grief before they can effectively find the emotional resources to serve children and youth. Increasing their capacity to look after themselves and their families will also positively impact teachers‘ abilities to provide appropriate instruction, protection and support for students in their care.

There are some aspects of teacher well-being in emergency contexts that are a positive force for child protection, for student well-being and, therefore, for quality education. For example, in very difficult circumstances with huge uncertainties about the future, the men and women who can contribute to the community by teaching the future generation may feel positive about the future.

Question for Reflection/Discussion: What do you think are important factors influencing teacher well-being in your context?

IRC Brainstorm

To help you expand your views and your understanding of teachers, here are some different aspects of teachers‘ well-being identified by IRC staff in West and East Africa:

Activity:

Review this list. Add or change any teacher well-being factors that are important for teachers in your context. Remove any from the list that do not apply in your context. Share your context-specific list with other staff and colleagues for review and further discussion. Which factors do you think are most significant? For which teachers? For example, are they the same for male and female teachers? Are they the same for school teachers, vocational and skills trainers and non-formal education teachers and trainers? What are the effects (positive or negative) of these factors for students?

Gender

Staff in Africa discussed how gender and age are linked to well-being. Gender is a significant issue in relation to a sense of security. For example, on the way to school, women may feel at risk for gender-based/sexual violence, whereas male teachers may be at risk for other forms of violence. Staff members also suggested that because of the gender roles and expectations in their communities, a male teacher may have particular worries about feeding and clothing his family and paying his children‘s school fees.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

What do you think are some other connections between gender and well-being? In what ways are these or other gender issues relevant in your context?

HIV/AIDS

Particularly in Africa and parts of South Asia, HIV/AIDS has created a crisis of epic proportions. In 2006, UNAIDS reported 21 percent of teachers in South Africa aged 25 to 34 are living with HIV. The effect and threat of this disease on teacher well-being should not be under-estimated.

Teachers who are affected by HIV and AIDS are likely to take increasing periods of time off work. Those with sick families may also take time off to attend funerals or to care for sick or dying relatives, and further absenteeism may result from the psychological effects of the epidemic.

Question for Reflection/Discussion: In what ways are the effects and threat of HIV/AIDS or other health issues relevant in your context?

Teacher Well-Being and Student Well-Being

The relationship between teacher well-being and student well-being is simple to understand. If teachers feel safe and secure in their community and have the support from family members and the greater community to do their work well, then these feelings will be reflected in the quality of their teaching and their ability to support student well-being. Likewise, when teachers know that they can provide for the needs of their family and fulfill their obligations as mother, father, daughter, son, etc., then this sense of security translates into quality teaching and positive relationships with students and their families.

Teachers who have themselves experienced difficult circumstances, trauma, separation from family and general uncertainty, but have support to cope with it, are uniquely qualified to understand and meet some of their students‘ emotional needs.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

Building on the earlier discussion of the teacher well-being issues in your own local context, now consider how teacher well-being issues positively enhance teachers‘ capacity to promote student well-being through their everyday classroom interactions.

Teacher Well-Being and Student Well-Being

When teachers are preoccupied with worries about their own family, and feel frustrated that they cannot fulfill their family obligations, they may have little energy to expend on "other people’s" children. They are likely to be impatient, and rise to anger quickly. These teachers may even spend their lesson time telling the students about their personal difficulties instead of teaching the lessons. This is very inappropriate and unprofessional.

In Liberia, for example, when asked about the stressors in their lives, teachers expressed frustrations of not earning enough money to be able to pay the school fees required to send their own children to school. These teachers are not likely to be attentive to and aware of children’s social and emotional needs. Even if teachers are aware of students’ needs, the teachers’ own frustrations and emotional needs may get in the way of their ability to respond to children effectively – with patience, consistency, calmness and professionalism.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

Consider if and how teacher well-being issues in your context negatively affect teachers’ capacity to promote student well-being through their everyday classroom interactions. What actions can you take to support teachers’ well-being? How might a teacher support another teacher's (a colleague's) well-being?

Summary Framework: Teacher Well-Being

Although we have discussed them separately, teacher identity, motivation and well-being are cross-cutting issues.

	Teacher Well-Being Framework
	Definition	Possible Positive Implications	Possible Negative Implications
Teacher Well-Being	The different factors outside the school context – related more to community and family – that encourage teachers in their work, sustain them when difficulties arise and may help them feel happy, satisfied and proud to be a teacher. Teacher well–being factors can also discourage teachers and make them feel insecure, worried, etc.	Being a teacher may be a source of satisfaction, comfort and empowerment to teachers – especially women.	Teachers may be experiencing stress and preoccupation with their own situation, meaning that they are not able to devote the time and attention needed to meet individual student needs.

Click here for a printable version of the framework.

Activity:

Review this framework. Consider other possible positive implications for teacher well-being factors in your context. Consider other possible negative implications of teacher well-being issues as well. How do they interconnect in your context? What are the effects – positive and negative – for students? Now make your own, context-specific Teacher Well-Being framework to use as a tool for program design and development.

Teacher Tentativeness and Alternative Qualifications

Introduction

What does understanding Teacher Identity, Teacher Motivation and Teacher Well-Being actually mean for IRC staff when implementing programs? It might mean that some teachers have a hard time being committed to or staying in the teaching profession because of the various identity, motivational and/or well-being factors. We call this Teacher Tentativeness.

It might also mean that some teachers lack official qualifications (like a high school degree, etc.) but are still good teachers. And because of positive identity, motivational and well-being factors, these gifted teachers know how to support student well-being and should not be turned away. We refer to these other factors as having Alternative Qualifications. Both Teacher Tentativeness and having Alternative Qualifications can coexist within an individual or a group of teachers in a particular context.

Introduction

In the previous sections we discussed some specific identities, experiences, motivations, personal priorities and concerns of teachers. We have identified their positive and negative implications for child protection and student well-being. Now we will continue with a focus on issues of Teacher Tentativeness and Alternative Qualifications and the potential impact of each on students.

By the end of this section, you will:

• Have an in-depth understanding of the concepts of teacher tentativeness and alternative qualifications, including the relationship between the two

• Be able to apply these concepts to describe positive and negative teacher-related issues and dynamics in the local contexts

• Identify appropriate actions and programming interventions that build on teachers‘ alternative qualifications and lessen the negative factors of teacher tentativeness

Defining the Concepts

Teacher tentativeness and alternative qualifications are two sides of the same coin. Teacher tentativeness encompasses the negative forces relating to teacher identity, experience, motivation and well-being. Alternative qualifications encompass the more positive forces.

Question for Reflection/Discussion:

What are the key elements contributing to teacher tentativeness in your context? What might be the key elements of teachers‘ alternative qualifications?

Teacher Tentativeness

The concept of teacher tentativeness describes the reality of many of the crisis and post-crisis situations in which the IRC works. The men and women who are selected or who volunteer to be teachers are not necessarily able to think about themselves as career teachers, nor can they imagine that they will continue teaching in the future. In addition, many vocational and skills trainers or literacy, numeracy and life skills teachers teach on a part-time basis, thus teaching is not their primary profession. There are many different reasons for tentativeness, and they are usually related to the harsh realities of the teachers‘ lives.

It is important to stress that teacher tentativeness is not necessarily an expression of a lack of interest or commitment on the teachers‘ part. Rather, it is rooted in the socio-economic and political conditions in which teachers find themselves. These combined conditions make it difficult for a teacher to be fully attentive to the demands of teaching.

Being a Teacher – A Result of Circumstances

For many teachers, their current role as a teacher is strongly connected to their experiences of becoming and being a refugee, a returnee or a member of a crisis-affected community. In other circumstances most of the men and women teaching would probably not have become teachers. Yet, when there is an obvious need and when they are either nominated by community members or have the opportunity to volunteer, there are some significant incentives for them to teach. These may include:

• A sense of satisfaction at being able to do something for the community that will have a long-term positive impact.

• Knowing that a teaching job assures that they will continue their own learning and personal development.

• The economic benefits (however small!) of a regular salary or incentive. In contexts where there are few other possibilities for generating income, becoming a teacher may be the only option. Or it might just be a more appealing option than others, for example, harder physical or manual work.

• The relative status of teachers in the community and the respect that they may gain from parents and community members.

• For vocational and skills trainers, the opportunity to expand their businesses and identify new markets, new employees, new equipment and techniques for offering better products or services.

Being a Teacher – But with a Limited Sense of Professional Identity

Teachers who are untrained, who are inexperienced, who may not even have completed their own education and who have become teachers only as a result of circumstances, may have difficultly in thinking of themselves as teachers. Part of their difficulty in developing a strong sense of teacher identity seems to be that they themselves do not match up to the mental models they have of teachers from their own experience as a student. They know that their own teachers were relatively well educated, were older, had years of experience and may have completed teacher training courses or other advanced training or specialized education. In comparison to their own perceptions of what a teacher is and what sort of experience and knowledge they have, many of the teachers feel inadequate. They may feel that they are only playing the role of a teacher.

Being a Teacher – Amidst Social and Economic Uncertainty

Teachers are critical in providing education to the children and youth of their community. As a result, they may have a certain status. However, teachers are also very much part of this same community. They have lived through similar experiences to the children, youth and their parents prior to, during and in the aftermath of a crisis. That means that teachers‘ own living conditions, family, economic priorities and the uncertainties of life for them (as refugees, IDPs, returnees or in host communities) are very similar to those of the students and their parents. These shared experiences can serve as both a positive and negative force on teachers. On the one hand, they may be able to understand and relate to the needs of their students. On the other hand, external difficulties may present significant obstacles to their work.

While the teachers may have a strong commitment to providing the best education, protection and support possible to children and youth, their teaching may be only “tentative” because they are forced to make strategic decisions about their future and that of their family. Since becoming teachers was largely the result of external conditions, those conditions will determine how long they continue to teach.

Being a Teacher – Amidst Social and Economic Uncertainty

Often because of low and/or irregular salaries, teaching is not the most promising option for educated men and women. Other job possibilities are likely to be more attractive. The need to provide for their families – and often large, extended families – is great. That means that many teachers would leave the classroom for an increased income, or for a job with fewer hours and therefore more possibilities to engage in additional income-generating activities. Refugee teachers who are considering repatriation often cannot decide ahead of time whether they will continue to teach. So much will depend on the conditions to which they return, on the different opportunities available, and, ultimately for most, on what appears to be the best way to support their families.

Being a Female Teacher – Amidst Social and Economic Uncertainty

For female teachers, the tentativeness of their teaching often relates to their family situation and to other competing demands on their time. The Healing Classrooms assessment identified this issue particularly in Afghanistan where female teachers depend on the approval and support of fathers and husbands to continue teaching.

This tentativeness has serious implications for student well-being. For example, preoccupied teachers may spend limited time on lesson preparation and on ensuring the quality of their instruction. In the case of teachers actually leaving the school for alternative employment, children and youth will likely be negatively affected by the loss of adults with whom they have built a trusting relationship. Students may also then be faced with an unfamiliar adult coming to teach.

Being a Female Teacher – Amidst Social and Economic Uncertainty

Ensuring that known and trusted individuals continue to teach is particularly critical for children and youth affected by emergencies, conflict and crisis. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, if female teachers running classes for girls in their homes are forced to give up, there are serious implications for access to education, especially for girls. In many locations girls‘ education is dependent on communities knowing and trusting certain teachers. To provide children with quality and sustained education, it is critical to ensure that teachers receive support to continue teaching and to further develop their skills.

Being Alternatively Qualified

Alternative qualification is the recognition of the ways in which, despite challenges and limited or no training/experience, many teachers in emergency situations are very well qualified to teach. Their qualifications are not necessarily formal paper certificates that come from years of study. Because teachers are often from the same or similar ethnic, linguistic and cultural communities as the students and their families, and have lived – and continue to live – in the same situations, teachers have a sense of responsibility, commitment and innate understandings of the children, youth and their needs.

Recognizing the ways in which the teachers are well suited and capable of providing education, training, protection and support to the children and youth in their community may help to counteract the tentativeness. This can also enhance teachers‘ self-esteem and confidence, and therefore promote more effective teaching and healing for children and youth.

Challenging the Deficit Model

Many teacher workshops and seminars are well intentioned and may be very well received. But these trainings often tend to concentrate on filling the gaps in teacher knowledge and skills. In other words, they focus on a “deficit model,” portraying teachers in crisis situations as under-educated and under-trained.

The following excerpt explains what IRC means by a "deficit model":

By focusing on teachers only in terms of what they are lacking, teacher training workshops generally pay little attention to the positive strengths, skills and attitudes these men and women bring to the classroom and neglect to model a style of teaching and working with children and youth that builds on their strengths and abilities.

Challenging the Deficit Model

Alternative qualifications should not be romanticized or used as a reason not to provide much-needed teacher training and support. It is clear that there are limits to the extent of alternative qualifications, and the ways in which teachers can articulate and actually apply their alternative knowledge in classrooms. However, challenging the deficit model of teachers in crisis situations is important. Why? Because factors that constitute teachers‘ alternative qualifications are important elements in ensuring student well-being. These factors include teachers who:

• Have knowledge of and a commitment to the community and its children

• Share the same gender as their students (specifically female teachers)

• Appreciate the opportunity for their own learning, development and contribution

• Have practical experience applying the skills and knowledge in the subject areas or skills they teach (especially valuable for vocational and skills trainers)

Because these factors are essential to acknowledge and build on in the design and implementation of education programs, they will be explained in greater detail as we continue.

Knowledge of and Commitment to the Community and Its Children

Illiteracy and low levels of education are an obstacle to development. Education offers expanded opportunities for individual children, youth and their families, and for the community as a whole. As relatively well-educated or skilled members of the community, teachers who have been nominated to teach usually understand the potential of education and are prepared to do what they can to help children and youth have better futures.

Teachers understand the importance of education and supporting young people, and yet, at the same time they also understand the obstacles children and youth might face. These obstacles can include:

• Inability to pay school fees and other schooling costs

• Need for children to work and contribute to family incomes

• Resistance from parents for girls to go to school

Through understanding and recognizing the influential role they can play in the community, teachers may be motivated to change situations by responding sympathetically and with culturally appropriate strategies; for example, informally talking to resistant parents over tea in the evening.

Gender

Gender is a crosscutting dimension of both teacher tentativeness and alternative qualification. Gender may determine:

• The competing demands on teachers' time

• The expectations that families and communities have of their roles

• Their own perceptions of future priorities for themselves, their family and community

For example, female teachers are usually expected to care for their own young children, to keep the house and even to tend to farmland and animals around the home. Men who head households are usually expected to feed their families and provide shelter, clothing and other needs. In many contexts where women have far less access to formal, residential teacher-education programs, gender may determine who is able to become formally qualified.

In particularly conservative contexts, such as rural Afghanistan, where parents may not allow their daughters to attend classes or other educational activities with male teachers, being a female teacher is an important qualification. In other contexts, although the situation might not be quite as strict, supporting female teachers and/or female classroom assistants may also be a strategy to increase the girls‘ enrollment, retention and achievement in school, to create more gender-responsive learning environments, and to identify and to address additional protection concerns that girls face.

Click here to learn more about introducing female classroom assistants to schools.

Appreciating Their Own Opportunity to Learn, Develop and Contribute

An additional dimension of being alternatively qualified may be teachers‘ appreciation of the opportunities they have to be in a learning environment. Especially in situations where there are few opportunities for further study and training, teachers are often able to attend trainings and workshops in different subjects, can learn new skills such as how to use new technologies, and have access to books and learning materials (particularly in English). They are, therefore, able to pursue their own personal development, which helps to ensure brighter prospects for the future – something that is not always be possible in other jobs. At the same time, being a teacher allows individuals to gain satisfaction from making a positive contribution to their community and to the lives of individual students.

Teacher Tentativeness-Alternative Qualifications Summary

Teacher tentativeness-Alternative qualifications are really “two sides of the same coin.” The chart below summarizes the concepts described in this section and helps us to see the positive and negative forces inherent within the overall theme of teacher identity, motivation and well-being.

Teacher Identity, Motivation and Well-Being Locally recruited teachers Teachers from the crisis-affected community Teachers with low levels of education and training
Teacher Tentativeness Potentially Negative Forces	Being Alternatively Qualified Potentially Positive Forces
Being a Teacher – A Result of Circumstances Limited teaching experience and skills – especially strategies to create learner-centered and child-friendly classrooms	Strong Commitment to the Community and Particularly Children & Youth Desire to contribute to the community and ensure brighter futures Responsibilities to live up to the trust and expectations of children, youth, their parents and the community Being part of the same community and having lived the same crisis situation, having similar beliefs in the power of education, having special insights into the protection concerns and needs of children and youth and being aware of traditional mechanisms and strategies
Being a Teacher – But without a Sense of Professional Identity Fall back on the sort of teaching they experienced as a student Limited sense of professionalism	Gender Positive impacts for girls and young women – creating access and conducive learning environment
Being a Teacher – Amidst Social and Economic Uncertainty Being preoccupied with their own survival and that of their families prevents teachers from investing real energy and commitment to their teaching Stressed and easily provoked to anger, violence and exploitation May leave teaching – or fail to continue upon repatriation	Appreciating Opportunities to Learn, Develop and Contribute Appreciation of access to learning resources and trainings and of the intellectual exercise of teaching

Activity:

Consider the concepts of teacher tentativeness and being alternatively qualified. In your context, is either side of the coin stronger? If so, which one – the negative side or the positive side? What efforts are being made to support and promote alternative qualifications? What efforts are being made to address teacher tentativeness? What additional actions could be developed? Work with colleagues to develop a similar table that is context-specific and that could be used as a tool for program design and development, and for action research.

Click here for a printable version of this framework.

Using the Framework: Actions to Support Teacher Identity, Motivation and Well-Being

In this section we will apply the understanding of teachers, teachers‘ lives and experience to the identification of programming strategies that promote quality teaching, learning, and student and teacher well-being. The Teacher Tentativeness – Alternative Qualifications framework we‘ve provided should be used as a basis for action to strengthen the potential of teachers to support crisis-affected children and youth.

By the end of the section, you will:

• Be able to identify appropriate strategies to recognize and build on teachers‘ alternative qualifications and to lessen tentativeness.

Using the Framework: Actions to Support Teacher Identity, Motivation and Well-Being

The framework below indicates some of the actions that have been taken within the IRC Healing Classrooms to address the contextualized issues that create the negative forces of teacher tentativeness, and attempt to build on the positive forces of alternative qualifications.

Teacher Identity, Motivation and Well-Being Locally recruited teachers Teachers from the crisis-affected community Teachers with low levels of education and training
Teacher Tentativeness: Addressing Potentially Negative Forces	Being Alternatively Qualified: Bolstering Potentially Positive Forces
Being a Teacher – A Result of Circumstances Engaging teachers in Ethiopia in creating a teacher development framework that recognizes their specific experiences and needs Gender training in Guinea that involves teachers in a discussion of their own experiences	Strong Commitment to the Community and Particularly Children Developing child protection-focused teacher training for teachers in Herat, Afghanistan
Being a Teacher – But without a Sense of Professional Identity Community-based teacher meetings in Afghanistan Efforts in Guinea and Sierra Leone to ensure that refugee teachers gain professional qualifications, accredited by MoEs Developing an “orientation to teaching” training for new teachers in Afghanistan Fostering relationships between formally trained and experienced teachers and less experienced teachers serving schools in similar geographical areas	Gender Female teaching assistants in Liberia who develop their skills to become teachers Gender training for male teachers and administrators to understand importance of female teachers and classroom assistants
Being a Teacher – Amidst Social and Economic Uncertainty Psychosocial training for teachers that addresses their own “self-care needs” as well as the needs of students Working with MoEs to include community-based teachers on payrolls	Appreciating Opportunities to Learn, Develop and Contribute “Circles for Change” teacher groups in Ethiopia to develop leadership skills

Click here for more details of these interventions.

Click here for a printable version of this framework.

Using the Framework: Actions to Support Teacher Identity, Motivation and Well-Being

Activity:

Use the framework to complete these tasks:

• Review the contextualized framework that you developed with the most important teacher tentativeness and alternative qualifications issues affecting teachers and the quality of their support for children in your local context.

• Identify actions that could be taken.

• Review the example actions included above and discuss if and how any of these would be relevant in your context.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

In relation to Being a Teacher – Amidst Social and Economic Uncertainty, review the section entitled Supporting Teachers in Difficult Times on page 19 in the Healing Classrooms Guide for Teachers and Teacher Educators. How do current teacher training workshops reflect such content? How is it relevant for the teachers in your context? How could such content be integrated? In what ways would fellow IRC staff members also benefit from an opportunity to develop “self-care” and “peer care”? How could this content be adapted and integrated into staff development activities?

Quiz

Now it is time to see how well you understand the concepts presented in this module by responding to these 10 questions, one at a time, on a piece of paper. If you are having any trouble, review the indicated section and then answer the question. Good luck!

For Facilitators:

Have the learners work on their own on these questions, in their own language if they choose, and then lead a discussion to compare the different responses.

1. Name at least three elements of teacher identity.

Need review? Click here.

Be sure to answer this question BEFORE you go on to the next.

2. Identify at least one cultural aspect of teacher identity that may positively impact student well-being.

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Be sure to answer this question BEFORE you go on to the next.

3. Identify at least one element of teacher identity that may have a negative impact on student well-being.

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4. Name four factors that can contribute to teacher motivation.

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5. How does teacher motivation help to ensure student well-being?

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6. How do discouraged teachers negatively impact students?

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7. Name at least three factors that may help teacher well-being.

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8. Identify how teacher well-being can support student well-being.

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9. Suggest some ways in which a Community Education Committee or PTA might support teacher well-being.

There is no single correct answer here. Reflect on all you have learned about teacher identity, motivation and well-being, and on what support strategies make sense to you.

Be sure to answer this question BEFORE you go on to the next.

That‘s the end of the quiz. Review your responses and then check here to see how well you‘ve done.

Answers for Module 2 Quiz

Check the answers below after you have reviewed the text and responded to the quiz questions.

1. Name at least three elements of teacher identity.

Teacher identity includes elements such as: gender, age, ethnicity, religion, class, caste and linguistic group.

2. Identify at least one cultural aspect of teacher identity that may positively impact student well-being.

Cultural aspects of teacher identity that can positively impact student well-being include:

• Speaking the same language as the students

• Belonging to the same community/ethnic/religious group as the students

• Having good relationships with the students’ families, etc.

3. Identify at least one element of teacher identity that may have a negative impact on student well-being.

Elements of teacher identity that can be negative for student well-being include:

• Having little teaching experience and/or training

• Not having completed one’s own education

• Not ever having wanted to be a teacher

4. Name four factors that can contribute to teacher motivation.

Factors that can contribute to teacher motivation include:

• Students’ learning and enthusiasm to learn

• Support from the students’ parents

• A stimulating professional environment including: supportive colleagues, helpful feedback from supervisors, consultation from administrators in decision-making, resources such as library books

• Salary

• Access to new and better learning materials, technologies, tools and equipment

• Opportunities for vocational and skills trainers to expand their businesses

• Opportunity to contribute to the welfare of one's community

5. How does teacher motivation help to ensure student well-being?

The relationship between teacher motivation and student well-being is not complicated. If teachers are happy, if they feel professionally stimulated and have the technical and moral support from colleagues and supervisors, then these feelings will be reflected in the quality of their teaching. They will manage their classrooms more effectively and do well in their relationships and communications with children, youth and their parents. Motivated teachers are likely to “go the extra mile” to ensure a child has understood a difficult math problem, for example. They will follow up if a young person seems “under the weather,” or is acting out of character one day. Children and youth will also respond to the teacher’s positive attitude and will be encouraged to trust the teacher, to ask questions and to share any concerns.

6. How do discouraged teachers negatively impact students?

When teachers are discouraged and disgruntled and when they feel isolated, unsupported and unmotivated, children and youth suffer. Unmotivated teachers are not likely to spend more than the minimum amount of time on teaching-related activities. If these teachers experience negative behavior from colleagues or community members, their professional dissatisfaction may lead to a tendency to retaliate against their students. Teachers may target children and youth with a rough and uncaring manner. Likewise, these teachers might exhibit an “I don’t care” attitude toward their duties.

7. Name three factors that may help teacher well-being.

Factors that may contribute to teacher well-being include:

• Personal safety and feeling secure at school, at home and on the way to and from school

• Support from the students’ parents

• Being able to provide for one’s family’s needs

• Being able to send one’s children to school

• Being able to attend to one's health needs, especially teachers with HIV/AIDS

• Respect from the community for the work they do.

8. Identify how teacher well-being can support student well-being:

The relationship between teacher well-being and student well-being is simple to understand. If teachers feel safe and secure in their community and have the support from family members to do their work well, then these feelings will be reflected in the quality of their teaching. Likewise, when teachers know that they can provide for the needs of their family and fulfill their obligations as mother, father, daughter, sister, etc., they will excel in their teaching and have positive relationships with students and their families.

Teachers who have themselves experienced difficult circumstances, trauma and uncertainty, but have support to cope with it, are uniquely qualified to understand and meet some of the children’s emotional needs.

9 . Suggest some ways in which a Community Education Committee or PTA might support teacher well-being.

Community members might, for example, provide some additional food to teachers’ families from their harvest; they might develop a roster to provide help to the teachers with their farm work and household chores, even to baby-sit their children. They might offer to collect anything the teachers need if they are traveling into the town on a school day. Aside from such concrete actions, small things like greeting the teacher with warmth and respect, consulting with the teachers on community issues, etc. help teachers to feel good about themselves and what they are doing.

Click here to re-take the quiz.

Click here to review Teacher Well-Being Module from the beginning.

Click here to access the Teacher Well-Being Workshop Guide

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Workshop Guide

Working with Teachers, Administrators, Education Authorities and Communities

We‘ve provided a guide for a workshop for teachers, administrators, education authorities and communities on the themes of Teacher Identity, Motivation and Well-Being. You can access it by clicking here. We hope you will use this tool to create a dynamic training. We encourage you to take the objectives and the activities and expand from there as is appropriate in your context.

By the end of this section, you should be able to effectively:

• Develop a tailored training session to engage a diverse group of education stakeholders on issues related to teacher identity, motivation and well-being

• Encourage these stakeholders to recognize their complementary roles in supporting teachers to support children and youth

• Critically reflect on the training session with co-facilitators and be able to make suggestions for improvements to subsequent sessions

• Develop and deliver relevant training to teachers, communities and government authorities on the topic of teacher identity, motivation and well-being

The collective Healing Classrooms Teacher Identity, Motivation and Well-Being Framework is also a tool to engage teachers, communities and education authorities in discussions about teacher recruitment, retention and development. Because of its holistic nature, the framework helps stakeholders to think broadly and creatively. It also promotes an understanding that there are multiple forms of motivation and sources of support (communities and authorities; partners such as NGOs and UN agencies), which can help to create the conditions for teacher well-being. The framework may help you to engage authorities and communities in productive discussions about teachers, their roles in communities and societies, and their realities. It can be a stimulus to elicit participants‘ suggestions of different contextualized ways in which they can support teachers.

Working with Teachers, Administrators, Education Authorities and Communities

The Workshop Guide is designed to be adapted by you and your colleagues for use with different groups. The workshop may address the following needs:

• A need to further mobilize communities to provide financial and/or in-kind support to teachers

• A need for PTAs to have a framework within which they can advocate for improved support to teachers as a strategy for improving the quality of education

• A framework for local teachers‘ associations to make their own advocacy demands of governments and local education authorities

• A scenario where refugee teachers are repatriating and strategies have to be developed that will encourage them to enter and stay in the teaching profession on their return home

Activity/Questions for discussion as you plan the workshop:

• What do you think is the added value of the Healing Classrooms framework in this situation?

• What do you think will be the challenges for you in presenting the Healing Classrooms framework?

• How can you address these challenges?

• What special changes do you think you may have to make for a workshop in this context?

The activities presented may take about two days of workshop time, but the time can be shortened or extended depending on the particular needs of the group and also on the level and depth to which you are able to discuss the issues.

Post Workshop De-Briefing

Activity/Questions for discussion after the workshop:

The following questions may be useful prompts for your team‘s reflection during a post-workshop debriefing:

• In general, what do you think went well in the workshop?

• In general, what went less well and what would you perhaps do differently another time?

• What did you learn from the participants in the workshop?

• What did you learn from the co-facilitators/organizers?

• How did the participants relate to the Healing Classrooms framework in this situation?

• Did it bring out new or as yet unexplored issues?

• Did it help to clarify the relationships between different issues related to teachers?

• What are the concrete next steps, and who will take these next steps?

• How could the framework be adapted for non-teachers – for example, for healthcare workers?

As you adapt and develop the workshop, be sure to share your results with the IRC Unit and with other country programs that will surely benefit from the insights gained through your experience.

Click here to review the training workshop guide and print out a copy of it.

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Click here to access Module 3: Gender Dynamics.