What makes a great teacher during a pandemic?: JET

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged many assumptions underlying education, including those related to the qualities that are most essential to being an effective teacher. We interviewed 23 state primary and secondary school teachers about what makes a great teacher during a pandemic. Two themes were identified: caring for pupil wellbeing, and dealing with uncertainty. Teachers reported that the need to demonstrate these qualities, while always important, has intensified during COVID-19. These findings indicate that teacher education and professional development programmes may benefit from recognising and assisting teachers to develop these qualities.

‘I think it’s been difficult for the ones that haven’t got as many resources in their homes’: teacher concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on pupil learning and wellbeing

School closures due to COVID-19 have been predicted to have a large impact on pupils’ learning and wellbeing. Systematic evidence about teachers’ perceptions of what challenges their pupils have faced, and how they have been addressing these challenges, will be important for post-pandemic planning. We interviewed 24 teachers from English state mainstream primary and secondary schools in June 2020 and asked them to describe the impact of partial school closures on their pupils’ learning and wellbeing, and how they had been addressing challenges as individual teachers and at the whole school level. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Six themes were identified: (a) pedagogy and process, (b) communication with pupils and families, (c) life at home, (d) the role of parents, (e) a COVID-19 curriculum, and (f) moving forwards and making plans. Teachers reported difficulties in navigating the new form of education and finding the most effective way to teach and engage with the pupils. Pupils’ lack of routine and their home environment were seen as influencing their learning and wellbeing. Parents’ differing levels of involvement raised concerns about inequality. We discuss the practical implications of how to support pupils’ learning and wellbeing both during and after COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Teachers & Teaching is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

What makes a great teacher during a pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged many assumptions underlying education, including those related to the qualities that are most essential to being an effective teacher. We interviewed 23 state primary and secondary school teachers about what makes a great teacher during a pandemic. Two themes were identified: caring for pupil wellbeing, and dealing with uncertainty. Teachers reported that the need to demonstrate these qualities, while always important, has intensified during COVID-19. These findings indicate that teacher education and professional development programmes may benefit from recognising and assisting teachers to develop these qualities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Education for Teaching is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

"My brain feels like a browser with 100 tabs open": A longitudinal study of teachers' mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Teaching and caring for pupils during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge for many teachers, and its impact on teachers' mental health and well-being (MHWB) should be of great national and international concern. AIM AND PARTICIPANTS: This study examines 24 primary and secondary school teachers' MHWB experiences across three time points (April, July, and November 2020) using longitudinal qualitative trajectory analysis. METHOD: We used a mixture of inductive and deductive coding, based on the Job Demands-Resources Model, to identify the job demands (aspects of the job that can be physically or psychologically costly) and job resources (aspects of the job that can buffer the effects of job demands and promote achievement and growth) teachers reported experiencing across the three time points. RESULTS: Generally, teachers' MHWB seemed to have declined throughout the pandemic, especially for primary school leaders. Six job demands contributed negatively to teachers' MHWB (i.e., uncertainty, workload, negative perception of the profession, concern for others' well-being, health struggles, and multiple roles) and three job resources contributed positively to their MHWB (i.e., social support, work autonomy, and coping strategies). CONCLUSIONS: Policymakers and practitioners can support teachers' MHWB by engaging in more collaborative communication and ensuring greater accessibility to sources of social support. These discussions and provisions will be crucial in supporting teachers, and thereby the educational system, both during and after the pandemic.

'Like a rug had been pulled from under you': The impact of COVID-19 on teachers in England during the first six weeks of the UK lockdown.

BACKGROUND: On 20 March 2020, in response to COVID-19, UK schools were closed to most pupils. Teachers were required to put remote teaching and learning in place with only two days' notice from the government. AIMS: The current study explores teachers' experiences of this abrupt change to their working practices, and during the 5-6 weeks that followed. SAMPLE: Twenty-four teachers from English state schools were interviewed, representing mainstream primary and secondary schools and a range of years of experience and seniority. METHODS: Participants were asked to tell stories of three key scenes during the first 5-6 weeks of lockdown: a low point, a high point, and a turning point. A reflexive thematic analysis of their narratives was conducted. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Six themes were identified: uncertainty, finding a way, worry for the vulnerable, importance of relationships, teacher identity, and reflections. Teachers' narratives suggest that, after an initial period of uncertainty they settled into the situation and found a way forward, supported by strong relationships. However, they remain extremely worried about the most vulnerable pupils and want more joined-up thinking from the government on how to support them effectively, along with clarity from policymakers to enable planning ahead. Teachers reflected on how to use their learning during this period to improve pupils' experiences of education post-COVID-19, and on how aspects of shared teacher identity have worked as stressors and coping mechanisms. These initial interviews form the baseline for a longitudinal interview study of teachers' experiences of COVID-19 in England.