Preservice Teachers’ Mental Health: Using Student Voice to Inform Pedagogical, Programmatic, and Curricular Change

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study is to analyze the role preservice teachers’ mental health plays in their development during teacher preparation programs and the role of teacher preparation programs in preservice teachers’ mental health journeys. Using an ethic of care theoretical approach, a within-method triangulation designwas utilized with interviews, focus groups, and surveys in a qualitative study with 33 participants in order to more fully understand student participant perspectives. The major findings included the need to better normalize mental healthcare, the demand preservice teachers face preparing for a helping profession, and the importance of providing an environment in which care and self-care can be better developed.

KEYWORDS:

• Mental health
• preservice teachers
• ethic of care
• teacher preparation
• student voice

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mary Beth Ressler

Mary Beth Ressler is an Associate Professor of Education at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Her research focuses on student voice and advocacy, mental wellness, and culturally responsive relationship-based pedagogies. She is dedicated to work centered on building equity in P-20 educational settings.

Cynthia Apantenco

Cynthia Apantenco is a High School Social Studies Teacher at Yorkville High School in Yorkville, Illinois. Her work focuses on building curriculum and pedagogical practices that leverage students’ assets in order to increase equitable learning. Decolonializing the curriculum as well as centering student identities is central to her work.

Lindsay Wexler

Lindsay Wexler is an Assistant Professor of Education at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Her work focuses on supporting beginning teachers (pre-service and in-service). She is particularly interested in the role of mentoring to support novice educators and ways to support teachers in teaching for social justice and equity.

Kathleen King

Kathleen King is an associate professor of Education at North Central College, as well as a former principal and teacher at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. Some of her research interests are educational leadership, social emotional learning, the opportunity gap, and school cultures of character.