Re-conceptualising teacher well-being: drivers, measurements, and outcomes

1. Rationale of the special issue

Teacher well-being is crucial for the sustainable development of teachers, schools, and society (Viac & Fraser, 2020; Zhang et al., 2024). Teaching is a high-risk profession (Capone & Petrillo, 2018; Granziera et al., 2023). As Näring et al. (2011) claimed, ‘the work of teachers is being evaluated in more and more detail and this has also led to an increase in the emotional demands of teaching’ (p. 12). It is especially true that teacher professional life has been dramatically changed during and after the COVID-19 pandemic (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2020). A recent evidence released by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER, Worth & Faulkner-Ellis, 2021) in the UK and other countries as well has shown that COVID-19 is likely to impose additional strain on teachers, both physically and psychologically, resulting in rising anxiety and lower happiness among teachers, and exacerbating the vulnerabilities of the education sector (Alves et al., 2021; Willis & Grainger, 2020). Moreover, as teachers need to take care of themselves first and then be the role model of their students, sustaining and promoting teacher well-being has become a current agenda in the context of coping with professional challenges and adversities to establish a school well-being cascade and move school forwards (Zhang et al., 2024). This well-being cascade effect will inevitably extend into the wider community and society, which has echoed with the idea of the ‘wellness society’ as a ‘shared destination’ for a better world (The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development OECD, 2019, p. 1).

A recent review on teacher well-being (Chen & Lee, 2022; Cumming, 2017; Hascher & Waber, 2021) showed that the field of teacher well-being is blossoming and still not matured yet with blurred conceptualisation, slant research foci, imbalanced methodologies, and missing frameworks. For instance, the fragmentation of conceptualisation and measurement of well-being makes it difficult to articulate and unify well-being in different contexts. Due to the limited exploration of well-being construct, the research foci and use of methodologies have also been restricted, reflected in the dominant use of quantitative methods and cross-sectional design. This lacuna results in insufficient knowledge on teacher well-being (Fenech et al., 2021). Hence, comprehensive approaches that bridge existing gaps between research traditions are urgently needed. These approaches are critical for integrating findings and developing interventions that may be used by education practitioners. The evidence on the fragmentation of conceptualisation, superficial integrating methodologies, and methodological imbalance indicates a pressing need to mobilise additional explorations on teacher well-being, which can help mature the research field in this current turmoil (Granziera et al., 2023).

Under these circumstances, we have launched a special issue on teacher well-being in the Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice. Inspired by the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, the works in this special issue aims for re-conceptualising teacher well-being, re-identifying the challenges, establishing conceptual framework, and re-thinking prospects of teacher well-being in an ‘unprecedented’ normality of education. This special issue is expected to bring theoretical and practical insights to the knowledge base of teacher well-being knowledge base and teacher well-being enhancement. We do wish that this special issue would respond to some, but not all, current issues in the teacher well-being intellectual infrastructure.

2. The structure of the special issue

The special issue includes papers gathered from Hong Kong SAR, China, Mainland China, the Philippines, Croatia, and the United States. Methodologically, there are four quantitative papers, two qualitative papers, one mixed research. In terms of content, these papers can be divided into the following aspects, namely, conceptualisation, measurements, and associations with drivers, mediators, and outcomes.

2.1. The first research line focuses on conceptualisation and measurements of teacher well-being, which is particularly typical in the first paper and the sixth paper

The first paper is by Chen et al. (2023), presenting the development and validation of the multidimensional Teacher Well-being Inventory. Using a rational-empirical approach, a sample of teachers from China was used. The inventory consists of 20 items that assess multiple dimensions of teacher well-being and has demonstrated strong psychometric characteristics. Five dimensions were identified in the study, including physical, etc. This concise measurement tool is designed to assess the most significant well-being scenarios of teachers at work. By using this validated instrument, educators, students, and schools can enhance well-being, literacy and functioning, aligning with the OECD 2030 agenda to foster the wellness society (The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2022).

The purpose of the sixth paper by Song et al. (2023) is to explore the significance and value of teacher well-being by examining the intricate and dynamic nature of education, specifically focusing on in-service teachers at a school in Beijing, China. Through a thorough analysis of primary data, this study explores the working conditions and work-life balance of these teachers and sheds light on the supportive conditions necessary for fostering and sustaining their professional well-being. By examining positive outcomes and experiences at the selected school, the study identifies key factors influencing teacher well-being at the individual, school, and societal levels. The research argues that well-being, seen as a dynamic balance between oneself and the environment, is not merely a higher-order need for teachers but also a fundamental right and an ongoing pursuit. To explore teachers’ well-being, the study adopts the PERMA well-being framework as the analytical lens, which encompasses positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment (Seligman, 2011). Moreover, the study acknowledges the profound influence of Chinese culture embedded within these dimensions, which significantly contributes to the realisation of substantial and enduring spiritual rewards in teachers’ careers.

2.2. The second research line gathers around salient drivers of teacher well-being. In the second paper, third paper and fourth paper

The second paper by Haw, Ma, and King (2023) examined the associations between teachers’ perceptions of school leaders’ need-supportive practices and teacher well-being using both variable- and person-centered approaches. Taking Self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2020) as the theoretical framework, the study was conducted with a sample of 611 high-school teachers from 14 schools in the Philippines. Initially, the study investigated whether need-supportive leadership practices, specifically support for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, were associated with well-being and ill-being through autonomous motivation. The results indicated that relatedness-support was positively correlated with well-being and negatively correlated with ill-being, while autonomy and competence-support did not show significant predictive effects. Subsequently, the study employed a person-centred approach to identify different subgroups of teachers based on their perceptions of need-supportive leadership. Four distinct subgroups emerged: dissatisfied, ambivalent, average, and thriving teachers. Each subgroup exhibited unique motivation and well-being profiles. Overall, the findings from both the variable- and person-centred approaches provided converging evidence highlighting the significance of perceived need-supportive leadership for teachers’ motivation and well-being.

Aiming to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by multiply marginalised and underrepresented (MMU) teachers in relation to their well-being, the third paper by Hong et al. (2023) specifically examined how their multiple social identities intersected with each other and with their teacher identities. The research focused on the eudaimonic aspect of well-being, exploring the extent to which the participants’ needs for relatedness, autonomy, and competence were fulfilled within school systems that often prioritise dominant societal beliefs and structures. To delve into the experiences of MMU teachers, the study employed a case study approach and conducted narrative interviews with two individuals, Eva, and George. Within their school and social contexts, both Eva and George encountered difficulties in fully embracing and expressing their identities. They consistently navigated the complexities of their intersecting identities, which sometimes required them to conceal certain aspects of themselves. While concealing her sexual identity provided Eva with protective support, it posed a threat to George’s well-being. The different ways in which Eva and George experienced relatedness, autonomy, and competence highlight the intricate nature of teacher well-being. The study advocates for an expanded definition of well-being that encompasses both positive and negative dimensions and considers the underlying psychological processes, providing implications for school leadership and district policies.

The fourth paper by Zhang et al. (2023) aims to explore the direct effect of responsible leadership on teacher emotional well-being and test the mediating effects of teacher recognition and gender differences. Surveying a total of 486 teachers working in public primary and secondary schools in China, the results indicate that responsible leadership is significantly associated with teacher emotional well-being, with the mediation effect of recognition for social esteem. Additionally, the study reveals a significant gender difference in these relationships.

2.3. Other possible associations of teacher well-being have also attached great attention in the fifth paper and the seventh paper, which explore the various effect of teacher well-being in educational settings, including its mediating role and certain outcomes

The fifth paper by Simunovic et al. (2023) aims to investigate the associations between various factors affecting teachers, including their personal factors (such as psychological capital, social support, and ICT skills), job-related factors (specifically, transformative leadership exhibited by school principals), emotional well-being (both positive and negative affect), and job performance (including task performance and teaching quality) during the period of remote teaching necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was conducted during the Spring 2020 and involved a sample of 1655 teachers from Croatia. The findings, obtained through structural equation modelling (SEM), indicated that teachers’ positive affect partially mediated the relationship between all the factors examined and their job performance. Teachers who reported higher levels of social support, psychological capital, and ICT skills, as well as those who perceived greater transformative leadership from their school principals, also experienced a higher degree of positive affective experiences. This positive affect, in turn, was positively associated with self-reported task performance and teaching quality. However, no mediating effect of negative affect was found in the relationship between the factors examined and job performance. These results contribute to our understanding of the factors influencing teachers’ emotional well-being and job performance, particularly in challenging circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Based on an extended Control-Value model for understanding teachers’ emotions and well-being, the seventh paper by Yang et al. (2023) examined the relationship between Control-Value variables in the context of formative feedback practice (abbreviated as TFBCV), emotional well-being, and other indicators of well-being among teaching assistants (TAs) in primary schools. A total of 305 TAs from 184 primary schools in Hong Kong SAR, China participated in this survey study. In Hong Kong, each mainstream school typically has at least one TA to support students with special educational needs. This sample represents approximately 39% of the primary schools in Hong Kong, as each participating school provided one TA for the study.

The results of the study support the hypotheses that TFBCV has significant direct effects on both a combined positive emotion and two discrete positive emotions (Joy and Love). TFBCV also has a significant indirect effect on job satisfaction through positive emotions. Interestingly, there was little correlation found between TFBCV and positive emotions associated with job stress. These findings highlight the importance of including TAs in research on teacher well-being, which has been largely focused on teachers without considering the crucial role of TAs.

3. The remarks

To sum up, the papers in this special issue exhibit a handful of foci in relation to teacher well-being under different contexts, concerning its conceptualisation, measurement, drivers, outcomes and challenges ahead. These papers have utilised different research methods including qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods approaches, contributing to our knowledge of teacher well-being. The following five shining points are listed for the remarks of this special issue.

First, this special issue has been explored on different aspects of professional well-being in relation to teachers at work (e.g. emotional well-being, professional well-being), enriching our perspectives in understanding teacher well-being issues.

Second, this special issue has looked after teacher well-being, with various groups including teaching assistants and marginalised and underrepresented teachers, which opens up an agenda for a more inclusive teaching faculty.

Third, this special issue has emphasised the impacts of various leadership styles (e.g. need-supportive leadership, responsible leadership) on teacher well-being, indicating the importance of leadership orientations and the building of teacher well-being from individual level to organisational level.

Fourth, this special issue has embraced five cultural backgrounds of participants and scholars to discuss teacher well-being, contributing to more cultural response to addressing local issues.

Fifth, this special issue has focused on the challenges of teacher well-being during the COVID-19, such as remote teaching and technology adaptation, providing implications for advancing teacher well-being in the post-epidemic era.

While the focus of these papers is mainly on the insights, strategies, resources, and associations regarding teacher well-being, we sincerely wish that this special issue would contribute to facilitating academic research and educational work on relevant issues in the future, and provide valuable recommendations for various educational stakeholders, including educators, school leaders, and policymakers in fostering a supportive and nurturing environment that enhances teacher well-being and, consequently, improves the overall educational landscape for the future.

Disclosure statement

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