“You Have a Calling and Teaching’s My Call”: Exploring Teachers’ Vocation, Identity, and Resilience Strategies

• In Event: Teacher Agency for Professional and Personal Growth

Abstract

Teacher attrition is a significant concern in the field of education as it has negative implications for the quality of education. Teachers in high-needs, poor, urban districts tend to be at greater risk for burnout leading to a higher attrition rate. In this regard, understanding the coping strategies of teachers who thrive in these environments is prudent. This case study employed interviews and observations to examine the major adversities and resilience strategies of two urban teachers. Findings showed that the teachers’ major struggles were lack of parental support, unsupportive colleagues, and inequitable district and state level policies. Teachers’ sense of vocation, their racial identity and proactive efforts to understand their students’ lives and histories helped these teachers be resilient.

Authors

• Dionne Indera Cross, Indiana University

• Ji Yeon Hong, University of Oklahoma