A New Understanding: Listening to the Experiences of Teachers in Juvenile Corrections Schools

• In Event: 46.085 - Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: 46.085-16 - Lives of Teachers: Experiential Sensitivities

Abstract

Teachers in JC schools operate in challenging working conditions that are characterized by experiences not found in typical public school settings. These working conditions may heighten the risk of emotional exhaustion and burnout. Little is known about how these teachers cope with such experiences. The guiding research question for this study was: How do teachers understand their experiences working in the juvenile corrections school setting? Five teachers from JC schools were interviewed to gain knowledge on how they understand their experiences at work and analyzed using the Listening Guide method. Findings revealed that the degree to which teachers’ expectations for their work aligned with their perceived reality of their experiences had implications for their satisfaction and commitment to the job.

Author

• Kristin Marie Murphy, University of Massachusetts - Boston