Novice Teachers’ Experiences Supporting Student Mental Health: Self-Efficacy, Expectations, Context, and Opportunities to Learn

• In Event: Sustaining an Ethic of Care: The Primacy of Teacher Relationship

Abstract

Teachers are playing an increasingly active role in addressing student mental health and wellness needs post-COVID, but often report feeling overwhelmed, underprepared and ineffective. To understand novice teachers’ varied experiences learning about and navigating their role in supporting students’ mental health, we collected questionnaire (N=219) data and interview (n=19) data. Our qualitative and quantitative data converged on four distinct types of experiences at the intersection of school mental health self-efficacy, expectancies about student mental health challenges, and perceived school culture, which we describe and compare. In addition, we found an association between these experience types and novice teachers’ opportunities for learning across contexts. Implications for teacher education, professional learning and teacher well-being are discussed.

Authors

• Christy Suzanne Galletta Horner, Bowling Green State University

• Elizabeth F. Levine-Brown, George Mason University

• Duhita Mahatmya, University of Iowa

• Naomi Brown, George Mason University

• Megan C. Sharkey, George Mason University

• Marion Zavolas Taousakis, George Mason University

• Audra Parker, George Mason University