Working in an Alien Cultural Educational Arena: Belongingness Among Arab Teachers in Bedouin Schools

• In Event: Othering and Belonging for Teachers From Diverse Communities and Contexts

Abstract

The research explored how teachers working in a culturally different environment perceive belongingness in school, and what factors influence their sense of belonging.
Twelve participants were selected- six male and six female teachers working in elementary schools in Bedouin communities in the country’s south. The teachers were aged 25- 45, with 5-15 years of experience teaching in the south in a variety of positions. The analysis of the interviews revealed four main categories contributing to or detracting from the teachers’ sense of belonging: feeling a part of the teaching staff and community; being accepted as different; feeling respected, not exploited, and valued in their work. The fourth category consists of mostly external factors outside the school.

Authors

• Orwa Sedawi, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

• Izhar Oplatka, Tel Aviv University