Resiliency: Four Veteran Teachers’ Reflections on Staying Engaged

• In Event: Poster Session 2
  In Poster Session: Analyzing In-Service and Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge, Identities, and Agency

Abstract

Many teachers enter the profession full of energy and idealism, believing they will have opportunities to grow both professionally and personally. As their careers progress, they find themselves teaching the same grade level, subjects, and material, often spending their entire careers in the same building and classroom.
Studies (e.g., Johnson, Berg, and Donaldson, 2005) show the generation of teachers who are now retiring is the first—and perhaps the last—to make teaching a life-long career. Thus, it is imperative to understand the traits that keep teachers enthusiastic and growing throughout their career.
The purpose of this paper is to describe an exploratory study of teacher resiliency in four veteran secondary teachers who remain enthusiastic and continue to grow professionally.

Authors

• Patricia Ahrens, The Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg

• Denise G. Meister, The Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg