‘Teachers are the guinea pigs’: teacher perspectives on a sudden reopening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic

Ryan, Jillian; Koehler, Nicole; Cruickshank, Travis; Rogers, Shane L.; Stanley, Mandy

doi:10.1007/s13384-022-00577-6

Cited by 9 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 37 publications

(50 reference statements)

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“…Indeed, participants voiced an ongoing experience of this throughout COVID-19 that they had interpreted as continued disrespect from the government for the teaching profession. Similar to our study findings, these negative sentiments were evident in teachers in other countries during COVID-19, including teachers in Australia who reported that sudden shifts in school opening decisions signified the government's disrespect for the profession and analogised themselves as being treated like guinea pigs, scapegoats and babysitters (Ryan et al, 2023).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…The teaching profession was no exception, with teachers around the world reporting how they were negatively portrayed and perceived as a profession (e.g. Nerlino, 2023; Ryan et al, 2023). The importance of valuing the teaching profession has been recognised at the international level, including by the OECD (Schleicher, 2018) and Education International (Stromquist, 2018), as it is associated with the teacher recruitment and retention crisis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The ups and downs in perceived societal appreciation of the teaching profession during COVID‐19: A longitudinal trajectory analysis

Kim,

Owusu,

Asbury

2023

British Educational Res J

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Given the disruptions the COVID‐19 pandemic has engendered in people's professional lives, the importance and contribution of certain workforces has been under particular scrutiny. In England, the teaching profession has been under particularly close public scrutiny, with concerns that teachers’ perceived social appreciation may have decreased throughout the pandemic. Thus, the current study examined the trajectory of teachers’ perceptions of how much society, policymakers and the media had valued the teaching profession throughout this time. With an initial sample of 24 primary and secondary teachers in mainstream state schools in England, 54 online interviews took place at three time points: when school buildings were partially reopened for the first time (June 2020), when they were partially closed for the second time (February 2021) and when they were fully reopened for 16 months (July 2022). Three themes were identified in the data using a longitudinal trajectory analysis based on reflexive thematic analysis: ‘initial admiration from local communities progressively waned’, ‘continuous government disrespect towards teachers’ and ‘initial media vitriol towards teachers was sustained’. Implications for how teachers and other stakeholders in education can most effectively work together for the benefit of the health and effectiveness of the teaching profession and the educational system are considered in the context of the associated risks when teachers have low levels of perceived social appreciation.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ups and downs in perceived societal appreciation of the teaching profession during COVID‐19: A longitudinal trajectory analysis

Kim,

Owusu,

Asbury

2023

British Educational Res J

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“…After being closed since March 2020, institutes of higher education in India reopened for academic activities in physical mode in the second week of February 2022. Contrary to the expectation of normalization and reduction in the negative impact caused by COVID-19, teachers initially showed fear of contamination, other health-related concerns, and family-and work-related concerns in different parts of the world (Wakui et al, 2021;Ryan et al, 2023). A qualitative survey of Australian teachers (Ryan et al, 2023) reported increased workload and diminished wellbeing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Beyond (COVID-19) lockdown: faculty experiences in the post-pandemic academic landscape

Dewangan,

Longkumer,

Gupta

et al. 2024

Front. Educ.

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BackgroundThis study investigates the nuanced experiences of faculty members in higher education institutions during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing on family–work conflict, job satisfaction, and personal wellbeing, the research aims to provide comprehensive insights into the challenges and adaptations encountered by faculty members amidst unprecedented disruptions.MethodA mixed-method approach was employed, encompassing both quantitative and qualitative measures. The quantitative facet involved 82 participants who responded surveys distributed to faculty members across diverse regions of India. Concurrently, qualitative data were collected through interviews with 30 faculty members in three states. The quantitative study utilized standardized tools, while the qualitative inquiry followed a semi-structured interview schedule.ResultQuantitative findings revealed a significant upswing in job satisfaction after institutional reopening compared to the lockdown period. However, no significant differences were observed concerning work–family conflict and personal wellbeing. Notably, faculty members reported heightened work–family and family–work interference compared to national statistics. Qualitative responses highlight a notable shift in teaching methodologies, incorporating multimedia and online tools. Faculty members exhibited mixed sentiments about returning to the office, expressed a deepened appreciation for social relationships post-reopening, and emphasized the positive impact of institutional hygiene protocols.ConclusionThis study offers crucial insights into the multifaceted experiences of faculty members in higher institutions during the COVID-19 lockdown and subsequent reopening. The research contributes valuable perspectives to the evolving discourse on post-pandemic academia, providing a foundation for further exploration and understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by faculty members in the changing scenario of higher education.

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“…The global COVID-19 pandemic is considered a mass traumatic event that has drastically altered people's working conditions and had a negative impact on workers' health [1,2]. The COVID-19 crisis forced teachers across the world and in Israel to switch to online or hybrid teaching [3,4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Upon the reopening of the schools, teachers faced a new reality and challenging routines characterized by social distancing in the classroom, alternative teaching approaches to reduce learning gaps, online team meetings, new hygiene measures and hybrid teaching [6,7]. Most studies that examined teachers' emotional well-being during the pandemic focused primarily on negative aspects [2,8,9]. Indeed, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the new teaching requirements and the high expectations of themselves were a source of anxiety and stress [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rising Strong: The Interplay between Resilience, Social Support, and Post-Traumatic Growth among Teachers after the COVID-19 Pandemic

Awwad-Tabry,

Kfir,

Pressley

et al. 2023

COVID

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Background: When schools reopened for face-to-face classroom instruction following the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers faced many professional challenges. Most studies examining teachers’ psychosocial condition after school reopening predominantly focused on negative aspects of their emotional well-being, leaving a gap in the understanding of the potential positive effects. This study is grounded in the theory of post-traumatic growth, which suggests that growth and development can occur alongside difficulties. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to shed light on the lesser explored associations between resilience, social support, and post-traumatic growth among teachers after the COVID-19 pandemic. It also examined the differences in post-traumatic growth between teachers in special education and those in general education. Methods: The participants in this cross-sectional study were recruited by convenience sampling. A self-report online survey was used to collect data from 208 Israeli teachers during November 2022. Results: Most of the participants (79.4%) reported experiences of post-traumatic growth during the pandemic. The findings revealed that post-traumatic growth exhibited a positive association with social support (r = 0.23, p < 0.001) and resilience (r = 0.18, p < 0.001). The multiple regression model was significant, explaining 14.5% of the variance in post-traumatic growth [F(4.202) = 8.58, p < 0.001]. Finally, special education teachers exhibited higher levels of post-traumatic growth than general education teachers (t = −2.36, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Social support for teachers must be provided during and after traumas caused by crises and pandemics similar to COVID-19. Intervention programs and ongoing training should offer effective tools to help teachers balance their professional and personal lives. Promoting positive changes in teacher well-being must be a priority in the education system.

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‘Teachers are the guinea pigs’: teacher perspectives on a sudden reopening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic

Cited by 9 publications

References 37 publications

The ups and downs in perceived societal appreciation of the teaching profession during COVID‐19: A longitudinal trajectory analysis

The ups and downs in perceived societal appreciation of the teaching profession during COVID‐19: A longitudinal trajectory analysis

Beyond (COVID-19) lockdown: faculty experiences in the post-pandemic academic landscape

Rising Strong: The Interplay between Resilience, Social Support, and Post-Traumatic Growth among Teachers after the COVID-19 Pandemic

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