Universität zu Köln

Benincasa, Dagmar M. and Springob, Jan ORCID: 0000-0001-5527-5333 (2024). Voices of Tomorrow. Exploring Teacher Well-being with Student Teachers. Discussion Paper.

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Abstract

Well-being is increasingly recognized as an important outcome in research on work-life and job satisfaction. As a field facing significant challenges, including high dropout rates and teacher shortages across various academic domains, teaching — being a high-stress profession — is at risk and requires a stronger focus on well-being. This exploratory study addresses the topic of teacher well-being (TWB) from the perspective of student teachers, emphasising the need for attention to well-being throughout different career phases. In a group discussion with seven student teachers from a German university, three key topics were explored to understand the ‘essence’ of TWB from their perspectives: (1) How do student teachers perceive TWB? (2) What role does TWB play in teacher education? (3) What do (student) teachers need in terms of TWB? Employing a qualitative approach, the results showed that TWB is highly relevant to students; however, they perceive a gap between the prevalence of TWB issues in negative media coverage and their own experiences from field placements, and the coverage of TWB in university courses. Student teachers expressed concerns about entering an unhealthy system without sufficient preparation or support regarding TWB. Conversely, they were motivated to drive a cultural shift in universities and schools regarding TWB. This study highlights the critical need for comprehensive well-being interventions in teacher education programs to foster a healthier and more sustainable teaching profession.

Item Type:	Monograph (Discussion Paper)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Benincasa, Dagmar M. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Springob, Jan UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5527-5333 UNSPECIFIED
Corporate Creators:	Zentrum für Lehrer*innenbildung (ZfL) der Universität zu Köln
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-791489
Series Name at the University of Cologne:	ZfL Discussion Papers
Volume:	14
Number of Pages:	28
Date:	August 2024
ISSN:	364-0782
Language:	English
Faculty:	Central Institutions / Interdisciplinary Research Centers
Divisions:	Center for Teacher Education
Subjects:	Education
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language Teacher Well-being; well-being; teacher training; teacher education; Future Skills English
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/79148