Understanding Mathematics Teacher Wellbeing

It is uncontested that teacher wellbeing is crucial for a flourishing education and, according to UNESCO, should stand at the centre of any effective educational system. However, although teacher wellbeing has been of growing interest in research worldwide, this research remains in its infancy and certainly in relation to subject specificity.

A recent review of research in teacher wellbeing advocated that it is necessary to consider domain specificity within wellbeing frameworks, if they are to be fit for purpose. Yet, despite growing interest in teacher wellbeing, prominent theoretical models of the concept of wellbeing focus predominantly on global and generalist aspects and lack the discipline specificity.

Mathematics might be of special interest here, affected by significantly higher levels of teacher attrition (when comparing 33% of all teachers and up to 50% of mathematics teachers leaving the profession within the first five years of qualifying).

Although reasons for this disparity can be many, mathematics as a discipline carries distinct problematic narratives, which might bear implications for stronger negative emotional and affective experiences of mathematics teachers compared to those in other subjects. Consequently, exploring the interactions between the subject and mathematics teacher wellbeing (MTWB) might be not ‘simply of interest’ but necessary. If the interaction between subject specificity and teacher wellbeing is evident, any targeted global or local interventions and initiatives, aiming to effectively support mathematics teachers in the profession, will require focusing on both general and domain-specific dimensions.

This is a two-part event (consisting of a seminar and a workshop). Please see the agenda below.

Please note that this event requires booking; places are allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis.

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Host or Publisher Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge