Emotional labor, emotional expression, and emotional control in the K-12 classroom

For quite some time, research has shown an inclination for the portrayal of teaching as a primarily cognitive enterprise (Zembylas, 2003). Though psychological and sociological research has increasingly focused on complexities of emotion and different influences in the formation and expression of emotions, little research has centered on emotional aspects of teachers' lives (Sutton & Wheatley, 2003). Nias (1996), an educational researcher, emphasized that teacher emotions should receive considerable attention since teachers invest themselves in their work and the classroom becomes a main source of self-esteem, vulnerability, and teacher fulfillment. Education research has begun to find connections between positive and negative teacher emotions and the role these emotions play in teachers' professional and personal development (Zembylas, 2003). This study builds upon such research by exploring teachers' emotions in relation to their teaching. This qualitative study took place in a small town located in northwest Georgia and was guided by the following research questions: (1) What might veteran teachers describe as emotional experiences they deem to be important to their classroom teaching practices?; (2) In what ways might a teacher's navigation of emotional experiences contribute to their proficient classroom practices?; and, (3) How might cases of teacher emotion be useful for professional learning? The study involved three highly experienced teachers who interacted with the researcher around the generation and discussion of "cases". The study was conducted over a 12-week period during the Spring semester of the 2010/2011 school year. The researcher worked with the three teachers to generate "cases" regarded as important portrayals of the emotional dimensions of being a teacher. Exploration of teacher emotion was extended by petitioning the participants to expound on particular "cases" to provide a deeper understanding of each teacher's interpretations, reflections, beliefs, feelings, and subsequent reactions to each emotional episode (Nichols & Tippins, 2004). Results from the study contribute insights useful for the emotional preparation of teachers and insights regarding contextual dimensions of being a teacher. The study also offers guidance for emotions based research methodology. The study offers timely insights which may improve teacher retention rates. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries