‘I Survived the First Year!’: Teacher Resilience of Chinese Novice Mathematics Teachers

Abstract

Teacher resilience exerts a significant influence on the professional development of teachers in their early career stages. Especially for novice mathematics teachers, the development of their resilience directly impacts their job satisfaction, sense of well-being and other aspects. Nevertheless, existing research has rarely delved into teacher resilience from the perspective of specific subject backgrounds. The aim of this study is to explore how Chinese novice mathematics teachers' resilience developed. Utilising semi-structured interviews, the study collected interview texts from 18 Chinese novice mathematics teachers. The data were analysed through an inductive thematic analysis approach, ultimately yielding seven themes. This research offers valuable insights and recommendations for fostering resilience among novice mathematics teachers. Addressing the double discontinuity effectively through continuous professional teacher training and consciously utilising the noticing skill to escape from heavy workloads can help reduce job burnout.