What processes or key components do teachers attribute to their well-being? A cross-cultural qualitative study of teacher well-being in Cambodia, Kenya, and Qatar

Abstract

The study of teacher well-being is critically important. However, teacher well-being studies are lacking in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, and also generally in low-income countries. This exploratory case study sought to identify teachers' perceptions of work-related characteristics and personal practices associated with well-being and burnout in three underrepresented, diverse sites: Battambang, Cambodia; Bungoma, Kenya; and Doha, Qatar. Ninety teachers participated in in-depth interviews (Qatar N = 21, Cambodia N = 33, Kenya N = 36), as well as 16 principals and 11 policymakers. Qualitative analysis was conducted using data-driven, emergent codes. Findings revealed that teachers attributed remarkably similar processes and key components to their well-being (e.g., engagement school-wide or district-wide, schools attending to teachers' personal needs) and burnout (e.g., administrative burden, student misbehavior) across all three sites, with a few notable differences worthy of future follow-up. Few teachers could name any well-being programs at their school.