02313nam a22002057a 4500 20240305112943.0 240305b ||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d 0195-6744 Castro, Andrene J. | Edmondson, Elizabeth Shifting the Gaze : Examining Contextual Factors Influencing Teacher Morale in Suburban Schools (Journal Article) Chicago : University of Chicago Press , May 2022 61-87p. American Journal of Education , Volume 128: Number 3, May 2022 ***______{For Hard Copy, Please visit Library.}________*** Abstract: Purpose: Despite the sizable research on teacher morale, including related work on teacher motivation, job satisfaction, retention, and attrition, studies have largely focused on morale in urban contexts. It is often assumed that suburban schools employ and maintain teachers with higher morale, but these conclusions are largely unsubstantiated. We explore morale in demographically changing suburban schools and draw on a dynamic view of school contextual dimensions that include their situated, material, professional, and external contexts. Research Methods/Approach: To examine the influence of these dimensions on suburban teachers’ expression of morale, we analyzed 265 open-ended survey response items across 12 case schools within a suburban district. Findings: Findings show that teachers’ perceptions of morale were not explicitly tied to school enrollment and demographic change but reflect challenges within their work environment such as concerns with meeting students’ learning needs, organizational efficiency, and collegiality. Findings also confirm that school leadership and professional value and salary significantly influence notions of morale. Implications: By tracing the relationships between the microlevel everyday school practices and interactions and the macrolevel contexts of broader teacher policy and discourse, we offer a more nuanced lens for understanding the complexities of teacher morale in suburban schools undergoing demographic change. Teacher Morale| Teacher Motivation| Job Satisfaction| Students' learning needs Santoro, Doris https://doi.org/10.1086/727008 PER 0 0 0 0 RIEBPL RIEBPL 2024-03-05 0 2024-03-05 00:00:00 2024-03-05 PER 45517 45516