Browsing by Author "Lampinen, Sanni"

Novice teachers' well-being at work has been a public discussion for a long time, and it has been researched that well-being at work has a connection to higher teacher efficacy, which usually is virtually low with beginner level teachers. Previous studies have indicated that teacher efficacy increases during education but decreases during the first year of teaching. Additionally, earlier studies have emphasized the role of the work community when considering well-being at work, and individuals' own responsibility has been brought up. The objective of this master's thesis is to discover what kinds of changes teacher efficacy goes through during one's career and the objective is to discover the matters that increase well-being at work. Six elementary school teachers participated in this qualitative research, they were both class teachers and special education teachers. The research data was collected in March 2023 using personal interviews and it was analyzed with a data-based content analysis method. Because this thesis was attentive about interviewees experiences, it leans on phenomenology. The results showed that teacher efficacy was high before entering education. In the beginning of their career, teacher efficacy decreased, which was shown as setting too high goals. After some time, teachers experienced lower stress and higher flexibility, which were signs of growing teacher efficacy. One stable matter was persistent working, which was a sign of some kind of teacher efficacy throughout the career. The results also implemented that relationships had the biggest impact on well-being at work even though the relationships had different kinds of meanings. Colleagues were appreciated during the ordinary days, principals were needed the most when conflicts happened, and parents' role was to help their kids, which advanced teachers' well-being at work. Also, it was important to limit the work hours and the amount of work in general. The results highlight those big changes that teachers go through during their careers, and the dependance of relationships when considering well-being at work. Even the relationship one has for himself, which comes across as setting necessary boundaries for himself.