Pattern and Dynamics of Teacher Emotions during Teaching: A Case Study of a Senior Secondary Mathematics Teacher

Zheng Jiang, Ida Ah Chee Mok, Xin Yang, Simiao Liu and Mudan Chen
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Zheng Jiang: Mathematics and Science College, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
Ida Ah Chee Mok: Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Xin Yang: Faculty of Education, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Simiao Liu: Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Mudan Chen: Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-21

Abstract: Understanding the emotional dimension of classroom practices benefits sustainable education. However, the dynamic nature of teacher emotions during teaching remains understudied. To acquire an “in-depth” description of the emotional phenomena during teaching, a case study was adopted to examine the pattern and dynamics of a senior secondary mathematics teacher’s teaching-related emotions. Seven new mathematics lessons were observed and videotaped, and three video-stimulated, post-lesson teacher interviews were conducted. Based on appraisal theories of emotions, thematic analysis and content analysis were mainly used to analyse the data. The study revealed that the teacher most frequently experienced happiness/satisfaction as positive emotions and confusion/surprise as negative emotions. The emotions followed a three-stage process: perceptions, multilevel appraisals, and responses. The teacher most often perceived her students’ cognitive accuracy and adopted goal/need conduciveness/attainment, the discrepancy from expectations, and causal attribution as core appraisal dimensions. Teacher emotions in classrooms were also often hierarchical and cumulative, shifting from more negative at the beginning of a new semester to more positive at the middle of the semester. This study shed light on the dynamic development of teacher emotions, extending the theories and process models of emotions from the psychological field to educational research and facilitating teachers’ sustainable professional development.

Keywords: teacher emotions; appraisal theories; emotional pattern; emotion dynamics; process model; mathematics teaching (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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