Teachers’ emotional consequences of COVID-19 pandemic in the context of their relationship with the school principal

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate teachers’ perspectives regarding the emotional consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and their coping strategies, in the context of their relationship with the principal. The study posed three questions: (1) What emotions and feelings are described by teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) How do the teachers perceive their relationship with the principal in the context of their emotional experience? (3) What strategies did the teachers employ in order to handle their distress during the COVID-19 pandemic? Based on 14 semi-structured interviews with Israeli teachers, three key themes were found. (1) Teachers who experienced burnout and a lack of motivation. (2) Teachers who faced stress and work overload due to technical and pedagogical challenges. (3) Teachers who described experiencing professional growth and emphasised the significance of a supportive relationship with the principal. The findings provide valuable insights and suggest practical implications for supporting teachers during challenging times.