Utilising participatory action research to enhance teachers' sense of welbeing in a semi-urban primary school

Abstract

Teaching at a primary school is emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausting for most teachers. As a primary school teacher, I learned first-hand the importance of teachers doing well in the profession. At my school, my colleagues and I encounter extremely high levels of stress on a regular basis, stress that impacts our health on several levels. Numerous researchers highlight problems such as work pressures, insufficient resources, and other structural and organizational factors as having a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of teachers. The aim of this study was to determine how teachers can use participatory action research (PAR) to collaboratively enhance teachers’ sense of wellbeing in a semi-urban primary school setting. To address this aim eight teachers from a semi-urban primary school in Ikageng, Kenneth Kaunda district, Potchefstroom in the North West Province were recruited to voluntarily take part in the study. Reasons for the importance of teachers being aware of their sense of wellbeing are discussed in this research study, including the importance of the school setting and the importance of having positive social connection to others, and finally the aim was to, by means of a collaborative approach, develop guidelines support self-care wellbeing practices amongst teachers teaching in semi urban primary school settings in order to promote wellness of teachers. The data for this study were collected by using a visual art method (collages) as well as future creative workshop to collaboratively recommend and develop practices to maintain a strong sense of wellbeing. Themes and sub-themes that emerged from the study are also discussed. The findings indicate the need for educational resources and mentorship for teachers, as well as a need for department of education programmes that foster a sense of wellbeing among teachers. The findings can also be used to develop a workshop to make primary school teachers aware of the significance of their own sense of wellbeing and provide them with self-care practices to improve their own wellbeing.