Emotions as Both a Tool and a Liability: A Phenomenology of Urban Charter School Teachers’ Emotions

Teachers’ emotional experiences at work have important implications for both teachers and students, particularly during challenging behavioral interactions. Understanding how teachers conceptualize the role of their workplace emotions can help school leaders and researchers develop policies and interventions to support teachers in navigating the emotional dimensions of their roles. In this phenomenological study, we examined how nine teachers working at two urban charter schools made sense of the role of their emotions in their work. We found that teachers conceptualized their emotions as both a tool and a liability for themselves and their students. We provide implications for charter school leaders working to improve teacher-student interactions and promote equitable practices in their schools, and for researchers aiming to understand the affective aspects of teachers’ work.