Teaching as Relational Work: The Interplay of Teacher Self-Efficacy, Teaching Context, and the Teacher-Student Bond
Article
Ordynans, JG, Narayanan, M, Eisenberger, S et al. (2025). Teaching as Relational Work: The Interplay of Teacher Self-Efficacy, Teaching Context, and the Teacher-Student Bond
. 60(4), 571-592. 10.1080/08878730.2025.2515366
Ordynans, JG, Narayanan, M, Eisenberger, S et al. (2025). Teaching as Relational Work: The Interplay of Teacher Self-Efficacy, Teaching Context, and the Teacher-Student Bond
. 60(4), 571-592. 10.1080/08878730.2025.2515366
This qualitative study investigated the ways in which nine K-12 urban school teachers from diverse teaching contexts made meaning of their work. In line with Bandura’s (1986) theory of triadic reciprocal causation, semi-structured, in-depth interviews conducted over three consecutive school years revealed a dynamic interplay of teacher self-efficacy (internal factor), teacher and student relationship building (behavioral factor), and teaching context (environmental factor). Using the Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework to analyze the findings, with a primary focus on the third year of interviews, we found that the nature of any one of these factors influenced the others to inform teachers’ perceptions of their work. TSE tended to both inform and be informed by teachers’ relationships with their students, a dynamic that was at times strengthened or challenged by the teaching context and one’s perceived fit within it. These findings have potential benefit for pre-service and in-service educator preparation programs by emphasizing the relational and contextual aspects of teaching. Implications include an increased focus on enhancing teacher and student relationships in teacher development and greater alignment of school environments with teachers’ values.
