The emotional geographies of teachers’ relations with colleagues

This chapter examines the emotional dynamics of teachers’ relations with their colleagues by using the concept and theoretical framework of emotional geographies: one that is original to social science as well as educational research. The analysis is based on responses to interviews with 53 Canadian elementary and secondary teachers that included teachers’ descriptions about critical incidents of an emotionally positive and negative nature involving their colleagues. A major finding is that when teachers work together, they value appreciation and acknowledgement as well as personal support and acceptance, but tend to avoid disagreement and conflict, whether they regard themselves as close friends or as more distant colleagues. It is argued that this significantly impedes the opportunities for improvement.