Abstract
This study examined the lived experiences of teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic through the theoretical lens of emotional labor (EL) pioneered by Hoschchild (2012) and further developed for the caring professions by Bolton (2005). Emotional labor is the display of organizationally desired emotions in the performance of a role for which an individual is paid a wage. Specifically, this study used the constructs of philanthropic EL, or going the “extra mile” emotionally to support someone, and prescriptive EL, which is the expression of emotions implicit in a professional role (Bolton, 2005). Additionally, this study sought to tease out how socioeconomic status (SES) plays a role in influencing EL practices for teachers during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from this phenomenological qualitative study indicate that during the COVID-19 pandemic, participants in this study experienced a drop in the amount of prescriptive EL they engaged in—that is, they formed what they perceived as more authentic relationships with their students. Concurrently, teachers experienced an unexpected rise in the amount of philanthropic EL they engaged in. This increase appeared to relate to the SES composition of their classrooms, with higher percentages of under-resourced students needing more philanthropic engagement. Recommendations for policy and practice include the creation of professional development programs designed to train teachers how to support their students and themselves emotionally during times of crisis and the implementation of more robust and comprehensive support systems for teachers on school campuses.