Which Situations Trigger Emotions of Secondary School Mathematics Teachers?

Abstract

Little is known about discrete emotions experienced by mathematics teachers beyond mathematics anxiety in elementary school. In order to fill this gap, the aim of this research is to identify emotions, and their triggering situations, experienced by secondary school Mexican mathematics teachers inside and outside of the classroom. This research considered 180 written narratives of emotional experiences (positives and negatives) of 18 secondary school in-service Mexican mathematics teachers. We use the cognitive theory of emotions to identify emotions and we carry out a thematic analysis to identify the situations that trigger emotions. Results show nine positive and seven negative emotions unleashed by 28 triggering situations; the results are consistent with the research literature on teachers’ emotions that highlights that the main sources of teachers emotions are behaviour, motivation and academic achievement of their students. Their academic achievement and learning triggers happy-for, appreciation, pride and gratitude and their lack of engagement and motivation triggers disappointment, reproach and anger.