Experiences from a Balint Group Intervention with Urban Public School Teachers

Abstract

U.S. teacher shortages have more than tripled since the 2012-2013 school year, to over 110,000 teachers needed in 2016. 1 At the conclusion of the 2011-12 school year, 13.8% of public-school teachers left their position. 2 Approximately 50% of the public-school teachers cited the inability to manage their roles as the primary factor for leaving. 2 The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of participation in a 6-month Balint group experience on a novice teacher’s self-efficacy, experience with burnout, and intentions to persist in the classroom. A converged mixed-methods approach was used. Each question was explored with a corresponding qualitative and a quantitative dataset. Qualitative data included (a) a semi-structured focus group; (b) field notes shared from the co-facilitator and Balint group leader; (c) semi-structured debriefs with the Balint group leaders; (d) open-ended questions on the pre and post-test reflection forms, and (e) semi-structured interviews with three participants that served as a form of member checking. Quantitative data included pre and post-test and monthly reflection forms that were collected at the conclusion of each meeting. teacher’s self-efficacy, experience with burnout, and intentions to persist in the classroom. Eight teachers volunteered for the group after an email solicitation to all the teacher development program’s members. This article examines sources of stress for new teachers, themes that came up in the Balint group that reflect the stress and its impact, and changes in felt burnout, self-efficacy, an intent to persist in teaching.