Narratives of Teacher Resilience in War-Affected Schools of Ukraine
Keywords:
teacher resilience, armed conflict, Ukraine, narrative inquiry, crisis education, war-affected schoolsAbstract
This study examines the lived experiences and resilience narratives of teachers working in war-affected schools across Ukraine amid ongoing armed conflict. Through narrative inquiry methodology, the research explores how educators maintain professional commitment, adapt pedagogical practices, and sustain psychological well-being while navigating extraordinary challenges including infrastructure damage, displacement, safety threats, and trauma exposure. Twenty-three Ukrainian teachers from diverse regions participated in in-depth interviews, sharing stories of persistence, innovation, and meaning-making during crisis. Findings reveal resilience as a dynamic, contextual process rather than fixed trait, manifested through collective solidarity, purpose-driven teaching, flexible adaptation, and deliberate hope cultivation. Teachers demonstrated remarkable resourcefulness in maintaining educational continuity through basement classrooms, online platforms, and mobile teaching units while simultaneously addressing students' psychosocial needs. However, narratives also revealed profound emotional costs, moral distress, and systemic support inadequacies that threaten long-term sustainability. This research contributes to understanding educator resilience in conflict contexts and offers insights for supporting teachers facing extreme adversity globally, while honoring Ukrainian educators' extraordinary dedication to their students and profession.
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