Teachers’ Daily Experiences in the Classroom: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

The principal aim of the present study is to develop an in-depth understanding of teachers’ everyday classroom experiences. To achieve this aim, the researchers seek to examine the interactions that occur between teachers and students in the classroom, the various classroom management processes put in place by teachers and the learning environment experiences of teachers. In this phenomenological study, semi-structured interviews are used to collect the required data. Moreover, the collected data are analysed by means of the content analysis technique. In accordance with the purposeful and typical sampling method, the study group comprises five public school teachers. The findings of the study reveal that the participants emphasised the role of positive interactions in relation to fostering a positive classroom climate. In addition, they considered that establishing classroom authority through the use of appropriate classroom management skills was very important. The participants also mentioned that social distance influences the relations between teachers and students, while teachers have only limited interventions available for tackling unwanted behaviours on the part of students. Furthermore, the participants suggested that good communication by teachers improves the communication skills of students, while the social distance between teachers and students helps to promote mutual respect and foster a positive classroom climate.