Refugee teachers: the challenges of managing professional expectations with personal experiences

This case study documents the relationship between personal and professional experiences of a group of Syrian refugee teachers working in Lebanon. The study shows that refugee educators welcomed the opportunity to reclaim a professional identity through teaching but they struggled to balance obligations related to teaching refugees with the realities of living as refugees. The research suggests the need to provide teachers working in conflict-affected settings with financial stability, opportunities within their schools to build community with fellow teachers as well as psychological support and training regarding how best to help their students’ social and emotional recovery.

The study builds on research published in the Journal for Education in Emergencies under the title When the personal becomes the professional: Exploring  the lived experiences of Syrian refugee educators.