Understanding Finnish Pre-Service Teachers' Well-Being

Research on pre-service teachers’ well-being has increased in recent years. However, research often relies on general constructs of well-being and standardised measures, overlooking the unique demands of the teaching profession. This study was conducted in Finnish teacher education, guided by the following research question: What perceptions of teacher well-being and their own well-being as future teachers emerge from a group discussion among pre-service teachers? The data for this study was based on a group discussion with three pre-service primary school teachers, which was collected during one master's degree course. As a result of the analysis, an emplotted narrative was created, illustrating the development and changes that occurred in pre-service teachers’ perceptions of their well-being throughout the process of becoming a teacher. The findings indicated that pre-service teachers perceived both teachers’ well-being and their own as being at risk, identifying signs of cynicism—a symptom of burnout—within themselves. The findings highlight the contextuality of pre-service teachers’ well-being, which develops in close relation to teachers’ work, teacher education, and wider society. It can be concluded that pre-service teachers’ well-being cannot be discussed without considering contextual factors. By identifying concrete ways to enhance well-being during initial teacher education, the study supports the Nordic goal of ensuring high-quality, equitable education through the preparation of healthy, motivated, and professionally supported future educators.