중등교사의 감정노동 인식, 경험, 그리고 대응: 구조적 맥락에서 본 현상학적 탐구

This study aims to explore in depth the emotional labor experiences of secondary school teachers and to analyze their structural and institutional contexts to propose practical improvement measures. The research was motivated by the reality that secondary teachers are repeatedly required to regulate their emotions while interacting with students, parents, colleagues, and administrators, often resulting in emotional exhaustion and decreased job satisfaction. Twelve secondary school teachers from Gyeongsangnam-do Province participated in the study, selected through snowball sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method. A total of 172 significant statements were identified, organized into 37 meaning units, which were then integrated into 16 themes and finally grouped into five theme clusters: ▲teachers’ perceptions of emotional labor, ▲structural causes, ▲operational factors (relational, organizational, and individual), ▲self-regulatory coping strategies, and ▲policy improvement demands. The findings revealed that teachers’ emotional labor arises from multi-layered structural factors such as relational conflicts, institutional changes, and social expectations of the teaching profession. Various coping strategies were identified, ranging from passive ones such as emotional suppression and avoidance to active ones such as self-care and peer support. However, organizational and institutional supports for mitigating emotional labor were found to be insufficient. This study highlights emotional labor as a structural and institutional phenomenon within the educational system, rather than a personal issue, and emphasizes the need for practical policies and multi-level support systems to enhance teachers’ professional stability and emotional well-being.