2026

Maunula, Minna; Harju-Luukkainen, Heidi

The increasing workload and expanding responsibilities of teachers present significant challenges to occupational well-being across the Nordic countries. In response to emerging demands in the education sector, in-service training offers contemporary tools and pedagogical approaches. However, despite the relevance and timeliness of the topic, there is a notable lack of recent research examining the relationship between in-service training and teachers’ occupational well-being. This study explores Finnish basic education teachers’ experiences of the significance of in-service training for their own occupational well-being. The central research question guiding the study is: How do teachers perceive the impact of participating in in-service training on their occupational well-being? The empirical context is a Finnish city where a new classroom management training program was piloted. The Teacher Classroom Management (TCM) method is a research-based approach that supports teachers in promoting pupils’ socio-emotional development, positive teacher-student interaction, and home-school collaboration through structured pedagogical practices grounded in positive pedagogy. Sixteen teachers from two schools in the city participated in the program. Data were collected through focus group interviews, and the analysis followed an inductive data-driven content analysis approach aligned with the research question. The findings indicate that teachers found participating in in-service training alongside colleagues to be meaningful for their occupational well-being. Training that provided practical tools and new working methods relevant to their professional context contributed positively to their daily teaching practices and overall well-being. The study concludes that collective participation in in-service training can enhance teacher well-being at both individual and community levels. Furthermore, the content of the training plays a crucial role: when teachers perceive a genuine need for new competencies in their work, they are more motivated to engage with the training, and they experience it as particularly meaningful. Given that teachers’ job satisfaction, resilience, and well-being directly affect everyday school life and student interactions, ensuring access to relevant in-service training is essential. Continued support for professional development opportunities will contribute to promoting well-being in the education sector and fostering a more sustainable future.