Resilience under fire: Perspectives on the work of experienced, inner city high school teachers in the United States

Teachers working in inner city high schools in the United States face enormous challenges. Their students, most of whom come from economically disadvantaged minority families and often do not speak English as a first language, present a daunting array of educational needs for teachers and schools. Resources and school structures are seldom sufficient for the task. Despite such conditions, some urban high school teachers persist for many years in the classroom and experience success and satisfaction in their work. Through a survey and extended interviews, this study identifies three broad factors that motivated a group of these teachers to remain in inner city classrooms for more than 12 years: (1) the students, (2) professional and personal satisfaction, and (3) support from administrators, colleagues and the organisation of the school. The study discusses how the teachers’ resilience enabled them to overcome difficult challenges and recurring setbacks and to persist vigorously in their work. Further study of resilience in inner city teachers is recommended.