Teacher Stress and Resilience During the Cascading Events of Winter Storm Uri and COVID-19

Abstract

Teachers experienced additional hardship throughout the pandemic, including new stressors, contributing to worsened mental health. Many teachers across the Southwest endured the added strain of Winter Storm Uri in February of 2021. This qualitative study explored the impacts of the winter storm on teachers' experiences of stress and trauma within their work and personal lives, with the intention of better understanding support options to provide teachers during and after similar crises. Qualitative analysis was conducted using inductive thematic analysis and yielded five main themes: instructional impacts, administrator and district relations, psychological impacts, basic resource impacts, and concern for others. Results from the analysis illuminated teachers’ sources of stress, resilience, and support in coping with trauma. Implications for responses to potential future natural disasters, including possible policy changes and interventions, are explored.