Open Collections

Hawken, Nicola Margaret

Home Economics (HE) educators face distinct challenges in achieving work-life balance due to the hands-on and personal nature of their subject. Beyond lesson planning and instruction, HE teachers manage additional responsibilities such as purchasing materials, organizing food labs, and overseeing school-wide events, often extending their workload beyond contractual hours. These blurred boundaries between professional and personal life contribute to burnout, emotional exhaustion, and demoralization. This study employs autobiographical inquiry and self-study to examine my lived experiences as an HE educator navigating work-life balance. Through reflective journaling and analysis of teaching artifacts, I explore the emotional labor, workload expectations, and institutional pressures unique to HE education. Thematic analysis revealed five key challenges: (1) the intrusion of work into personal time, (2) the emotional toll of teaching a personal subject, (3) expectations of additional responsibilities, (4) time management and boundary-setting, and (5) the role of support networks. Findings highlight the need for institutional recognition of HE educators’ workloads, clearer policies on assignable hours, and strategies for sustainable teaching practices. This study contributes to discussions on teacher well-being and professional sustainability, advocating for systemic changes that support educators in balancing their professional and personal lives.

Text

University of British Columbia. EDCP 590

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0448682

Education, Faculty of; Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/