Early career teachers’ motivation to become a teacher, teacher buoyancy, and teacher engagement

This article reports a mixed-methods study of Early Career Teachers (ECTs) which examined the mechanism underpinning the positive relationships between intrinsic motivation to become a teacher, teacher engagement, and well-being outcomes with the concept ‘teacher buoyancy’. A total of 218 ECTs who worked in primary, secondary, or special schools completed the questionnaire survey, and 14 survey respondents participated in semi-structured interviews. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) analysis showed that ECTs’ personal resources component of teacher buoyancy (Perseverance in dealing with difficulties) fully mediated the relationships between Intrinsic motivation–Competence in teaching and two outcome variables, namely Teacher buoyancy outcome: Bouncing back emotionally and taking care of one’s well-being and Teacher engagement. Two ECT cases offer an in-depth understanding of the emotional, cognitive, behavioural, and professional dimensions of the personal resources component of teacher buoyancy. Implications for initial teacher education and induction of ECTs are discussed. Copyright © 2025 Teacher Development.