EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEACHER WELL-BEING AND SCHOOL SUPPORT IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE URBAN CONTEXT OF ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

Teacher well-being has become an increasingly important topic in educational research in recent years, particularly in relation to the institutional and emotional support educators receive in different types of schools. This explanatory mixed-methods study explores how teachers in public and private schools in Astana, Kazakhstan perceive their own well-being and investigates how school culture, administrative support, workload, and student interaction influence their professional experiences. The quantitative phase used several validated instruments developed by Rebecca J. Collie (2014): the Flourishing Scale, Autonomy Support Scale, Commitment Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale, Job Stress Scale, and the Teacher Well-Being Scale (TWBS). Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers from a variety of educational settings. The study aims to reveal relationships between perceived autonomy, job satisfaction, and overall teacher well-being, while also exploring key differences in experiences between teachers in public and private schools. Preliminary interview findings suggest that factors such as administrative support, emotional burnout, collegial relationships, and student motivation play a crucial role in shaping professional well-being. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the contextual and interpersonal factors that influence teacher well-being in Astana, Kazakhstan. The findings may be valuable for school leaders, policymakers, and teacher education programs aiming to foster supportive and emotionally healthy school environments. Keywords: teacher well-being, school culture, private and public schools, leadership support, teacher workload, student interaction, mixed methods