Graduate Studies

 

First Advisor

Lauren Gatti

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Committee Members

Edmund Hamman, Elaine Chan, Rachel Shah

Department

Teaching, Curriculum, and Learning

Date of this Version

8-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Citation

A dissertation presented to the Graduate College of the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Major: Educational Studies

Under the supervision of Professor Lauren Gatti

Lincoln, Nebraska, August 2025

Comments

Copyright 2025, Raeanna Marie Carlson. Used by permission

Abstract

To say the world has changed since the 2020 COVID-19 shut down is to minimize the micro and macro social changes that infiltrated the school system. In the wake of it all, we find a landscape marred by a both rising teacher attrition and struggling student motivation. This autoethnographic dissertation explores the deeply personal experience tethered to a deeply problematic system that contributes to not only teacher burnout but what I came to know as teacher demoralization. Personal traumas of teachers profoundly impact their experience in the classroom, and as I examined my own near departure from the classroom, I came to journey back to the by finding purpose and joy once more. Reflective and creative strategies such as autoethnography and poetic inquire afford teachers like me an intimate opportunity to explore how my personal trauma, emotional labor, and professional identity intersected but also how their roots affected me as a professional. Using a metaphor of a tree, this work investigates how experiences outside the classroom directly affect what happens within in. Rather than documenting burnout and studying numbers, this study aimed to rehumanize the educator voice and offer insight into how a creative expression can serve as a tool to heal, understand, and ultimately, transform. The findings suggest that through systemic awareness and changes designed to center educator voice, we could create a space where educators feel seen, heard, and valued, especially when educators are seen as professionals and valued as masters of their craft. Ultimately, this dissertation contributes to broader conversations about teacher resilience, trauma-informed practice, and the urgent need to support educators through reflective, research-based approaches.

Advisor: Lauren Gatti

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