Urban Science Teachers in Isolation: Challenges, Resilience, and Adaptive Action

High school physics teachers in the United States are often in a position of isolation, particularly in urban schools where access to physics is relatively limited. This study explored the issue of professional isolation and how it impacted 2 novice urban physics teachers. The a priori framework incorporated aspects of socialization and the formation and enactment of resilience in challenging working conditions. An interpretive phenomenological approach was utilized to examine participants’ shared, lived experiences over 4 years and how they navigated professional tensions to adapt and achieve professional growth. The development of their teaching practices was analyzed through a series of interviews. During their first 2 years in unsupportive educational settings, the teachers reported pervasive feelings of isolation, poor self-efficacy, limited professional agency, and a desire for pedagogical collaboration. They also reported a lack of administrative support and meaningful feedback and mentoring, which led them to seek their own networks for planning curriculum, instruction, and laboratory experiences. After 2 years, they transitioned to new urban schools for improved conditions. One teacher sought a school with other physics teachers and an established physics tradition, whereas the other desired an environment where she could contribute to the overarching institutional science philosophy. Challenges were often exacerbated by teaching in isolation, whereas higher satisfaction was experienced in more socialized settings. Implications regarding the support of isolated physics teachers during their induction years are discussed.