Professional relationships both within and outside the school: Barriers and opportunities from an intergenerational perspective

Abstract

Purpose: This paper draws on data from a research project that examined the professional relationships that existed between teachers of different generations within an educational setting, including both those inside and outside school. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach was adopted to better understand participants' intergenerational relationships. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews conducted online. Data analysis was carried out using Atlas.ti 22 software. This focused on participants' professional relationships, generationally-inflected professional relationships, links to the school and connections with their environment. Findings: The paper shows that commitment to the profession and work climate were among the key aspects referred to by the interviewees. The different age groups agreed that they had experienced intergenerational feedback and that there was closer contact between peers of the same generation, which led to greater levels of affinity. The shared responsibility that comes with teaching and the sense of belonging were essential links to the school. The generational groups underlined the importance of building bridges and participating in collaborative networks to form connections with their environment. Originality/value: Although several studies have considered various factors influencing professional relationships from an intergenerational perspective, this paper adds value to the existing literature by providing new data and analyzing the barriers and opportunities experienced by teachers of different generations (novice, veteran and retired) in their professional work within and beyond the educational setting.