A phenomenological case study: independent high school teachers' perceptions of student fears of failure

Student fears of failure are prevalent in K-12 schooling and post-secondary education. However, examining a teacher perspective on what the failure is that high school students are afraid of and how students' fears of failure are addressed by independent school teachers in their teaching practice is unclear in current research. This study used semi-structured phenomenological interviews and vignette responses with independent high school teachers to gain insight into how teachers perceived student fears of failure and how these perceptions influenced the decisions they made to address students' fears. Teacher participants viewed student fears of failure as interwoven with many fears and expectations that students face. To address these fears, teachers strove to facilitate student well-being through ensuring each student knew that they would be supported in moments of fear, including their fears of failure, while also helping students shift their perspective on failure and the need to fear it in the longer-term.