Explaining the process of alienation among single and non-native teachers: A study using the Glasery approach

Background and Objectives: Despite widespread job transfers and the employment of teachers in provinces other than their place of residence, the experience of homesickness and distance from family among single non-native teachers has been less studied semantically. The present study aimed to explain the process of homesickness among single and non-native teachers in elementary schools in Tehran and Alborz provinces to fill the gap in the scientific literature in Iran. Method: This study was conducted with the approach of Glaser's data-based theory. Data were collected in the academic year 1404-14045 through semi-structured interviews with 15 expert teachers and analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding to systematically explain the process of homesickness. Concepts and components of the homesickness model of elementary school teachers (227 conceptual codes, 12 subcategories, and 6 main categories) were identified from the interviews. Findings: The findings showed that the pattern of homesickness among elementary school teachers included 6 components: daily challenges and stresses (communication conflicts, demand management); emotional fluctuations (emotional knowledge, cognitive restructuring); identity restructuring in unfamiliar environments (personal development and excellence, internal evolution and transformation); facing challenging situations (feeling of environmental instability and insecurity, feeling of psychological entrapment); lack of emotional support and social ties (emotional ties with family and homeland, psycho-emotional needs); support resources for coping with homesickness (access to support resources and services, self-regulation, and resilience). Conclusion: The results of the study, while filling the existing theoretical gap, can guide policymakers and educational institutions to design support programs, reduce premature burnout, and improve the quality of education in urban and immigrant environments.