Inner strength amidst pandemic: Teachers' self-efficacy patterns and perceived personal accomplishments

The present study explored the teachers' self-efficacy patterns and perceived personal accomplishment in the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic teaching environment. The current sample included in-service teachers (n = 393) representing 36 states across the United States. We explored whether teacher efficacy variables (i.e., engagement efficacy, instruction efficacy, and classroom management) predict their perceived personal accomplishment. Also, based on the clustering analysis, we explored how teachers' different self-efficacy patterns related to their perceived personal accomplishment. The results indicate that teacher efficacy strongly predicted their personal accomplishment levels and show insightful implications on how to support teachers to recover well-being in a post-pandemic learning environment. Three self-efficacy components of teachers (i.e., engagement efficacy, instructional efficacy, and self-confidence in classroom management) influenced their percieved personal accomplishment in different ways.During the pandemic teaching period, teachers' high engagement efficacy can compensate for limited teaching confidence; similarly, stronger teaching confidence can counterbalance the impact of reduced engagement efficacy.To increase teachers' positive perceptions of their jobs and restore emotional well-being, a shift in educational policy is required, one that supports enhancing teachers' self-efficacy in the post-COVID-19 era.