This study analyzes the critical aspects of the professional life of primary school teachers in a southern European context. The social changes of the last two decades have profoundly impacted teachers’ well-being, putting a strain on their ability to adapt to sometimes unfair working conditions. For this purpose, we interviewed twenty teachers (M = 38.85; DS = 9.17) from different areas of Italy and analyzed data using the grounded theory method. Through a data analysis, we summarized and emphasized eight core themes. The results show the effects of the gradual impoverishment of the recognition for the role of the teacher, highlighting the difficulty for teachers in renegotiating more flexible workload assessments and reinforcing psycho-emotional skills for developing a teaching methodology that is attentive to the psycho-emotional needs of their pupils. Schools emerge as a rigid working context where a competent organizational function is often absent. The practical psychological implications of this are discussed.

This study analyses key aspects of the professional life of primary school teachers in a southern European context. In the social changes of last two decades profoundly impacted the well-being of teachers putting a strain on their ability to adapt to sometimes unfair working conditions. For this purpose twenty teachers (M = 38.85; DS = 9.17) were interviewed from different areas of Italy, data were analyzed using the Grounded Theory Method. Through data analysis were summa-rize and emphasize eight core themes. The results show the effects of a gradual impoverishment of the recognition of the role of teacher, highlighting the difficulty for teachers of renegotiating more flexible workload assessments and of reinforcing psycho-emotional skills for the development of a teaching methodology attentive to the psycho-emotional needs of pupils. Schools emerge as a rigid working context, in which a competent organizational function is often absent. Practical psychological implications are discussed.