From the Frying Pan to the Fire: A qualitative analysis of teacher experiences as schools emerge from COVID-19 closures

In the 2020–2021 school year, teachers and students at PK-12 schools in Texas, a large southern U.S. state, returned to in-person instruction from fully virtual learning. This manuscript reports the findings from the second year of a longitudinal study examining the experiences of teachers instructing their students both remotely and in-person during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transcripts of interviews and focus groups were qualitatively coded, and findings include increased teacher stress in the new work environment, a return of teacher autonomy but uneven consideration in decision-making, and concerns for student well-being. Themes present in year two are compared to important findings from year one. •Qualitative research on teacher experiences instructing students both in-person and remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.•Findings include increased teacher stress in the new work environment, a return of teacher autonomy but uneven consideration in decision-making, and concerns for student well-being.•Comparison of themes from year one (remote instruction) and year two (dual modalities) of the study.