Teachers as emotional mediators: lived experiences of emotional labor among homeroom teachers in multicultural classrooms

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Fallo, Winda V. Ataupah, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9570438/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study aims to understand how homeroom teachers interpret emotional demands beyond formal pedagogical functions and how they manage these demands in their daily professional practice in multicultural classrooms in Indonesia. This study uses a qualitative approach with interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Cross-case analysis was used to identify patterns of experiences that emerged consistently among participants. The results showed that homeroom teachers often interpreted their role as mediators of class social dynamics when tensions arose due to differences in language, dialect, or regional origin of students. In this situation, homeroom teachers not only mediate social interaction between students, but also try to maintain the emotional order of the classroom so that the learning process continues to take place in a conducive manner. To manage these demands, teachers use a variety of strategies such as structurally managing their emotional responses, directing interactions to national languages to maintain communication inclusivity, and negotiating the professional responsibilities inherent in the role of homeroom teacher. The study highlights that teachers’ emotional labor in multicultural classrooms is not only individual, but also serves as an important social mediation practice in maintaining the cohesion and stability of learning interactions. Educational Psychology Special Education Social Work Cultural Studies Teacher emotional labor multicultural classroom emotional mediation national language use homeroom teachers classroom social dynamics Introduction In the midst of the increasing complexity of cultural diversity in primary schools globally, the role of teachers is no longer limited to academic transmission, but also includes an emotional mediation function in managing the diverse social-emotional dynamics of students. In this context, teachers are required to actively regulate their own emotions while responding to students' emotions through a variety of adaptive regulatory strategies (Castro Mosqueda, 2025 ; Ritchie et al., 2025 ). Studies in Thailand show that when faced with communication barriers with migrant students, teachers use strategies such as reinterpreting and direct interpersonal engagement to build a supportive classroom climate (Thumvichit & Phanthaphoommee, 2024 ). Meanwhile, research in Malawi confirms that teachers' social and emotional competence (SEC) is an important prerequisite in the implementation of the social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, because it allows teachers to manage heterogeneous classroom dynamics as well as become a model for emotion regulation for students (Lee, 2024). In addition to regulatory capacity, empathy is also a crucial foundation in intercultural education, as it allows teachers to understand, interpret, and respond to diverse student perspectives to create an inclusive learning environment (Landler-Pardo et al., 2022 ; McAllister & Irvine, 2023 ). Conceptually, these findings indicate that the role of teachers implicitly shifts to become emotional mediators who navigate the complexities of cross-cultural social relations in their professional daily lives. Nevertheless, the emotional demands placed on teachers, especially in multicultural classrooms, often go beyond formal pedagogical responsibilities and develop into intense but institutionally less recognized emotional labor. Studies in the United States and the United Kingdom show that teachers not only carry out teaching functions but also undertake additional unpaid and often underappreciated responsibilities, such as curriculum development and equality advocacy, thereby increasing their emotional burden (King et al., 2024 ; Patiño-Cabrera & Bhansari, 2025 ). In this context, teachers are frequently positioned as agents of social change, a normative expectation that places them in complex emotional situations and directly shapes their pedagogical practices and interpersonal relationships with students (Karousiou et al., 2021 ; Nazari & De Costa, 2024 ). Studies in South Korea also show that teachers are expected to carry out parenting roles that are not institutionalized as part of professional duties. These gender-based expectations reinforce emotional pressure and give rise to feelings of anxiety and inadequacy (Yang, 2023 ). Some of these phenomena indicate that teachers’ emotional labor is not merely an individual consequence of classroom interaction, but rather the result of structural and cultural constructions that produce moral expectations of the teaching profession. The accumulation of these expectations further deepens the tension between institutional demands, social norms, and the personal emotional experiences that teachers live with on a daily basis. Teachers' emotional labor is significantly related to psychological well-being, fatigue levels, and the quality of teacher-student relationships, especially in multicultural environments that demand high emotional sensitivity. High stress levels have been shown to correlate with increased work burnout, which negatively impacts teachers' emotional health (Gilar-Corbi et al., 2025 ; Tong, 2025 ). Conversely, teachers' emotional well-being contributes directly to the quality of pedagogical interactions, as teachers who are more emotionally stable tend to build supportive and responsive relationships with students (Moskowitz, 2024 ; Wang et al., 2021 ). Research in Taiwan and Chile has also shown that teachers' emotional intelligence has a significant influence on emotional labor dynamics and burnout, which in turn determines the effectiveness of teacher-student relationships in multicultural classroom contexts (Chen et al., 2025 ; Narea et al., 2022 ). These findings reinforce the importance of teacher emotion regulation training and institutional support in maintaining the quality of student interaction and engagement (Huynh et al., 2023 ). However, most of these studies still position emotional labor as a psychological variable that can be measured and correlated. Thus, it has not fully explained how teachers interpret these emotional experiences, especially when multicultural demands and institutional expectations are intertwined simultaneously. Emotional labor in multicultural primary education contexts The concept of emotional labor introduced by Arlie Russell Hochschild describes how individuals in professional roles manage their emotional feelings and expressions to meet institutional expectations (Grandey & Melloy, 2017 ; Tao et al., 2025 ). In the context of primary education, these demands go beyond ordinary service interactions as teachers deal with children who are still developing cognitively, socially, and emotionally. Teachers not only deliver material, but also maintain the emotional stability of the classroom and build safe interpersonal relationships among diverse students (Levine Brown et al., 2023 ; Ma et al., 2023 ). The development of this theory in education is deepened through the concept of emotional geographies of teaching by Andy Hargreaves, who emphasizes that teachers' emotional experiences are formed through relationships with students, colleagues, and parents (Rayner & Espinoza, 2016 ; Wint, 2025 ). Closeness or emotional distance in these relationships affects the well-being of teachers as well as the effectiveness of teaching. In practice, teachers continuously regulate emotions through strategies such as surface acting and deep acting to meet professional demands and maintain social stability in the classroom (Brown et al., 2018 ; Burić et al., 2019 ). In multicultural classrooms, the complexity of emotional labor increases due to differences in home language, family values, and student communication norms. Teachers must display patience, empathy, and cultural sensitivity simultaneously, even when faced with student-to-student conflict or external pressures (Franco et al., 2024 ; Lee, 2024; McAllister & Irvine, 2023 ). Emotional labor in this context includes self-regulation when social tensions occur, mediation of cross-cultural communication, and efforts to maintain positive relationships with students. Previous studies have also shown that teachers in other educational contexts face similar demands, such as physical education teachers in difficult environments who have to manage negative emotions due to student violence while maintaining positive relationships at school (Petiot et al., 2025 ). In addition, preschool teachers often use surface acting strategies when dealing with students with emotional and behavioral disorders (Brown et al., 2018 ). The findings confirm that emotional labor is a cross-contextual dimension in the teaching profession. This shows the importance of an in-depth exploration of the experience of primary school teachers in the multicultural environment of developing countries. The role of homeroom teachers in multicultural primary classrooms Indonesian society is characterized by significant cultural diversity, which is reflected in its education system (Afifuddin et al., 2025 ; Bahtiar et al., 2024 ). Multicultural education is seen as important to manage this diversity and prevent potential social conflicts, including through the integration of multicultural content in the curriculum, the development of an inclusive school culture, and the use of local wisdom (Elias & Mansouri, 2023 ). However, its implementation faces various challenges, such as gaps between classroom policies and practices, limited institutional support, and a lack of curriculum flexibility (Abdullah et al., 2023 ; Giavrimis & Dimitriadou, 2023 ). In the context of education in Indonesia, elementary school homeroom teachers hold a strategic position in managing the social dynamics of the classroom. The duties of homeroom teachers are the same as those of teachers in general, but they also have more responsibility for the formation of classroom culture, coordination of student interactions, communication with parents, and resolution of daily conflicts (Purwandoko et al., 2023 ). This role places homeroom teachers as social and cultural mediators who must navigate students' differences in backgrounds on an ongoing basis. Teachers also play a key role in implementing multicultural education through inclusive and equitable learning approaches, albeit often without adequate specialized training (Mercan Kucukakın et al., 2025 ). The practice of multicultural education in Indonesia is seen through various activities, such as religious accommodation, inclusive language policies, and intergroup dialogue programs (Saleh et al., 2025 ). In some regions of Indonesia, such as Papua, culturally responsive educational approaches are developed to adapt learning to the needs of indigenous students (Fiharsono et al., 2026 ). However, literature that specifically highlights homeroom teachers' experiences in managing emotional and social dynamics in multicultural classrooms is still limited. Some studies also focus on pedagogical policy or competence (Afifuddin et al., 2025 ; Huynh et al., 2023 ), not on the emotional experience of the teacher as the main actor who maintains the social cohesion of the classroom. Literature gap and research purpose Several studies have examined teachers emotional labor in various educational contexts, both online and offline learning (Gkonou & Miller, 2021 ; Horner et al., 2020 ; Nyanjom & Naylor, 2021 ). This development shows that the theory of emotional labor has been well established to understand the dynamics of the education profession. On the other hand, the study of emotional labor in multicultural classrooms is also growing (Nazari et al., 2024 ; Purper et al., 2023 ; Xiong, 2025 ). However, two main gaps are still clearly visible. First, contextually, studies that specifically examine emotional labor among homeroom teachers in primary schools, especially in the context of Indonesia as a developing country with a high level of cultural diversity, are still very limited. Second, methodologically, most previous studies have understood emotional labor as a measurable psychological construct rather than as a life experience that was subjectively interpreted by homeroom teachers in their daily interactions. The limited use of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) has led to a limited understanding of how homeroom teachers interpret, rationalize, and negotiate emotional demands in the context of complex multicultural classrooms. Based on some of these gaps, this study aims to explore in depth the emotional labor experiences of homeroom teachers in multicultural primary schools in Indonesia. With the IPA approach, this study was guided by two research questions: (1) how homeroom teachers experience and interpret emotional labor when mediating multicultural classroom dynamics, and (2) how they manage and navigate the emotional demands arising from the professional and social roles they hold. Methodology This study used a qualitative approach with an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) design (Smith et al., 2009 ). IPA was chosen for its focus on an in-depth exploration of individual life experiences and how they interpret those experiences in specific social and professional contexts. Consistent with the phenomenological and hermeneutic foundations of IPA, the analysis in this study focuses not only on what participants say, but also on how they interpret their experiences of enacting the role of emotional mediators in the classroom. Thus, this study also considers how researchers interpret participants' interpretations of the experience. This study is informed by the concept of emotional labor in the education profession, specifically how homeroom teachers manage their emotions when facing social, pedagogical, and relational demands in multicultural classrooms. However, this theory is used to enrich the interpretation of the experience of homeroom teachers without directing a priori the thematic structure that emerges from the data. Participants This research involved four homeroom teachers of multicultural primary schools in Indonesia who were selected through a two-stage selection process. In the first stage, twenty-seven homeroom teachers were selected from eight primary schools that have a significant composition of multiethnic students in urban areas with high population mobility. Schools were selected purposively based on several criteria: (1) the diversity of students' cultural and language backgrounds, (2) the use of Indonesian as the main language of instruction, and (3) the existence of classroom social dynamics that demand the role of teachers as mediators in interactions between students. Initial recruitment was carried out in collaboration with the school. Principals were asked to recommend homeroom teachers who have experience in managing classes with diverse student backgrounds. The recommended teacher was then contacted by email by the researcher and explained the research objectives and participation procedures. The second stage was an exploratory screening interview to identify the teachers who demonstrated the phenomenological experiences most relevant to the focus of the research. Selection considers: (1) the intensity of involvement in student conflict mediation, (2) the experience of emotion regulation in multicultural classroom situations, (3) narrative reflexivity, as well as (4) the variety of professional backgrounds to allow for cross-case analysis. Based on these criteria, four homeroom teachers were selected as the main participants. All four participants represented a variety of teaching experiences (5–18 years), different cultural backgrounds, and diverse grade levels. Each has experience in handling social conflicts between students, group exclusion, and the use of Indonesian as a means of maintaining class neutrality and cohesion. This variation allows for an in-depth exploration of how emotional labor is carried out in the context of a multicultural primary school. This sample size is in line with the idiographic principle in the phenomenological approach, which emphasizes the depth of analysis of individual experiences rather than statistical generalizations. All participants were given pseudonyms to maintain identity confidentiality. Table 1 Participant demographic information Pseudonym Gender Age Ethnolinguistic background Grade taught Teaching experience Experience as a homeroom teacher Rani Female 41 Javanese, Indonesian Grade 4 18 years 10 years Arif Male 38 Madurese, Indonesian Grade 5 14 years 8 years Sinta Female 35 Sundanese, Indonesian Grade 3 12 years 6 years Daniel Male 33 Batak Toba, Indonesian Grade 6 9 years 5 years Data collection techniques All participants were first asked to sign a participation consent form, then take part in a semi-structured interview that lasted about 90–120 minutes. Interviews were conducted either face-to-face or online, depending on the preferences and availability of participants. This approach was chosen to allow participants to reflect on their professional experiences more openly and deeply. The interview protocol was developed to explore three main domains of experience: Experience of managing a multicultural classroom: an exploration of teachers' experiences in dealing with social dynamics in classrooms with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, including situations of conflict or tension between students. Emotional labor in teaching practice: an exploration of how teachers manage their own emotions when faced with challenging classroom situations, including emotion regulation strategies and how to maintain professionalism in interactions with students. The role of teachers as emotional mediators: participants were asked to reflect on how they mediate students' social relationships, build classroom cohesion, and create an inclusive learning environment in the context of cultural and linguistic diversity. The interview instrument was reviewed by two experts in primary education and counseling to ensure sufficient depth in exploring the emotional, social, and pedagogical dimensions of the study. All interviews are recorded with the consent of the participants, transcribed verbatim, and re-verified with the original recordings to maintain data accuracy. Data analysis Data analysis was carried out following systematic principles in IPA. The process begins with a repeated reading of each transcript to build an interpretive closeness to the participant's narrative. This stage aims to understand the teacher's experience as a whole before identifying more specific units of meaning. Furthermore, an initial detailed recording was carried out which included three layers of attention: the descriptive aspect (what the participants expressed about the teaching experience), the linguistic aspect (how the experience was expressed through word choice or emotional emphasis), and the conceptual aspect (a more abstract meaning related to emotional labor and the role of the teacher as a social mediator). From this process, initial themes were developed to represent the unique quality of each participant's experience. The analysis is carried out idiographically first so that each case is understood in depth before cross-case comparisons are carried out. After the within-case analysis was completed, a thematic synthesis is carried out to identify patterns of convergence and divergence between participants. To maintain the credibility of the interpretation, the analysis process involves periodic discussions between authors, and all analytical decisions are documented in a systematic audit trail. Researcher reflexivity All authors have backgrounds in the fields of basic education, Indonesian language, and counseling, and some have experience teaching in a multilingual education environment. This position provides a contextual understanding of the dynamics of multicultural classrooms as well as the emotional challenges teachers face in managing students' social interactions. However, this proximity also has the potential to present certain assumptions related to classroom management practices and the role of homeroom teachers in maintaining social cohesion. Therefore, reflexivity is an important part of the research process. Researchers explicitly identify initial assumptions that might influence interpretation and periodically discuss potential bias in research team meetings. In the presentation of findings, direct quotes from participants are prioritized to ensure that the experiences and meanings they construct remain central to the analysis. Awareness of the principle of dual hermeneutics, that is, that researchers interpret participants' interpretations of their experiences, becomes the methodological foundation that guides the entire research process. Results Rani Rani (41 years old) has 18 years of teaching experience and has been a homeroom teacher for a decade. Coming from a Javanese ethnolinguistic background, she teaches fourth grade in primary schools whose students come from various home language backgrounds, including Javanese, Madura, and several other regions in Indonesia. Over the years of working as a homeroom teacher, Rani began to realize that her work was not only concerned with the delivery of academic materials but also with managing the emotional dynamics that emerged from the diverse social interactions between students. The experience becomes even more pronounced when small conflicts between students begin to develop into emotional tensions that affect the classroom atmosphere. In situations like this, Rani often feels that students come to her not solely to solve academic problems, but to seek emotional stability. She described her experience as follows: "Sometimes children come to me not because of lessons. They come because they feel uncomfortable with their friends or feel ridiculed for the way they speak. In such a situation, I have to remain calm. If I follow my emotions, the atmosphere of the class can get out of control. So I usually listen first, then talk to them quietly so that everything can calm down again." From a phenomenological perspective, this quote shows how Rani interprets her role as more than just an academic teacher. At a descriptive level, the experience she recounts shows that social conflicts in the classroom often arise through daily interactions between students, especially when differences in language or speaking are a source of ridicule. This situation puts teachers in an unexpected position, namely as a figure who must stabilize the emotional state of students before the learning process can take place again. However, Rani's narrative also shows a process of self-reflection on her own emotional regulation. When she said, "I have to remain calm" there are indications that this calmness does not always appear spontaneously, but is a form of conscious and intentional management of emotions. In the context of emotional labor, this action can be understood as an attempt to maintain an emotional expression that is considered appropriate to the teacher's professional role, even when her internal feelings may be different. This experience also shows how Rani understands that teachers' emotional responses have a direct impact on classroom dynamics. Her realization that "If I follow my emotions, the atmosphere of the class can get out of control" shows that she interprets herself as a determinant of collective emotional stability in the classroom. In other words, the emotional management that she does not only serves to control herself, but also to maintain social balance in the student group. Rani's experience reflects how homeroom teachers in multicultural contexts often act as emotional anchors for students. In this position, teachers not only become academic authorities but also figures who provide a safe space for students to express the social tensions they experience. Thus, Rani's emotional labor is not only related to interpersonal interaction between teachers and students, but also to efforts to maintain social cohesion in the classroom consisting of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Arif Arif (38 years old) has 14 years of teaching experience, eight of which were spent as a homeroom teacher. He comes from a Madurese ethnolinguistic background and currently teaches fifth grade in an elementary school that has a composition of students from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds, especially Javanese and Madura. In his professional experience, Arif often encounters social dynamics related to the identity of student groups, especially when differences in regional origin or home language arise in daily interactions in the classroom. As a homeroom teacher, Arif realizes that conflicts between students do not always arise in the form of open arguments. Often, the conflict starts from comments or jokes related to ethnic identity or the way students speak. In such a situation, he felt the need to act quickly to prevent conflict from developing into larger group tensions. He described his experience as follows: "Sometimes at first it's just a joke, but when someone mentions the origin of the region or the accent of their friends, the atmosphere can change quickly. Children from the same area usually immediately defend their friends. In such a situation, I have to be very careful. I can't be seen taking sides with either group, so I usually stop the conversation and talk to them together so that everyone can see the problem more calmly." On another occasion, Arif also explained the emotional pressure he felt when he had to maintain a neutral position in the midst of student conflicts. "As a teacher, I actually sometimes feel annoyed when there are children who continue to mock their friends. But I can't immediately show those emotions. I have to refrain from being seen defending certain groups, because if students feel that their teachers are unfair, conflicts can actually get bigger." Arif's experience shows that conflicts in multicultural classrooms often arise from seemingly simple everyday interactions, such as jokes about students' accents or regional origins. However, for Arif, the situation can quickly trigger group solidarity among students who have the same background. This awareness makes him interpret conflict not just as quarrels between individuals, but as social dynamics involving group identity. Arif's statement that he should be "very careful" and "not be seen to take sides with either group" shows how he consciously manages his emotional responses. Although he admits feeling upset when students mock their peers, he chooses to restrain his emotional expressions so as not to undermine students’ perceptions of fairness. This experience shows a form of emotional labor in which teachers control personal expression in order to maintain the legitimacy of their professional authority in the classroom. Conceptually, Arif's experience illustrates the role of teachers as mediators of social boundaries in multicultural classrooms. By maintaining a neutral position and directing a joint dialogue, Arif seeks to prevent minor conflicts from developing into stronger group polarization. In this context, the emotional labor of teachers not only serves to defuse conflicts but also to maintain social cohesion within diverse classroom communities. Sinta Sinta (35 years old) has been teaching for 12 years, with six years of experience as a homeroom teacher. She comes from a Sundanese ethnolinguistic background and currently teaches third grade in an elementary school that has students from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In her daily life as a homeroom teacher, Sinta often faces situations where some students feel less confident when interacting with friends who come from different languages or cultural backgrounds. This experience made Sinta more sensitive to the signs of students' emotional discomfort, especially when they felt left out in group interactions. She realized that differences in speech or home language sometimes made some students hesitant to participate in class interactions. She described her experience as follows: "There are some children who actually want to speak, but they look hesitant because they are afraid of being laughed at when their accent is different. When I see a situation like that, I usually try to give them a chance to talk first and remind their friends to respect each other." On another occasion, Sinta also explained how her emotional involvement in students' experiences often affects her feelings as a teacher. "Sometimes when children tell me that they feel unaccepted by their friends, I also feel sad. But I still have to help them to be confident again and feel that this class is a safe place for them." Sinta's experience shows how differences in language or accent can affect students' confidence in interacting in class. In a situation like this, Sinta not only plays the role of a teacher who regulates the course of learning, but also as a figure who actively pays attention to the emotional dynamics experienced by students. This sensitivity is evident when she allows students to speak and reminds them to respect one another. Sinta's narrative shows a deep emotional involvement with the students' experiences. When she says that she "feels sad", this statement shows that the emotional experience of the student is not completely separate from her emotional experience as a teacher. However, she also realized that emotional engagement needed to be managed professionally to still help students rebuild their confidence. This process reflects a form of emotional labor in which empathy for students must be balanced with the ability to remain in a constructive professional role. Sinta's experience illustrates the dimension of care-oriented emotional mediation in teaching practice in multicultural classrooms. In this position, the teacher's emotional labor focuses not only on defusing open conflicts but also on efforts to create a safe social space for students who feel vulnerable. By paying more attention to students' emotional experiences, Sinta strives to keep classroom interactions inclusive and allow every student to feel welcome in a diverse learning community. Daniel Daniel (33 years old) has nine years of teaching experience and five years of homeroom experience. Coming from a Batak Toba ethnolinguistic background, he currently teaches sixth grade in a primary school that has students from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds. As a teacher who is relatively younger than some of his colleagues, Daniel often finds that the role of a homeroom teacher involves not only managing his own class but also addressing various student issues that emerge in other subjects. In daily practice, some subject teachers often report a student's behavior problems or conflicts to him because he is the student’s homeroom teacher. This situation made Daniel feel that his responsibilities as a homeroom teacher often extended beyond the teaching activities he had planned. "Sometimes the teacher of another subject comes and tells me that there are students in my class who are having problems in their lessons. Because I was the homeroom teacher, I was finally asked to talk to the student. On the one hand, I understand that it's part of my responsibility, but sometimes I also feel confused about which one to prioritize, teaching in class or solving student problems that arise in other lessons." On another occasion, Daniel also reflected on how his position as a younger teacher affected the way he interpreted the demands. "I am a relatively junior teacher at this school, so sometimes I feel that it is possible because I am often asked to handle things like this. It's not always easy, because I'm still learning to understand how the role of homeroom teachers should be carried out." Daniel's experience shows how the role of a homeroom teacher can extend to situations that arise outside of his own classroom. When another subject teacher reports a student's problem to him, Daniel has to deal with additional demands that are not always directly related to the teaching activities he is undertaking. This situation creates practical tension in his daily life as a teacher, especially when he has to decide whether to prioritize the learning process or solve student problems that arise in other lessons. Daniel's narrative also shows a reflective process in interpreting his position as a relatively younger teacher in the school environment. When he refers to himself as a "relatively junior teacher", this statement indicates that the emotional experience he feels is not only related to his responsibilities as a homeroom teacher but also to how he interprets his position within the school's professional structure. In this situation, Daniel seems to be trying to balance between accepting the responsibilities given to him and understanding the limitations of his role as a teacher who is still in the stage of building professional experience. Daniel's experience illustrates the form of emotional labor that arises from the tension of institutional roles. Unlike other participants' experiences that primarily focus on the emotional dynamics between students in the classroom, Daniel's experience shows that teachers' emotional demands can also arise from the professional expectations inherent in the homeroom teacher's position in the school setting. In this context, Daniel not only manages the emotions that arise from interactions with students but also navigates uncertainty regarding his own professional responsibilities. This process shows how the teacher gradually builds a practical understanding of his role through everyday experience, while negotiating his professional identity as a homeroom teacher who must bridge the demands of student learning and problem-solving. Cross-case synthesis Across the four cases, five substantive themes emerged consistently. The first three themes mainly address research question (RQ) 1, then the fourth and fifth themes explicitly answered RQ 2. Becoming emotional anchors in multicultural classrooms In many cases, teachers are often positioned as a source of emotional stability when social tensions arise in the classroom. Students often come to the teacher when they feel uncomfortable with their friends, so the teacher needs to calm the situation and restore the classroom conditions so that the learning process can continue. Mediating social tensions and group boundaries Teachers also face tensions related to the identity of student groups, such as differences in regional origin, home language, or stereotypes between students. In situations when jokes turn into ridicule or group solidarity begins to form, teachers act as mediators to prevent social polarization from developing in the classroom. Using the national language to restore emotional order Some teachers use Indonesian as a practical strategy to ease social tension in classroom interactions. By shifting the conversation from regional to national languages, teachers seek to ensure more equal participation while preventing the dominance of certain language groups. Regulating emotional responses to maintain classroom stability Teachers manage emotional demands by first regulating their own emotional responses before responding to student conflict. This is done by restraining spontaneous reactions, calming down, and maintaining emotional expression so as not to worsen the classroom situation. Negotiating professional responsibilities as homeroom teachers Some teachers also manage emotional demands by negotiating the priorities of their professional responsibilities, especially in the role of homeroom teacher. They often balance teaching tasks and dealing with students' problems, while also learning to understand the boundaries and expectations of these roles through their daily experiences at school. Discussion This study aims to examine how homeroom teachers interpret emotional demands and the strategies they use to manage these demands in their daily professional practice in multicultural classrooms. The findings highlight that teachers’ emotional labor extends beyond the regulation of personal feelings and becomes closely intertwined with the management of social relations among students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In this context, teachers act not only as instructional facilitators but also as emotional mediators who stabilize classroom interactions, negotiate emerging identity boundaries among students, and maintain a supportive learning climate. These findings contribute to the growing body of research on teacher emotional labor by showing how emotion regulation practices are embedded in the social and institutional ecology of multicultural classrooms (Burić et al., 2019 ; De Costa et al., 2024 ; Nazari & De Costa, 2024 ). The findings in this study show that in multicultural classrooms, teachers often play the role of emotional anchors that help stabilize the classroom atmosphere when social tensions arise among students. This role is in line with previous research showing that teachers' emotional regulation has an important influence on student engagement and the quality of learning interactions. Several studies in the United States, Taiwan, and China show that the emotional support provided by teachers is positively correlated with increased learning emotions and student engagement, particularly in culturally diverse educational environments (Jia & Cheng, 2024 ; Li et al., 2025 ). However, the literature also shows that teachers' ability to provide emotional support is often limited by a variety of professional demands, such as high workloads and cultural expectations of teachers' roles (Aldrup et al., 2024 ; Petiot et al., 2024 ). In this context, the emotional labor of teachers does not only involve direct interaction with students but also relates to efforts to maintain social cohesion among diverse groups of students. Therefore, understanding the emotional labor dynamics of teachers is important because constant emotional demands can affect teachers' professional well-being as well as their ability to create a supportive learning environment. Further findings suggest that student conflicts often stem from daily interactions that can escalate into group solidarity when differences in language, dialect, or regional origin begin to be questioned. In situations like this, teachers not only defuse interpersonal conflicts but also play a role in mediating the boundaries of social identity that arise in student interactions. This finding is in line with research in Italy that emphasizes the importance of teachers’ roles in navigating social identity dynamics and promoting more inclusive interactions in multicultural classrooms (Karataş et al., 2023 ). In addition, the study shows that some teachers use Indonesian as a means to normalize classroom interaction, so that conversations become more inclusive and not dominated by certain language groups. This practice is consistent with the findings of research in Denmark that show that language choices in classroom interactions can affect the dynamics of social relationships and a sense of inclusion among students from different language backgrounds (Lønsmann, 2023 ). Thus, the mediation carried out by teachers in multicultural classes is not only emotional, but also has an important sociolinguistic dimension in maintaining a balance of social relations among students. Nevertheless, teacher mediation in classroom interactions does not always eliminate ethnic biases or stereotypes that have formed among students (Alan et al., 2023 ; Lorenz, 2021 ). These findings suggest that while teachers' mediation practices can help stabilize social interactions in the classroom, broader identity dynamics still shape how students interpret the differences between them. The way teachers manage their emotional responses when facing student conflicts is also an interesting discussion in this study. In the literature on teacher emotional labor, the regulation of teachers' emotions is generally explained through surface acting and deep acting strategies, which emphasize teachers' efforts to reconstruct their internal feelings to align with professional demands (Burić et al., 2019 ; Ritchie et al., 2025 ). However, this study shows that teachers more often use situational regulatory strategies when responding to conflicts that arise directly in the classroom. Similar practices were also found in studies in Bhutan and Slovenia, where teachers used quick, contextual strategies, such as calming down before responding and controlling emotional expression, to prevent the escalation of conflict during classroom interactions (Smrtnik Vitulić & Prosen, 2022 ; Wangdi & Rigdel, 2025 ). In addition, pragmatic emotion regulation strategies are also often used by teachers to maintain a positive learning environment when facing classroom situations that demand quick responses (Thumvichit & Phanthaphoommee, 2024 ). In the context of a multicultural classroom characterized by complex social dynamics, this situational emotion regulation strategy seems more realistic and operational for teachers in maintaining the stability of classroom interactions. Thus, the emotional labor of teachers in this context is not only related to the management of internal feelings but also to the ability to respond directly to the social dynamics of the classroom to maintain a balance of interaction among students. The findings of this study also show that the emotional demands experienced by teachers arise not only from direct interactions with students but also from institutional expectations embedded in their professional roles. This suggests that teachers' emotional labor takes place in a broader landscape, which is influenced by various ecological factors such as classroom dynamics, school organizational structure, and the sociocultural context in which teaching practices take place. At the level of classroom interaction, previous research has shown that teachers' emotions can spread through the process of emotional transmission, where the teacher's emotional expression influences students' emotions and collectively shapes the classroom atmosphere (Moskowitz, 2024 ). At the institutional level, job demands such as high workloads and limited organizational support can also amplify the emotional stress that teachers experience in carrying out their professional roles (Nazari et al., 2023 ; Stark & Cummings, 2023 ). In addition, in a broader sociocultural context, teachers’ emotional labor is often shaped by social norms and power relations that influence how teachers express emotions and interpret their professional identities (De Costa et al., 2024 ). Taking into account the different layers of these contexts, the findings of this study show that teachers’ emotional labor not only arises from pedagogical interactions in the classroom but is also produced by the organizational structure of the school. In this situation, the role of the homeroom teacher positions the teacher as a liaison between various actors in the school environment, as well as a figure expected to maintain students’ social well-being across different learning situations. Practically, this study contributes to teacher professional development and classroom management in increasingly multicultural schools. First, the findings suggest that the ability to manage the emotional dynamics of the classroom should be regarded as a core pedagogical competence rather than merely an interpersonal skill. In the observed classrooms, teachers frequently engaged in situational emotion regulation, such as pausing to calm themselves before responding and carefully controlling emotional expressions, to prevent the escalation of student conflicts. These practices indicate the importance of preparing teachers to respond to emotionally charged classroom interactions in a reflective and controlled manner (Sah, 2023 ). Therefore, teacher education programs should incorporate structured training in conflict mediation, awareness of students’ social identity dynamics, and practical emotion regulation strategies that can be applied during real-time classroom interactions. Second, the findings highlight the importance of experiential and reflective learning in professional development. Because classroom conflicts often emerge unexpectedly from everyday student interactions, teachers must make rapid emotional judgments in order to stabilize the situation. Professional learning initiatives may therefore benefit from incorporating case-based discussions, classroom simulations, and reflective practice sessions that allow teachers to analyze authentic classroom scenarios and develop adaptive response strategies (Prieto et al., 2020 ). Third, at the institutional level, the role of the homeroom teacher frequently positions teachers as key mediators who coordinate responses to students’ social issues across different subjects and learning situations. This finding suggests that schools should develop clearer institutional support structures, including stronger collaboration between subject teachers, homeroom teachers, and school leadership. Such coordinated support can help distribute the responsibility for managing classroom social dynamics while reducing the emotional burden placed on individual teachers (Nazari & De Costa, 2024 ). At the same time, the successful implementation of inclusive classroom practices requires attention to teachers’ professional cultures, as resistance to pedagogical change may influence how such strategies are adopted in practice. Limitations and future research This study has several limitations that need to be considered in interpreting the findings. First, the limited number of participants allows for an in-depth exploration of the homeroom teachers' experience, but limits the variety of perspectives represented. The focus on four homeroom teachers provides a rich contextual picture of emotional labor practices in multicultural classrooms, but the dynamics found may not fully reflect teachers' experiences in other school contexts. Second, all participants came from primary schools in one geographical area in Indonesia. Although the school chosen has significant multicultural characteristics, this context still represents specific social and institutional conditions. Therefore, the findings of this study may differ when studied in other regions or educational institutions with different ethnolinguistic configurations and school policies. Third, this study focuses on the perspectives of homeroom teachers as the main actors in managing classroom emotional dynamics. While this approach provides an in-depth understanding of emotion regulation strategies and mediation practices, it does not fully capture how these practices are perceived by students. Future research may therefore expand the geographic and institutional scope, incorporate the perspectives of students or other school actors, and develop longitudinal designs to examine how teachers’ emotion regulation strategies evolve amid the social dynamics of multicultural classrooms. Conclusion The findings of this study show that in multicultural primary schools, homeroom teachers not only carry out the role of academic teachers but also act as figures who maintain emotional and social stability in student interactions. Differences in home language, dialect, and regional origin often show up in students' daily conversations and can develop into social tensions in the classroom. In this situation, teachers play a role in calming emotional dynamics, mediating social boundaries between students, and restoring the regularity of interaction so that the learning process can resume in a conducive manner. To deal with these demands, teachers actively manage their emotional responses by restraining spontaneous reactions, maintaining stable emotional expression, and using practical strategies such as directing interactions to the national language to make the conversation more inclusive. In addition, they also navigate the demands of the role of homeroom teachers by balancing teaching responsibilities and handling various student problems that arise in daily school life. This study makes a conceptual contribution by broadening the understanding of teachers’ emotional labor in the context of multicultural education. The findings suggest that teachers’ emotional labor is not only related to the regulation of individual emotions but also serves as a socially mediated practice that helps maintain the cohesion and inclusivity of interactions in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. This research also highlights the sociolinguistic dimension in the practice of mediation, particularly through the use of national languages as a means to reorganize emotional order and student participation in class interactions. Practically, the results of this study confirm the importance of viewing the ability to manage the emotional dynamics of the classroom as an integral part of teachers' professional competence. The findings also demonstrate the need for more coordinated institutional support for homeroom teachers in dealing with the social and emotional complexities that arise in a multicultural school environment. References Abdullah A, Alim A, Andriyadi F, Burga MA (2023) Application of Multicultural Education in Strengthening Community Solidarity in Indonesia. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun 11(3):1173–1198. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v11i3.965 Afifuddin A, Amri M, Latif A, Rosmini R, Bin Tahir SZ (2025) Negotiating multicultural values within centralized education systems: a case study of Indonesia. Front Educ 10(5):1–19. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1620685 Alan S, Duysak E, Kubilay E, Mumcu I (2023) Social Exclusion and Ethnic Segregation in Schools: The Role of Teachers’ Ethnic Prejudice. 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Profile: Issues Teachers’ Prof Dev 27(1):49–65. https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v27n1.114147 Wint N (2025) Engineering educators’ experiences of emotion in relation to the topics they teach. Eur J Eng Educ 12(7):1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2025.2570381 Xiong J (2025) The Role of Teachers’ Infiltration of Multicultural Education and Social-Emotional Learning in Classroom Teaching on Students’ Development. J Inform Knowl Manage 24(03). https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219649225500182 Yang J (2023) English teaching as gendered care work. Gend Lang 17(3):295–315. https://doi.org/10.1558/genl.23143 Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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In this context, teachers are required to actively regulate their own emotions while responding to students' emotions through a variety of adaptive regulatory strategies (Castro Mosqueda, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Ritchie et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Studies in Thailand show that when faced with communication barriers with migrant students, teachers use strategies such as reinterpreting and direct interpersonal engagement to build a supportive classroom climate (Thumvichit \u0026amp; Phanthaphoommee, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Meanwhile, research in Malawi confirms that teachers' social and emotional competence (SEC) is an important prerequisite in the implementation of the social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, because it allows teachers to manage heterogeneous classroom dynamics as well as become a model for emotion regulation for students (Lee, 2024). In addition to regulatory capacity, empathy is also a crucial foundation in intercultural education, as it allows teachers to understand, interpret, and respond to diverse student perspectives to create an inclusive learning environment (Landler-Pardo et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; McAllister \u0026amp; Irvine, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Conceptually, these findings indicate that the role of teachers implicitly shifts to become emotional mediators who navigate the complexities of cross-cultural social relations in their professional daily lives.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNevertheless, the emotional demands placed on teachers, especially in multicultural classrooms, often go beyond formal pedagogical responsibilities and develop into intense but institutionally less recognized emotional labor. Studies in the United States and the United Kingdom show that teachers not only carry out teaching functions but also undertake additional unpaid and often underappreciated responsibilities, such as curriculum development and equality advocacy, thereby increasing their emotional burden (King et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Pati\u0026ntilde;o-Cabrera \u0026amp; Bhansari, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). In this context, teachers are frequently positioned as agents of social change, a normative expectation that places them in complex emotional situations and directly shapes their pedagogical practices and interpersonal relationships with students (Karousiou et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Nazari \u0026amp; De Costa, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Studies in South Korea also show that teachers are expected to carry out parenting roles that are not institutionalized as part of professional duties. These gender-based expectations reinforce emotional pressure and give rise to feelings of anxiety and inadequacy (Yang, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Some of these phenomena indicate that teachers\u0026rsquo; emotional labor is not merely an individual consequence of classroom interaction, but rather the result of structural and cultural constructions that produce moral expectations of the teaching profession. The accumulation of these expectations further deepens the tension between institutional demands, social norms, and the personal emotional experiences that teachers live with on a daily basis.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTeachers' emotional labor is significantly related to psychological well-being, fatigue levels, and the quality of teacher-student relationships, especially in multicultural environments that demand high emotional sensitivity. High stress levels have been shown to correlate with increased work burnout, which negatively impacts teachers' emotional health (Gilar-Corbi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Tong, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Conversely, teachers' emotional well-being contributes directly to the quality of pedagogical interactions, as teachers who are more emotionally stable tend to build supportive and responsive relationships with students (Moskowitz, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Wang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Research in Taiwan and Chile has also shown that teachers' emotional intelligence has a significant influence on emotional labor dynamics and burnout, which in turn determines the effectiveness of teacher-student relationships in multicultural classroom contexts (Chen et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Narea et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). These findings reinforce the importance of teacher emotion regulation training and institutional support in maintaining the quality of student interaction and engagement (Huynh et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). However, most of these studies still position emotional labor as a psychological variable that can be measured and correlated. Thus, it has not fully explained how teachers interpret these emotional experiences, especially when multicultural demands and institutional expectations are intertwined simultaneously.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eEmotional labor in multicultural primary education contexts\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe concept of emotional labor introduced by Arlie Russell Hochschild describes how individuals in professional roles manage their emotional feelings and expressions to meet institutional expectations (Grandey \u0026amp; Melloy, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e; Tao et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). In the context of primary education, these demands go beyond ordinary service interactions as teachers deal with children who are still developing cognitively, socially, and emotionally. Teachers not only deliver material, but also maintain the emotional stability of the classroom and build safe interpersonal relationships among diverse students (Levine Brown et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Ma et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). The development of this theory in education is deepened through the concept of emotional geographies of teaching by Andy Hargreaves, who emphasizes that teachers' emotional experiences are formed through relationships with students, colleagues, and parents (Rayner \u0026amp; Espinoza, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e; Wint, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). Closeness or emotional distance in these relationships affects the well-being of teachers as well as the effectiveness of teaching. In practice, teachers continuously regulate emotions through strategies such as surface acting and deep acting to meet professional demands and maintain social stability in the classroom (Brown et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e; Burić et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn multicultural classrooms, the complexity of emotional labor increases due to differences in home language, family values, and student communication norms. Teachers must display patience, empathy, and cultural sensitivity simultaneously, even when faced with student-to-student conflict or external pressures (Franco et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Lee, 2024; McAllister \u0026amp; Irvine, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Emotional labor in this context includes self-regulation when social tensions occur, mediation of cross-cultural communication, and efforts to maintain positive relationships with students. Previous studies have also shown that teachers in other educational contexts face similar demands, such as physical education teachers in difficult environments who have to manage negative emotions due to student violence while maintaining positive relationships at school (Petiot et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). In addition, preschool teachers often use surface acting strategies when dealing with students with emotional and behavioral disorders (Brown et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). The findings confirm that emotional labor is a cross-contextual dimension in the teaching profession. This shows the importance of an in-depth exploration of the experience of primary school teachers in the multicultural environment of developing countries.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eThe role of homeroom teachers in multicultural primary classrooms\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndonesian society is characterized by significant cultural diversity, which is reflected in its education system (Afifuddin et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Bahtiar et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Multicultural education is seen as important to manage this diversity and prevent potential social conflicts, including through the integration of multicultural content in the curriculum, the development of an inclusive school culture, and the use of local wisdom (Elias \u0026amp; Mansouri, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). However, its implementation faces various challenges, such as gaps between classroom policies and practices, limited institutional support, and a lack of curriculum flexibility (Abdullah et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Giavrimis \u0026amp; Dimitriadou, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the context of education in Indonesia, elementary school homeroom teachers hold a strategic position in managing the social dynamics of the classroom. The duties of homeroom teachers are the same as those of teachers in general, but they also have more responsibility for the formation of classroom culture, coordination of student interactions, communication with parents, and resolution of daily conflicts (Purwandoko et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). This role places homeroom teachers as social and cultural mediators who must navigate students' differences in backgrounds on an ongoing basis. Teachers also play a key role in implementing multicultural education through inclusive and equitable learning approaches, albeit often without adequate specialized training (Mercan Kucukakın et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe practice of multicultural education in Indonesia is seen through various activities, such as religious accommodation, inclusive language policies, and intergroup dialogue programs (Saleh et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). In some regions of Indonesia, such as Papua, culturally responsive educational approaches are developed to adapt learning to the needs of indigenous students (Fiharsono et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2026\u003c/span\u003e). However, literature that specifically highlights homeroom teachers' experiences in managing emotional and social dynamics in multicultural classrooms is still limited. Some studies also focus on pedagogical policy or competence (Afifuddin et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Huynh et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e), not on the emotional experience of the teacher as the main actor who maintains the social cohesion of the classroom.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eLiterature gap and research purpose\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral studies have examined teachers emotional labor in various educational contexts, both online and offline learning (Gkonou \u0026amp; Miller, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Horner et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; Nyanjom \u0026amp; Naylor, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). This development shows that the theory of emotional labor has been well established to understand the dynamics of the education profession. On the other hand, the study of emotional labor in multicultural classrooms is also growing (Nazari et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Purper et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Xiong, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR59\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). However, two main gaps are still clearly visible. First, contextually, studies that specifically examine emotional labor among homeroom teachers in primary schools, especially in the context of Indonesia as a developing country with a high level of cultural diversity, are still very limited. Second, methodologically, most previous studies have understood emotional labor as a measurable psychological construct rather than as a life experience that was subjectively interpreted by homeroom teachers in their daily interactions. The limited use of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) has led to a limited understanding of how homeroom teachers interpret, rationalize, and negotiate emotional demands in the context of complex multicultural classrooms.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on some of these gaps, this study aims to explore in depth the emotional labor experiences of homeroom teachers in multicultural primary schools in Indonesia. With the IPA approach, this study was guided by two research questions: (1) how homeroom teachers experience and interpret emotional labor when mediating multicultural classroom dynamics, and (2) how they manage and navigate the emotional demands arising from the professional and social roles they hold.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methodology","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study used a qualitative approach with an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) design (Smith et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). IPA was chosen for its focus on an in-depth exploration of individual life experiences and how they interpret those experiences in specific social and professional contexts. Consistent with the phenomenological and hermeneutic foundations of IPA, the analysis in this study focuses not only on what participants say, but also on how they interpret their experiences of enacting the role of emotional mediators in the classroom. Thus, this study also considers how researchers interpret participants' interpretations of the experience. This study is informed by the concept of emotional labor in the education profession, specifically how homeroom teachers manage their emotions when facing social, pedagogical, and relational demands in multicultural classrooms. However, this theory is used to enrich the interpretation of the experience of homeroom teachers without directing a priori the thematic structure that emerges from the data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eParticipants\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research involved four homeroom teachers of multicultural primary schools in Indonesia who were selected through a two-stage selection process. In the first stage, twenty-seven homeroom teachers were selected from eight primary schools that have a significant composition of multiethnic students in urban areas with high population mobility. Schools were selected purposively based on several criteria: (1) the diversity of students' cultural and language backgrounds, (2) the use of Indonesian as the main language of instruction, and (3) the existence of classroom social dynamics that demand the role of teachers as mediators in interactions between students. Initial recruitment was carried out in collaboration with the school. Principals were asked to recommend homeroom teachers who have experience in managing classes with diverse student backgrounds. The recommended teacher was then contacted by email by the researcher and explained the research objectives and participation procedures.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe second stage was an exploratory screening interview to identify the teachers who demonstrated the phenomenological experiences most relevant to the focus of the research. Selection considers: (1) the intensity of involvement in student conflict mediation, (2) the experience of emotion regulation in multicultural classroom situations, (3) narrative reflexivity, as well as (4) the variety of professional backgrounds to allow for cross-case analysis. Based on these criteria, four homeroom teachers were selected as the main participants.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll four participants represented a variety of teaching experiences (5\u0026ndash;18 years), different cultural backgrounds, and diverse grade levels. Each has experience in handling social conflicts between students, group exclusion, and the use of Indonesian as a means of maintaining class neutrality and cohesion. This variation allows for an in-depth exploration of how emotional labor is carried out in the context of a multicultural primary school. This sample size is in line with the idiographic principle in the phenomenological approach, which emphasizes the depth of analysis of individual experiences rather than statistical generalizations. All participants were given pseudonyms to maintain identity confidentiality.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eParticipant demographic information\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePseudonym\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAge\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEthnolinguistic background\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrade taught\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTeaching experience\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eExperience as a homeroom teacher\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRani\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eJavanese, Indonesian\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrade 4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18 years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10 years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eArif\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMadurese, Indonesian\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrade 5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14 years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8 years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSinta\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e35\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSundanese, Indonesian\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrade 3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12 years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6 years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDaniel\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBatak Toba, Indonesian\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrade 6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9 years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5 years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eData collection techniques\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e All participants were first asked to sign a participation consent form, then take part in a semi-structured interview that lasted about 90\u0026ndash;120 minutes. Interviews were conducted either face-to-face or online, depending on the preferences and availability of participants. This approach was chosen to allow participants to reflect on their professional experiences more openly and deeply.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe interview protocol was developed to explore three main domains of experience:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eExperience of managing a multicultural classroom: an exploration of teachers' experiences in dealing with social dynamics in classrooms with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, including situations of conflict or tension between students.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eEmotional labor in teaching practice: an exploration of how teachers manage their own emotions when faced with challenging classroom situations, including emotion regulation strategies and how to maintain professionalism in interactions with students.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003e The role of teachers as emotional mediators: participants were asked to reflect on how they mediate students' social relationships, build classroom cohesion, and create an inclusive learning environment in the context of cultural and linguistic diversity.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe interview instrument was reviewed by two experts in primary education and counseling to ensure sufficient depth in exploring the emotional, social, and pedagogical dimensions of the study. All interviews are recorded with the consent of the participants, transcribed verbatim, and re-verified with the original recordings to maintain data accuracy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eData analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eData analysis was carried out following systematic principles in IPA. The process begins with a repeated reading of each transcript to build an interpretive closeness to the participant's narrative. This stage aims to understand the teacher's experience as a whole before identifying more specific units of meaning. Furthermore, an initial detailed recording was carried out which included three layers of attention: the descriptive aspect (what the participants expressed about the teaching experience), the linguistic aspect (how the experience was expressed through word choice or emotional emphasis), and the conceptual aspect (a more abstract meaning related to emotional labor and the role of the teacher as a social mediator).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom this process, initial themes were developed to represent the unique quality of each participant's experience. The analysis is carried out idiographically first so that each case is understood in depth before cross-case comparisons are carried out. After the within-case analysis was completed, a thematic synthesis is carried out to identify patterns of convergence and divergence between participants. To maintain the credibility of the interpretation, the analysis process involves periodic discussions between authors, and all analytical decisions are documented in a systematic audit trail.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eResearcher reflexivity\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll authors have backgrounds in the fields of basic education, Indonesian language, and counseling, and some have experience teaching in a multilingual education environment. This position provides a contextual understanding of the dynamics of multicultural classrooms as well as the emotional challenges teachers face in managing students' social interactions. However, this proximity also has the potential to present certain assumptions related to classroom management practices and the role of homeroom teachers in maintaining social cohesion.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTherefore, reflexivity is an important part of the research process. Researchers explicitly identify initial assumptions that might influence interpretation and periodically discuss potential bias in research team meetings. In the presentation of findings, direct quotes from participants are prioritized to ensure that the experiences and meanings they construct remain central to the analysis. Awareness of the principle of dual hermeneutics, that is, that researchers interpret participants' interpretations of their experiences, becomes the methodological foundation that guides the entire research process.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eRani\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eRani (41 years old) has 18 years of teaching experience and has been a homeroom teacher for a decade. Coming from a Javanese ethnolinguistic background, she teaches fourth grade in primary schools whose students come from various home language backgrounds, including Javanese, Madura, and several other regions in Indonesia. Over the years of working as a homeroom teacher, Rani began to realize that her work was not only concerned with the delivery of academic materials but also with managing the emotional dynamics that emerged from the diverse social interactions between students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe experience becomes even more pronounced when small conflicts between students begin to develop into emotional tensions that affect the classroom atmosphere. In situations like this, Rani often feels that students come to her not solely to solve academic problems, but to seek emotional stability. She described her experience as follows:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Sometimes children come to me not because of lessons. They come because they feel uncomfortable with their friends or feel ridiculed for the way they speak. In such a situation, I have to remain calm. If I follow my emotions, the atmosphere of the class can get out of control. So I usually listen first, then talk to them quietly so that everything can calm down again.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom a phenomenological perspective, this quote shows how Rani interprets her role as more than just an academic teacher. At a descriptive level, the experience she recounts shows that social conflicts in the classroom often arise through daily interactions between students, especially when differences in language or speaking are a source of ridicule. This situation puts teachers in an unexpected position, namely as a figure who must stabilize the emotional state of students before the learning process can take place again.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, Rani's narrative also shows a process of self-reflection on her own emotional regulation. When she said, \"I have to remain calm\" there are indications that this calmness does not always appear spontaneously, but is a form of conscious and intentional management of emotions. In the context of emotional labor, this action can be understood as an attempt to maintain an emotional expression that is considered appropriate to the teacher's professional role, even when her internal feelings may be different. This experience also shows how Rani understands that teachers' emotional responses have a direct impact on classroom dynamics. Her realization that \"If I follow my emotions, the atmosphere of the class can get out of control\" shows that she interprets herself as a determinant of collective emotional stability in the classroom. In other words, the emotional management that she does not only serves to control herself, but also to maintain social balance in the student group.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRani's experience reflects how homeroom teachers in multicultural contexts often act as emotional anchors for students. In this position, teachers not only become academic authorities but also figures who provide a safe space for students to express the social tensions they experience. Thus, Rani's emotional labor is not only related to interpersonal interaction between teachers and students, but also to efforts to maintain social cohesion in the classroom consisting of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eArif\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eArif (38 years old) has 14 years of teaching experience, eight of which were spent as a homeroom teacher. He comes from a Madurese ethnolinguistic background and currently teaches fifth grade in an elementary school that has a composition of students from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds, especially Javanese and Madura. In his professional experience, Arif often encounters social dynamics related to the identity of student groups, especially when differences in regional origin or home language arise in daily interactions in the classroom. As a homeroom teacher, Arif realizes that conflicts between students do not always arise in the form of open arguments. Often, the conflict starts from comments or jokes related to ethnic identity or the way students speak. In such a situation, he felt the need to act quickly to prevent conflict from developing into larger group tensions. He described his experience as follows:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Sometimes at first it's just a joke, but when someone mentions the origin of the region or the accent of their friends, the atmosphere can change quickly. Children from the same area usually immediately defend their friends. In such a situation, I have to be very careful. I can't be seen taking sides with either group, so I usually stop the conversation and talk to them together so that everyone can see the problem more calmly.\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOn another occasion, Arif also explained the emotional pressure he felt when he had to maintain a neutral position in the midst of student conflicts.\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"As a teacher, I actually sometimes feel annoyed when there are children who continue to mock their friends. But I can't immediately show those emotions. I have to refrain from being seen defending certain groups, because if students feel that their teachers are unfair, conflicts can actually get bigger.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eArif's experience shows that conflicts in multicultural classrooms often arise from seemingly simple everyday interactions, such as jokes about students' accents or regional origins. However, for Arif, the situation can quickly trigger group solidarity among students who have the same background. This awareness makes him interpret conflict not just as quarrels between individuals, but as social dynamics involving group identity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eArif's statement that he should be \"very careful\" and \"not be seen to take sides with either group\" shows how he consciously manages his emotional responses. Although he admits feeling upset when students mock their peers, he chooses to restrain his emotional expressions so as not to undermine students\u0026rsquo; perceptions of fairness. This experience shows a form of emotional labor in which teachers control personal expression in order to maintain the legitimacy of their professional authority in the classroom.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConceptually, Arif's experience illustrates the role of teachers as mediators of social boundaries in multicultural classrooms. By maintaining a neutral position and directing a joint dialogue, Arif seeks to prevent minor conflicts from developing into stronger group polarization. In this context, the emotional labor of teachers not only serves to defuse conflicts but also to maintain social cohesion within diverse classroom communities.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSinta\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSinta (35 years old) has been teaching for 12 years, with six years of experience as a homeroom teacher. She comes from a Sundanese ethnolinguistic background and currently teaches third grade in an elementary school that has students from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In her daily life as a homeroom teacher, Sinta often faces situations where some students feel less confident when interacting with friends who come from different languages or cultural backgrounds. This experience made Sinta more sensitive to the signs of students' emotional discomfort, especially when they felt left out in group interactions. She realized that differences in speech or home language sometimes made some students hesitant to participate in class interactions. She described her experience as follows:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"There are some children who actually want to speak, but they look hesitant because they are afraid of being laughed at when their accent is different. When I see a situation like that, I usually try to give them a chance to talk first and remind their friends to respect each other.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOn another occasion, Sinta also explained how her emotional involvement in students' experiences often affects her feelings as a teacher.\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Sometimes when children tell me that they feel unaccepted by their friends, I also feel sad. But I still have to help them to be confident again and feel that this class is a safe place for them.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSinta's experience shows how differences in language or accent can affect students' confidence in interacting in class. In a situation like this, Sinta not only plays the role of a teacher who regulates the course of learning, but also as a figure who actively pays attention to the emotional dynamics experienced by students. This sensitivity is evident when she allows students to speak and reminds them to respect one another.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSinta's narrative shows a deep emotional involvement with the students' experiences. When she says that she \"feels sad\", this statement shows that the emotional experience of the student is not completely separate from her emotional experience as a teacher. However, she also realized that emotional engagement needed to be managed professionally to still help students rebuild their confidence. This process reflects a form of emotional labor in which empathy for students must be balanced with the ability to remain in a constructive professional role.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSinta's experience illustrates the dimension of care-oriented emotional mediation in teaching practice in multicultural classrooms. In this position, the teacher's emotional labor focuses not only on defusing open conflicts but also on efforts to create a safe social space for students who feel vulnerable. By paying more attention to students' emotional experiences, Sinta strives to keep classroom interactions inclusive and allow every student to feel welcome in a diverse learning community.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eDaniel\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eDaniel (33 years old) has nine years of teaching experience and five years of homeroom experience. Coming from a Batak Toba ethnolinguistic background, he currently teaches sixth grade in a primary school that has students from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds. As a teacher who is relatively younger than some of his colleagues, Daniel often finds that the role of a homeroom teacher involves not only managing his own class but also addressing various student issues that emerge in other subjects. In daily practice, some subject teachers often report a student's behavior problems or conflicts to him because he is the student\u0026rsquo;s homeroom teacher. This situation made Daniel feel that his responsibilities as a homeroom teacher often extended beyond the teaching activities he had planned.\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Sometimes the teacher of another subject comes and tells me that there are students in my class who are having problems in their lessons. Because I was the homeroom teacher, I was finally asked to talk to the student. On the one hand, I understand that it's part of my responsibility, but sometimes I also feel confused about which one to prioritize, teaching in class or solving student problems that arise in other lessons.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOn another occasion, Daniel also reflected on how his position as a younger teacher affected the way he interpreted the demands.\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"I am a relatively junior teacher at this school, so sometimes I feel that it is possible because I am often asked to handle things like this. It's not always easy, because I'm still learning to understand how the role of homeroom teachers should be carried out.\"\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDaniel's experience shows how the role of a homeroom teacher can extend to situations that arise outside of his own classroom. When another subject teacher reports a student's problem to him, Daniel has to deal with additional demands that are not always directly related to the teaching activities he is undertaking. This situation creates practical tension in his daily life as a teacher, especially when he has to decide whether to prioritize the learning process or solve student problems that arise in other lessons.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDaniel's narrative also shows a reflective process in interpreting his position as a relatively younger teacher in the school environment. When he refers to himself as a \"relatively junior teacher\", this statement indicates that the emotional experience he feels is not only related to his responsibilities as a homeroom teacher but also to how he interprets his position within the school's professional structure. In this situation, Daniel seems to be trying to balance between accepting the responsibilities given to him and understanding the limitations of his role as a teacher who is still in the stage of building professional experience.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDaniel's experience illustrates the form of emotional labor that arises from the tension of institutional roles. Unlike other participants' experiences that primarily focus on the emotional dynamics between students in the classroom, Daniel's experience shows that teachers' emotional demands can also arise from the professional expectations inherent in the homeroom teacher's position in the school setting. In this context, Daniel not only manages the emotions that arise from interactions with students but also navigates uncertainty regarding his own professional responsibilities. This process shows how the teacher gradually builds a practical understanding of his role through everyday experience, while negotiating his professional identity as a homeroom teacher who must bridge the demands of student learning and problem-solving.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCross-case synthesis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcross the four cases, five substantive themes emerged consistently. The first three themes mainly address research question (RQ) 1, then the fourth and fifth themes explicitly answered RQ 2.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eBecoming emotional anchors in multicultural classrooms\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn many cases, teachers are often positioned as a source of emotional stability when social tensions arise in the classroom. Students often come to the teacher when they feel uncomfortable with their friends, so the teacher needs to calm the situation and restore the classroom conditions so that the learning process can continue.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eMediating social tensions and group boundaries\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTeachers also face tensions related to the identity of student groups, such as differences in regional origin, home language, or stereotypes between students. In situations when jokes turn into ridicule or group solidarity begins to form, teachers act as mediators to prevent social polarization from developing in the classroom.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eUsing the national language to restore emotional order\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSome teachers use Indonesian as a practical strategy to ease social tension in classroom interactions. By shifting the conversation from regional to national languages, teachers seek to ensure more equal participation while preventing the dominance of certain language groups.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eRegulating emotional responses to maintain classroom stability\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTeachers manage emotional demands by first regulating their own emotional responses before responding to student conflict. This is done by restraining spontaneous reactions, calming down, and maintaining emotional expression so as not to worsen the classroom situation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec20\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eNegotiating professional responsibilities as homeroom teachers\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSome teachers also manage emotional demands by negotiating the priorities of their professional responsibilities, especially in the role of homeroom teacher. They often balance teaching tasks and dealing with students' problems, while also learning to understand the boundaries and expectations of these roles through their daily experiences at school.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study aims to examine how homeroom teachers interpret emotional demands and the strategies they use to manage these demands in their daily professional practice in multicultural classrooms. The findings highlight that teachers\u0026rsquo; emotional labor extends beyond the regulation of personal feelings and becomes closely intertwined with the management of social relations among students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In this context, teachers act not only as instructional facilitators but also as emotional mediators who stabilize classroom interactions, negotiate emerging identity boundaries among students, and maintain a supportive learning climate. These findings contribute to the growing body of research on teacher emotional labor by showing how emotion regulation practices are embedded in the social and institutional ecology of multicultural classrooms (Burić et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; De Costa et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Nazari \u0026amp; De Costa, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe findings in this study show that in multicultural classrooms, teachers often play the role of emotional anchors that help stabilize the classroom atmosphere when social tensions arise among students. This role is in line with previous research showing that teachers' emotional regulation has an important influence on student engagement and the quality of learning interactions. Several studies in the United States, Taiwan, and China show that the emotional support provided by teachers is positively correlated with increased learning emotions and student engagement, particularly in culturally diverse educational environments (Jia \u0026amp; Cheng, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Li et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). However, the literature also shows that teachers' ability to provide emotional support is often limited by a variety of professional demands, such as high workloads and cultural expectations of teachers' roles (Aldrup et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Petiot et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). In this context, the emotional labor of teachers does not only involve direct interaction with students but also relates to efforts to maintain social cohesion among diverse groups of students. Therefore, understanding the emotional labor dynamics of teachers is important because constant emotional demands can affect teachers' professional well-being as well as their ability to create a supportive learning environment.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurther findings suggest that student conflicts often stem from daily interactions that can escalate into group solidarity when differences in language, dialect, or regional origin begin to be questioned. In situations like this, teachers not only defuse interpersonal conflicts but also play a role in mediating the boundaries of social identity that arise in student interactions. This finding is in line with research in Italy that emphasizes the importance of teachers\u0026rsquo; roles in navigating social identity dynamics and promoting more inclusive interactions in multicultural classrooms (Karataş et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). In addition, the study shows that some teachers use Indonesian as a means to normalize classroom interaction, so that conversations become more inclusive and not dominated by certain language groups. This practice is consistent with the findings of research in Denmark that show that language choices in classroom interactions can affect the dynamics of social relationships and a sense of inclusion among students from different language backgrounds (L\u0026oslash;nsmann, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Thus, the mediation carried out by teachers in multicultural classes is not only emotional, but also has an important sociolinguistic dimension in maintaining a balance of social relations among students. Nevertheless, teacher mediation in classroom interactions does not always eliminate ethnic biases or stereotypes that have formed among students (Alan et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Lorenz, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). These findings suggest that while teachers' mediation practices can help stabilize social interactions in the classroom, broader identity dynamics still shape how students interpret the differences between them.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe way teachers manage their emotional responses when facing student conflicts is also an interesting discussion in this study. In the literature on teacher emotional labor, the regulation of teachers' emotions is generally explained through surface acting and deep acting strategies, which emphasize teachers' efforts to reconstruct their internal feelings to align with professional demands (Burić et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Ritchie et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). However, this study shows that teachers more often use situational regulatory strategies when responding to conflicts that arise directly in the classroom. Similar practices were also found in studies in Bhutan and Slovenia, where teachers used quick, contextual strategies, such as calming down before responding and controlling emotional expression, to prevent the escalation of conflict during classroom interactions (Smrtnik Vitulić \u0026amp; Prosen, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e; Wangdi \u0026amp; Rigdel, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). In addition, pragmatic emotion regulation strategies are also often used by teachers to maintain a positive learning environment when facing classroom situations that demand quick responses (Thumvichit \u0026amp; Phanthaphoommee, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). In the context of a multicultural classroom characterized by complex social dynamics, this situational emotion regulation strategy seems more realistic and operational for teachers in maintaining the stability of classroom interactions. Thus, the emotional labor of teachers in this context is not only related to the management of internal feelings but also to the ability to respond directly to the social dynamics of the classroom to maintain a balance of interaction among students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study also show that the emotional demands experienced by teachers arise not only from direct interactions with students but also from institutional expectations embedded in their professional roles. This suggests that teachers' emotional labor takes place in a broader landscape, which is influenced by various ecological factors such as classroom dynamics, school organizational structure, and the sociocultural context in which teaching practices take place. At the level of classroom interaction, previous research has shown that teachers' emotions can spread through the process of emotional transmission, where the teacher's emotional expression influences students' emotions and collectively shapes the classroom atmosphere (Moskowitz, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). At the institutional level, job demands such as high workloads and limited organizational support can also amplify the emotional stress that teachers experience in carrying out their professional roles (Nazari et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Stark \u0026amp; Cummings, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). In addition, in a broader sociocultural context, teachers\u0026rsquo; emotional labor is often shaped by social norms and power relations that influence how teachers express emotions and interpret their professional identities (De Costa et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Taking into account the different layers of these contexts, the findings of this study show that teachers\u0026rsquo; emotional labor not only arises from pedagogical interactions in the classroom but is also produced by the organizational structure of the school. In this situation, the role of the homeroom teacher positions the teacher as a liaison between various actors in the school environment, as well as a figure expected to maintain students\u0026rsquo; social well-being across different learning situations.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePractically, this study contributes to teacher professional development and classroom management in increasingly multicultural schools. First, the findings suggest that the ability to manage the emotional dynamics of the classroom should be regarded as a core pedagogical competence rather than merely an interpersonal skill. In the observed classrooms, teachers frequently engaged in situational emotion regulation, such as pausing to calm themselves before responding and carefully controlling emotional expressions, to prevent the escalation of student conflicts. These practices indicate the importance of preparing teachers to respond to emotionally charged classroom interactions in a reflective and controlled manner (Sah, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, teacher education programs should incorporate structured training in conflict mediation, awareness of students\u0026rsquo; social identity dynamics, and practical emotion regulation strategies that can be applied during real-time classroom interactions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSecond, the findings highlight the importance of experiential and reflective learning in professional development. Because classroom conflicts often emerge unexpectedly from everyday student interactions, teachers must make rapid emotional judgments in order to stabilize the situation. Professional learning initiatives may therefore benefit from incorporating case-based discussions, classroom simulations, and reflective practice sessions that allow teachers to analyze authentic classroom scenarios and develop adaptive response strategies (Prieto et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Third, at the institutional level, the role of the homeroom teacher frequently positions teachers as key mediators who coordinate responses to students\u0026rsquo; social issues across different subjects and learning situations. This finding suggests that schools should develop clearer institutional support structures, including stronger collaboration between subject teachers, homeroom teachers, and school leadership. Such coordinated support can help distribute the responsibility for managing classroom social dynamics while reducing the emotional burden placed on individual teachers (Nazari \u0026amp; De Costa, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). At the same time, the successful implementation of inclusive classroom practices requires attention to teachers\u0026rsquo; professional cultures, as resistance to pedagogical change may influence how such strategies are adopted in practice.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec22\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eLimitations and future research\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study has several limitations that need to be considered in interpreting the findings. First, the limited number of participants allows for an in-depth exploration of the homeroom teachers' experience, but limits the variety of perspectives represented. The focus on four homeroom teachers provides a rich contextual picture of emotional labor practices in multicultural classrooms, but the dynamics found may not fully reflect teachers' experiences in other school contexts. Second, all participants came from primary schools in one geographical area in Indonesia. Although the school chosen has significant multicultural characteristics, this context still represents specific social and institutional conditions. Therefore, the findings of this study may differ when studied in other regions or educational institutions with different ethnolinguistic configurations and school policies.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThird, this study focuses on the perspectives of homeroom teachers as the main actors in managing classroom emotional dynamics. While this approach provides an in-depth understanding of emotion regulation strategies and mediation practices, it does not fully capture how these practices are perceived by students. Future research may therefore expand the geographic and institutional scope, incorporate the perspectives of students or other school actors, and develop longitudinal designs to examine how teachers\u0026rsquo; emotion regulation strategies evolve amid the social dynamics of multicultural classrooms.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study show that in multicultural primary schools, homeroom teachers not only carry out the role of academic teachers but also act as figures who maintain emotional and social stability in student interactions. Differences in home language, dialect, and regional origin often show up in students' daily conversations and can develop into social tensions in the classroom. In this situation, teachers play a role in calming emotional dynamics, mediating social boundaries between students, and restoring the regularity of interaction so that the learning process can resume in a conducive manner. To deal with these demands, teachers actively manage their emotional responses by restraining spontaneous reactions, maintaining stable emotional expression, and using practical strategies such as directing interactions to the national language to make the conversation more inclusive. In addition, they also navigate the demands of the role of homeroom teachers by balancing teaching responsibilities and handling various student problems that arise in daily school life.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study makes a conceptual contribution by broadening the understanding of teachers\u0026rsquo; emotional labor in the context of multicultural education. The findings suggest that teachers\u0026rsquo; emotional labor is not only related to the regulation of individual emotions but also serves as a socially mediated practice that helps maintain the cohesion and inclusivity of interactions in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. This research also highlights the sociolinguistic dimension in the practice of mediation, particularly through the use of national languages as a means to reorganize emotional order and student participation in class interactions. Practically, the results of this study confirm the importance of viewing the ability to manage the emotional dynamics of the classroom as an integral part of teachers' professional competence. The findings also demonstrate the need for more coordinated institutional support for homeroom teachers in dealing with the social and emotional complexities that arise in a multicultural school environment.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAbdullah A, Alim A, Andriyadi F, Burga MA (2023) Application of Multicultural Education in Strengthening Community Solidarity in Indonesia. 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Gend Lang 17(3):295\u0026ndash;315. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1558/genl.23143\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1558/genl.23143\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Teacher emotional labor, multicultural classroom, emotional mediation, national language use, homeroom teachers, classroom social dynamics","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9570438/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9570438/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study aims to understand how homeroom teachers interpret emotional demands beyond formal pedagogical functions and how they manage these demands in their daily professional practice in multicultural classrooms in Indonesia. This study uses a qualitative approach with interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Cross-case analysis was used to identify patterns of experiences that emerged consistently among participants. The results showed that homeroom teachers often interpreted their role as mediators of class social dynamics when tensions arose due to differences in language, dialect, or regional origin of students. In this situation, homeroom teachers not only mediate social interaction between students, but also try to maintain the emotional order of the classroom so that the learning process continues to take place in a conducive manner. To manage these demands, teachers use a variety of strategies such as structurally managing their emotional responses, directing interactions to national languages to maintain communication inclusivity, and negotiating the professional responsibilities inherent in the role of homeroom teacher. The study highlights that teachers\u0026rsquo; emotional labor in multicultural classrooms is not only individual, but also serves as an important social mediation practice in maintaining the cohesion and stability of learning interactions.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Teachers as emotional mediators: lived experiences of emotional labor among homeroom teachers in multicultural classrooms","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-05-04 05:57:24","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9570438/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"c7a46efb-ad77-4f8a-a937-534479b1b800","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 4th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":67275805,"name":"Educational Psychology"},{"id":67275806,"name":"Special Education"},{"id":67275807,"name":"Social Work"},{"id":67275808,"name":"Cultural Studies"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-04T05:57:24+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-05-04 05:57:24","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9570438","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9570438","identity":"rs-9570438","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}