Strengthening future educators: How school climate shapes academic resilience in Physical Education teacher education students

Educators today face relentless challenges, making academic resilience crucial for success. However, limited research has examined how school climate, a multidimensional construct shaping students’ experiences, influenced resilience among Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) students. This gap was particularly evident across cultural and educational contexts, leaving institutions without clear strategies to nurture resilience in future educators. This study addressed this gap by investigating the influence of school climate on the academic resilience of 515 PETE students in selected higher education institutions across three countries. It also examined whether perceptions of school climate and academic resilience varied by sex/gender identity or country of origin. Multiple regression was employed to determine the predictive influence of school climate dimensions on academic resilience, while one-way ANOVA was used to assess differences in perceived school climate and academic resilience across sex/gender identity and country. Findings revealed no significant differences across these variables. However, overall, school climate positively influenced academic resilience. Interestingly, the physical safety dimension showed a negative association, suggesting complexities in how students perceived safety within their environments. Additionally, group cohesion and teacher motivation did not significantly influence resilience, challenging common assumptions about their universal importance. These results underscored the nuanced role of school climate in fostering resilience, prompting higher education institutions to reevaluate their policies and practices. By nurturing inclusive relationships, addressing overlooked dimensions, and creating supportive learning environments, schools can better prepare PETE students to navigate challenges. This study filled a critical research gap and provided actionable insights for building resilience among future physical educators.