Unveiling the impact of preschool classroom walkthrough and teacher emotional labor on their well-being: A hierarchical linear modeling approach

• At the teacher level, deep and natural acting behaviors positively influence their well-being, including school connectedness, joy of teaching, and teaching efficacy. • At the preschool level, challenges associated with classroom walkthrough directly impacted teachers’ sense of school connectedness. • Cross-level moderation analysis showed that challenges associated with classroom walkthroughs can act as catalysts, enhancing the positive relationship between teachers' deep acting behavior and their sense of school connectedness. Teacher well-being is crucial for their performance and child development, yet its determinants, such as preschool classroom walkthroughs and teacher emotions, are understudied. This study used the Job Demand-Resources model to explore these factors' impacts on well-being. Data from 1710 preschool teachers and 100 administrative staff across 100 preschools were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling. The results showed that deep and natural acting positively influenced well-being, while surface acting had a negative effect. The challenges associated with classroom walkthroughs directly impacted school connectedness and moderated the positive effects of deep acting. These findings highlight the importance of enhancing teachers' emotional labor for well-being.