<p>This study investigated the contributions of hope and optimism to teacher well-being and burnout through a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) framework. A sample of 200 Iranian language teachers completed validated measures of hope, optimism, well-being, and burnout. Correlation analyses revealed strong positive relationships between hope and optimism, as well as their significant positive associations with well-being and negative associations with burnout. Mediation analyses demonstrated that burnout partially mediated the effects of hope and optimism on well-being. Path analysis indicated that optimism had a stronger protective influence against burnout (<i>β</i> = -0.48) and a more pronounced effect on well-being (<i>β</i> = 0.34) compared to hope (<i>β</i> = -0.37 and <i>β</i> = 0.26, respectively). The findings highlight the distinct and complementary roles of hope and optimism in enhancing teacher well-being and reducing burnout, underscoring the importance of fostering these psychological resources to promote resilience and sustainable professional practice. By adopting a SEM approach, this study provides a more nuanced understanding of the pathways through which hope and optimism interact with burnout and well-being, offering insights for intervention and teacher support programs.</p>