Fostering Relationship to Increase Teacher Retention in Public Schools

681 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Methods of professional development

Many states such as New England have begun to experience the effects of teacher shortages in the areas of Math and Science (Fowler, 2009). The teacher attrition rates have become a problem to many administrators and educators with teachers leaving at twice the rate of nurses and five times the rate of lawyers. Prior work by Ingersol and Perda, have revealed that the annual attrition rate has risen by 19-26% (Jennifer, 2010). As a result, educators spend more money in fast track programs that many researchers believe do not solve the problem. Instead, they contribute to the issue by bringing more inexperienced teachers into the classroom. Despite the promising results of professional developmental programs, these programs can be very costly and can take time to determine their full usefulness. The author believes there are alternatives that do not require costly techniques but instead models and actions that education administration can adopt to increase teacher retention. Instead of focusing on the reasons teachers leave the field, the author takes a different approach by examining the dynamics that cause teachers to stay in the field pass their five year mark.
This is clearly a theory-based research due to the use of the ground theory which involves the development of a theory through a body of data. The study was qualitative in nature, based on inductive reasoning and subjects were matched (criteria of 4- 6 years of teaching experience). Although individuals were picked randomly and attempts were made to avoid bias, there were no controls involved in the design. Participants for this study were made up of teachers chosen from several elementary schools in a Midwestern city. The sample size consisted of 378 individuals tha...

... middle of paper ...

...ondly, there were no control groups, if teachers were analyzed on why they stayed, there should have been a control of why teachers leave the field. Thirdly, the article states there was a diverse study but it is hard to accomplish when there were 6 white teachers, and only 2 black teachers and the cultural barriers were not addressed. Some of the determinants of a sound study such as the reliability and internal validity are not present and although the study holds promising solutions, one cannot generalize the results of the research.

Works Cited

1. Fowler. R. C. (2009). Educators without Borders: Addressing New England's Teacher Shortages. New England Journal of Higher Education, 24(1), 10-11.

2. Jennifer. H. W. (2010) Fostering Relationships to Increase Teacher Retention in Urban Schools. Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 4(1), 70-85.

Show More
Related

  • Horace Mann’s Fourth Annual Report of the Board of Education

    605 Words  | 2 Pages

    So profound were Mann’s ideas that many of them, continue as integral components of public education today in the twenty-first century. As an example of efforts to ensure that districts hire qualified teachers, Mann presents the need for Prudential Committees, precursors of teacher selection committees and human resources departments, to secure needed qualified teachers in advance because to delay would mean “the good teachers are all pre-engaged”. In a similar ma...

    Read More

  • Matthew Miller A New Deal For Teachers

    748 Words  | 2 Pages

    The author states in “A New Deal for Teachers” that in America, especially in poorer school districts, teacher quality is lacking. In urban districts, out of the new teachers hired in the next three years, about half of them will quit (usually the quality ones). The recruitment of better teachers is, as the author says, the biggest problem in our education system. He states that he’s been told by urban teachers that many of their colleagues are incompetent. Contributing to this is that state requirements are very low, which allows poor quality teachers into schools. Miller explains that smart and competent people who want to be teachers, are getting more and more difficult to find. This is true mainly because there are fields of work that those

    Read More

  • African Americans Should Not Be Allowed In Schools Essay

    1361 Words  | 3 Pages

    Data proves that America does not have enough African American males teaching in today’s schools. As a matter of fact, only 2% of America’s nearly five million teachers are black men (Bryan 1). In our American society, more and more African American females are fiercely taking over both public and private classrooms. Although this might be a great accomplishment, school officials believes that if more black males teach, it would reduce the numbers of minority achievement gaps and dropout rates. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 44% of students nationwide are minorities, but nearly 90% of teachers are white. Polls and surveys further read that if there were more African American male teachers, the dropout rate would decrease while the graduation rate increases. In urban societies most African American teens would be more likely to succeed if there were more black males instructing secondary classrooms.

    Read More

  • Why College Is Not A Commodity

    879 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is a well-known fact that students entering higher education increasingly lack the academic skills necessary to succeed in their collegiate endeavors. It goes without saying that this is largely due to the widespread substandard education provided by legions of mediocre teachers—teachers who deliver shoddy instruction due to their own innately inferior academic abilities. At least, these facts are what Notre Dame Professor of Philosophy Gary Gutting would have readers of The Chronicle of Higher Education believe in his article “Why College Is Not a Commodity.” Although he makes many points that, if true, would be damning of the elementary and secondary teaching professions, Gutting stops short of proving his arguments logically or empirically. He claims today’s budding K-12 teachers often come from the bottom of the heap academically, directly leading to poor teaching—yet he provides no research to back up this connection. Furthermore, Gutting attempts to provide a solution to this so-called travesty by recommending that teaching be “professionalized,” ignoring the already-present professional practices and standards present. Gutting’s critiques, though thought-provoking, ultimately are logically and statistically unsatisfying in both their explanations of the state of teacher qualifications and in their calls to action.

    Read More

  • Education Revolution: Why the No Child Left Behind Act Didn't Work

    1710 Words  | 4 Pages

    Back in 2001, before the No Child Left Behind Act was proposed, the United State’s rank in educational performance was 16th. After the act was put into action, that rank moved up to where we now stand at 17th in the nation. Statistics also showed that because of America’s dropping education level, many teachers began to get discouraged in their professions. Although, America has not ever been able to hold the title ...

    Read More

  • Low Income And Minority Students

    1542 Words  | 4 Pages

    On average, minorities attend schools that have less-experienced, lower-paid teachers who are less likely to be certified, poor graduation records, and high poverty rates. Many studies suggest that racial diversity is the key to...

    Read More

  • Tenure in Schools Should be Banned

    2037 Words  | 5 Pages

    Gabriel, Trip, and Sam Dillon. “G.O.P. Governors Take Aim at Teacher Tenure.” New York Times 31 01 2011. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • Vocational Teacher Education Reform

    2043 Words  | 5 Pages

    Several of the major reform initiatives of the 1980s and early 1990s argued that improving education requires improving teacher quality and, accordingly, teacher education. Numerous changes in teacher recruitment, preparation, and certification were proposed. (For a detailed list, see Hartley, Mantle-Bromley, and Cobb 1996.) In response to the calls for reform, general teacher education programs raised admission standards/exit requirements; revised curricula to reflect multiculturalism and new K-12 standards; paid more attention to pedagogy, teaching practice, and relevance; included clinical experiences in public schools and other learning environments; and proposed new model standards/principles for licensing beginning teachers (Lynch 1997).

    Read More

  • The Absent Voice of Minority Educators

    887 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...tention and turnover rates for minority teachers highlight the discrepancy that exists in education programs that are unsuccessful at keeping educators in the classroom. Dilworth makes a bold move by addressing these concerns as the problem currently has failed to be acknowledged or directed.

    Read More

  • African American Male Teachers Research Paper

    1091 Words  | 3 Pages

    To further understand why some African American male teachers became teachers and why they want to become teacher, I interviewed teachers currently in the field

    Read More

  • Race And Ethnicity In Education Essay

    1115 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some locations in the United States are trying to improve their education by adding quality teachers. A major reason why there is an achievement gap in education is because there exist a gap in teachers as well. Research has shown that teacher quality counts. Some states are seeking ways to keep quality teachers and ways to attract them. In New York City, the schools will not hire teachers that are not certified. Also, New York and California are adding some sort of incentive in public schools, to attract quality teaching to minority schools. Sometimes school add annual bonus up to $10,000 for qualify teacher to work in public school, with low achieving schools. Also, many state provide some sort of tuition assistance for teacher, but of all of the states only seven target the candidates to commit to the lower achieving schools (Olsen, 2003).

    Read More

  • Teacher Effectiveness Evaluations

    1483 Words  | 3 Pages

    The state’s new evaluation system was in response to administrators who produced, “superficial and capricious teacher evaluation systems that often don't even directly address the quality of instruction, much less measure students' learning” (Toch, 2008). Too often, the “good-ol-boy” attitude would insure mediocre educators would remain employed. Realizing this was often more the rule then the exception, the governor created educational mandates to focus, “on supporting and training effective teachers to drive student achievement” (Marzano Center, 2013). Initially, they expected the school districts and the teachers would have issues and experience growing pains, but in the end the goal was, “to improve teacher performance, year by year, with a corresponding rise in student achievement” (Marzano Center, 2013).

    Read More

  • Teaching Methods Reflection

    1225 Words  | 3 Pages

    The one belief I had about teaching that has changed since I began this unit, is that all teachers, more or less, taught in the same way. Perhaps this is a belief that I had formed from my own time at school, where all my teachers taught in the same way; some were more or less effective, but I wasn’t aware of them using theories or methods as such, more that they were or weren’t kind people. This belief has changed and it has really opened my ideas to the many creative models, and instructional methods a teacher can use.

    Read More

  • Establishing Positive Teacher-Student Relationship Essay

    1684 Words  | 4 Pages

    One of the most effective ways teachers are able to manage a classroom is through developing positive relationships with students (Emmer & Evertson, 2013). When students feel they are valued and cared for by their teacher, they are much more likely to comply with rules and procedures. A classroom teacher has the great responsibility and privilege to be around students for up to seven hours per day, five days per week for around nine months and during that time, teachers must work to develop positive teacher-student relationships with each student (Boynton & Boynton, 2005). When students are able to experience healthy relationships with their teachers, they grow personally and are self-motivated and achieve academic success (Tassione & Inlay, 2014). There are a number of ways to enrich these relationships and they are all initiated by the teacher. While there are many ways teachers will find to develop teacher-student relationships, only a select number of them will be discussed here.

    Read More

  • Education In Developing Countries

    1197 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mir, S. (2011), Education woes: Shortage of teachers a threat to public schools, Tribune, 3 April.

    Read More

More about Fostering Relationship to Increase Teacher Retention in Public Schools

Open Document