Conference Agenda

Existing research on teacher attrition and retention primarily focuses on teachers’ reasons for leaving the profession (Perrachione & Rosser 2008, Shields & Mullen 2020) apparently on the assumption that knowledge of reasons for dropout creates basis for insights into retention by reversing the signs. However, teacher attrition and teacher retention are not necessarily the opposite ends of a unidimensional construct. From a developmental perspective it is arguably more constructive – conceptually and educationally – to draw attention to what keep teachers in the profession rather than their reasons for leaving.

In this symposium we will examine teachers’ reasons for staying in the profession with particular focus on teachers in public primary and secondary schools. The conceptualization of the field goes beyond the physical retention of teachers because, as Johnson and her colleagues (2005) have argued, quite rightly, that student learning needs to be the ‘worthy goal’ of teacher retention. Drawing on empirical research from a diverse range of theoretical, conceptual, methodological and disciplinary backgrounds and educational contexts, the symposium contributes to an incipient research interest in exploring why teachers stay and what schools and education systems can do to keep committed and passionate teachers for the education of all students. The scientific ambition is to create a research-informed knowledge foundation for working proactively with the problem, rather than reactively, thereby shifting the approach from prevention to a more positive discourse in relation to the teaching profession.

We will likewise focus on the concept of retention as its conceptual underpinnings remain largely unexplored and is often reduced to being the opposite of attrition. Thus, it is also an aim with the symposium to expose the concept of retention by exploring and challenging its conceptual foundation(s).

Sub-paper had to be withdrawn.

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Focus: Teacher retention remains a real challenge for many countries despite concerted effort. To address this challenge, the UK government developed a teacher recruitment and retention strategy (DfE, 2019), incorporating, among other elements, a new induction programme for new teachers and their mentors. This study aims to advance understanding about the extent to which and in what ways teacher induction programmes influence the retention of early career teachers and the role of the school organisation in mediating such influence. Conceptual Framing: The conceptual framing of this research is informed by Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) (e.g., Lent et al., 2002). Exemplifying many of the features of positive psychology (Seligman, 2002), SCCT is rooted in constructivist assumptions encompassed in Bandura’s general social cognitive theory (2012) about the agency of individuals in shaping their own behaviour. A considerable proportion of human behaviour is believed to be explained by an array of beliefs about oneself, influenced by the environments in which individuals find themselves. Research Design: This paper draws on the survey evidence from a longitudinal mixed methods study on teacher retention in England. Using a cross-sectional research design, evidence was provided by responses from a nationally representative sample of 900+ early career teachers. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the direct and indirect effects of school leadership and selected school conditions on early career teachers’ self-efficacy, well-being and job satisfaction, and ultimately retention decisions. Results and Conclusions: Results show that the induction programmes are not the game changer. Evidence points to the importance of the school organisation in creating the necessary intellectual and social conditions that enable early career teachers to benefit from the government funded induction programme. Their programme learning experience is found to have contributed to their self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and wellbeing. However, how satisfied they feel about their job, how well they teach (i.e., teacher efficacy), and how they perceive the quality of their lives in school (i.e., teacher wellbeing) are dependent upon the quality of professional growth opportunities created by school leadership. Findings of the research reveal the limitations of the human capital approach to teacher development. By focussing narrowly on building individual teachers’ learning entitlements, knowledge and skills, external teacher development initiatives are unlikely to bring about their desired results if the integral role of the school organisation in enabling (or constraining) teacher learning has largely been ignored in the programme design.

Bandura, A. (2012). On the Functional Properties of Perceived Self-Efficacy Revisited. Journal of Management, 38(1), 9–44. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206311410606 Department for Education. (2019). Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy. Department for Education. Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (2002). Social Cognitive Career Theory. In D. Brown (Ed.), Career Choice and Development (4th ed., pp. 255–311). Wiley. Seligman, M. E. P. (2002). Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfilment. Simon and Schuster.

Drawing on agential realism and critical cultural geography, this article sets out to explore teacher retention in Denmark as an entangled phenomenon with a particular focus on how and why retention rates vary within and across municipalities and on gaining insights into temporal, spatial, social and political entanglements. With register data from Statistics Denmark showing that teacher retention rates not only vary across but also within municipal borders, as well as fluctuating over time, we explore three cases in the form of three municipalities selected to maximise inter-case variation: Municipality X is located in a metropolitan area with a relatively high retention rate and below-average variation among schools within the municipality; Municipality Y is located in a provincial town with a medium retention rate and variation among schools within the municipality close to the national average; and Municipality Z, which includes both urban and rural areas, with a relatively low retention rate and above-average variation among the municipality’s schools. The study points to spacetime-specific agencies that enact significant variations in teacher retention both across and within municipalities. Keywords: Teacher retention; agential realism; critical cultural geography; register-based data; case studies.

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In this paper we merge two unsolved problems related to the teacher shortage crisis. First, it is well known that early career teachers are exiting the profession in the first five years. Secondly, a key solution to the teacher shortage crisis has been the career changer; yet this cohort are also likely to depart after their first few years of teaching. While these cohorts have been recruited to the profession, what has been less successful is their retention. During this study in Queensland, Australia, we interviewed 14 early-career career change teachers who, despite the narrative above, wished to remain in the profession long term. Our aim was to understand the factors encouraging the retention of this unique cohort and the role professionalism might play. Using inductive thematic analysis, we demonstrate how ‘new’ or ‘democratic professionalism’ dominated these teachers’ decisions to stay in teaching despite the highly regulatory educational environment in which they work. We argue that a (re)professionalisation of teaching is required to improve the retention of early-career career change teachers. Keywords: Teacher retention; career change teacher; early career teacher; professionalism

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