The challenges of first-year middle school teachers: personnel practices and their impact on attrition and retention

Currently, the nation is facing the challenges of lowering high teacher attrition rates and increasing teacher retention rates. These challenges are significant because these rates affect students, student achievement, schools, school districts, the economy, and the nation. This qualitative institutional case ethnography examined the impact that various factors have on the attrition and retention rates of first year middle school teachers using the social capital theory as the conceptual framework. The factors explored were: teacher preparedness, principal interaction and support, mentoring, teacher workload, student interactions, and other aspects found within a professional environment. Data was collected from six urban middle schools in southern California which employed the participants who volunteered to participate in this study. One-on-one interviews were conducted with six principals and five first year teachers. Additionally, those same five teachers, along with one other colleague, participated in a focus group. After analyzing the collected data, the following key findings were determined: 1) When teachers are satisfied with their work environment, their school, and the support they receive from their principal and colleagues, they are more apt to want to stay in the teaching profession. 2) Principals do not provide enough support or interact enough with first year teachers. 3) Principals often delegate on-site mentoring of first year teachers to another administrator or to another teacher. 4) First year teachers who graduated from their credential program with a multiple subject credential feel more prepared to teach than their colleagues who have a single subject credential. 5) Professional development is not specific enough to meet the needs of all teachers, especially first year teachers. The implications of these findings are that principals need to interact and support their first year teachers more; credential programs need to provide student teachers with equal opportunities and extensive exposures to students and classroom practice, so they can become adequately prepared to enter the teaching profession; and with the proper support and adjustment time, first year teachers will have a successful first year, will be satisfied with their work as a teacher, and will be encouraged to continue in the teaching profession.