Understanding Teacher Retention: Exploring Beginning and Veteran Teachers’ First-Year Experiences and Job Satisfaction

• In Event: Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: Analysis of Multilevel Teacher Commitment and Retention

Abstract

Beginning teacher attrition is alarming—50% of teachers leave within the first five years. Beginning teacher attrition research often examines the experiences of beginning teachers, but fails to examine those experiences in comparison to teachers who have remained beyond the first five years. This study examines the first year experiences, job satisfaction, and intended retention of beginning and veteran teachers. Results indicate that beginning teachers received more supports in their first year of teaching as compared to veteran teachers, but felt equally prepared. However, beginning teachers reported lower job satisfaction and a lower intent to remain in their position and school. Some of these findings validate extant research and raise new questions about how to best support beginning teacher retention.

Author

• Alyson Lavigne, Roosevelt University