Teacher Experiences in Highly Impacted Schools That Produce Happiness

• In Event: Millennium Hotel Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: Experience and Story: Becoming a Teacher

Abstract

Teachers represent a large percentage of the workforce in the United States, yet there continues to be a high demand for teachers, particularly those in highly impacted schools, because so many teachers exit the profession (Ingersoll, 2001). Over half of US teachers leave the profession during the first five years. Through exploring positive stories of teacher’s experiences, this study identified four common threads: student relationships; student success; faculty relationships; and administrative recognition and support. Using story cycles, this study provides important information about specific experiences of teacher happiness that could be useful in increasing teacher retention in high impact schools.

Authors

• Brittany Lund, Brigham Young University

• Ramona Maile Cutri, Brigham Young University

• Erin Feinauer Whiting, Brigham Young University