Chilean Beginner High School Teachers: What Makes Them Stay in Spite of It All?

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: International Considerations for Teacher Recruitment and Retention

Abstract

42% of Chilean beginner high-school teachers give up teaching during their first five years of service. This flaw in retention has negative impacts in the quality of education, and high costs for the school system. The few national studies on this matter focus on the reasons that explain desertion, while retention has been disregarded. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that determine teacher’s decision to remain at school. 371 beginner teacher were surveyed, using an instrument composed by closed ended items, and the narrative of a school incident. Our main finding suggests that the decision to continue teaching is determined by factors associated to teacher-student relationship.

Authors

• Guillermo Manuel Zamora Poblete, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile

• Marisa Meza Pardo, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile

• Pilar Cox, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile