Reframing Teacher Attrition: Intersectional Insights from Teacher Leaver Teacher Educators of Color

• In Event: Critical Hope and Collective (Re)Imaginings: Intersectional Approaches to Decentering Whiteness in an Initial Licensure Program

Abstract

Purpose/theoretical framework
Building off the work of Clandinin et. al. (2014) This study aims to reframe the conversation around teacher attrition by examining the experiences of teachers of color (TOC) who have left K-12 classrooms to become teacher educators. The research objectives are to:
Investigate how TOC leavers' experiences inform their work as teacher educators and their perspectives on preparing future teachers.
Explore the complex factors contributing to TOC attrition through the lens of workplace precarity.
Analyze how the intersectionality of race, gender, and other identities shapes TOC experiences of precarity and attrition.
Contribute to a more nuanced understanding of teacher attrition as a process rather than a single event.

This study is grounded in the concept of workplace precarity, particularly as it applies to teachers of color. Drawing on Castro's (2022) multidimensional framework of precarity, I examine how neoliberal processes, socioeconomic conditions, and ontological experiences intersect to create unique vulnerabilities for TOCs. I also incorporate Fludernik's (2023) concept of narratological collectives to analyze individual stories as reflections of shared experiences and cultural contexts. Additionally, I employ Okello's (2024) notion of "crawlspaces" to explore how TOCs navigate systemic oppression and assert agency within educational spaces.

Methods
This qualitative study employs narrative inquiry and discourse analysis methodologies. Data was collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with two teacher leaver teacher educators of color, as well as the researcher's own experiences as a TOC leaver. The study uses a conversational approach informed by Kohli and Pizarro's (2016) framework of ontological and epistemological resistance, creating space for participants to engage in dialogue and share their stories on their own terms. Data analysis involved an iterative and collaborative process of "plugging in" interview data to theoretical concepts (Jackson & Mazzei, 2013).

Results
The study reveals that teacher attrition is a complex process shaped by intersecting factors of race, gender, and institutional constraints. For teachers of color (TOCs) who become teacher educators, workplace precarity persists beyond the K-12 classroom. These TOC leavers navigate a unique liminal space in teacher education, balancing the need to prepare aspiring teachers with the realities that led to their own departures. While their experiences as former teachers lend credibility, TOC leavers face the challenge of preparing students for difficulties without dampening enthusiasm. In response, they develop innovative "crawlspaces" within their practice—unsanctioned environments that allow navigation of systemic constraints while fostering critical consciousness in future educators.

Scholarly Significance of the Study
This study enhances the field by offering a nuanced, intersectional understanding of teacher attrition, challenging individualistic narratives by highlighting systemic factors. It provides insights into the understudied experiences of TOC leavers-turned-teacher educators, demonstrates the value of narrative inquiry and discourse analysis in educational research, and proposes new frameworks that address the persistent nature of workplace precarity in teacher attrition.

Author

• Angelina Momanyi, University of Minnesota