Why Science Teachers Say They Stay

• In Event: Equity for ALL Students and Teachers in the Science Classroom

Abstract

A descriptive and explanatory study investigated factors that contribute to high school science teacher retention. Specifically, this study explored how mid and late career high school science teachers in North Carolina describe influences and cope with challenges that encourage them to remain in the teaching profession. Qualitative content analysis (N=147) of factors that have encouraged teachers to remain in the profession were Personal (79.1%), Environmental (7.5%), and Behavioral (13.4%) in nature. Themes describe the importance of student success, teacher success, and teacher control on retention decisions. Findings of this study reveal the most frequent coping strategy cited by experienced science teachers when they considered leaving the profession is transfer schools.

Authors

• Dorothy Holley, West Johnston High School

• Soonhye Park, North Carolina State University