The purpose of this article is to describe and explain a mentoring initiative for supporting and retaining middle school teachers. First, we examine the persistent problem of teacher retention in U.S. schools, particularly in middle schools. Then, we describe a mentoring initiative--a community practice mentoring model that is well-suited for…

Nationally, schools in the United States struggle to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers. Previous research supports using teacher pedagogy training and mentorship to increase retention. This study examines the use of mentorship in a high school Grow Your Own teacher training program and student career selection. The action research study…

With an increasingly diverse student body, the retention of Teachers of Color continues to be an area of high interest within education research. In the context of in-service experiences, existing literature identified relationships as a key sustaining factor for teachers and source of social capital, although many Teachers of Color look outside…

The purpose of this mixed-methods single case study was to identify the perceived influence of a teacher mentoring program on participants' professional development and retention in the education profession at a small school district in the Southeastern United States. This study sought the perspectives of mentors, mentees, and building…

The problem addressed in this qualitative study is the rise in teacher job dissatisfaction and low rates of retention, which has resulted in a significant increase in teacher vacancies in school districts across the United States. The purpose of this study was to describe and understand the lived experiences of early-career secondary teachers with…

Professional learning and growth for teachers is essential for effective teaching and the learning of students. Teachers receive formalized professional learning at the beginning of their careers through structures such as teacher education and induction programs. Beyond the novice years, professional growth opportunities for teachers vary and can…

This paper stems from a broader study that foregrounded an existing mentoring programme against the backdrop of low teacher retention in the South African schooling system. It works from the premise that beginner teachers are exiting the teaching profession within the first three to five years of teaching. This research suggests that one way of…

Teacher retention in high-poverty middle schools is a topic of concern. Teachers make the decision to leave the profession for a variety of reasons. Induction programs are put in place to for support with the goal of helping new teachers remain in the profession. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to identify critical components of…

The current teacher attrition rate for teachers with 5 years or less of experience is reported to be about 8% within the 1st year and an additional 16% more leaving within the first 5 years (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2017). Furthermore, middle school is one of the most difficult to staff levels in education. This mixed-methods study…

Background/purpose: There exists a desire to provide schoolteachers with mentors. In English schools, school-based mentors are mandatory for schools participating in Initial Teacher Education and the Early Career Framework. The purpose of this study is to highlight the need for a professional mentoring capacity within schools without burdening…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to understand the lived experiences of Mid-Atlantic region public high school teachers participating in onboarding practices, which provides insight into best practices to increase teacher self-efficacy and decrease attrition rates. The theory guiding this study is Albert Bandura's…

This study sought to identify how teachers perceived the effectiveness of administrative support, induction program support, and mentor support. This study addressed the following research questions: (a) Is there a relationship between the perceived effectiveness of their administrative support and teaching in a high-poverty school for beginning…

Education faces a severe crisis when it comes to the ability to staff every classroom with a highly qualified educator (Darling-Hammond, 2003; Ingersoll & May, 2011; Liu & Johnson, 2006). Teachers who have substantial experience and expertise in their field of study are needed for maintaining stability within the education system. They…

Across the nation, there is a shortage of teachers who reflect the demographics of students. Even though the teaching workforce has diversified nationally in recent decades, teachers from diverse backgrounds, when attracted, depart schools at a significantly higher rate than white teachers (Ingersoll, Merrill, Stuckey & Collins, 2018). Over…

Teacher attrition rates continue to hold a place in education. Beginning teachers are leaving the profession for a variety of reasons, but lack of support is amongst the top of the list (Borman & Dowling, 2008; Darling-Hammond, 2003; Ingersoll & Strong, 2011; Rajendran et al., 2020). Induction programs, with an emphasis on mentoring, have…