Beginning teachers face many challenges and difficulties; as a result, one-third will leave the profession in the first three years and nearly half will be gone within their first five years in the profession. The challenge facing university teacher education programs is to fix the hole in the bottom of the bucket and find strategic new ways to…

Soon after the author began her first year as a Teach for America (TFA) corps member, she realized how underprepared she felt teaching first grade. Although she grew as an educator over time and still committed to working in education, it was an uphill battle. And, like most other TFA corps members, she left teaching within the first three years.…

A common problem faced by new teachers is lack of supervisory support and learning on the job through trial and error can often dishearten the rookie enough to abandon the job and often the profession. Suggestions are offered on how to redress this problem and a starting point could be the implementation of what the Alliance for Excellent…

The practice of mentoring new teachers is spreading widely. School systems are finding that beginning teachers who have access to intensive mentoring are less likely to leave teaching. With the growing acceptance of the need to mentor novice teachers comes the danger that schools will attempt to implement mentor programs without paying adequate…

Research studies have documented a strong link between perennial high rates of beginning teacher attrition and teacher shortages that impact teaching, especially in the major urban areas of the United States. It is widely concluded that one of the pivotal causes of inadequate school academic performance is a teacher shortage and the resulting…

The new teacher attrition rate in the US schools continues to cause concern, and disconnect between the goals of new teachers and of those who shape public education is one important reason behind this problem. Suggestions are presented on how to let teachers connect meaningfully with their students thus giving these professionals the support they…

In today's challenging educational system, teachers experience burnout faster than a speeding bullet. Why do teachers leave schools? It is incumbent upon school administrators to implement effective programs to attract and keep quality teachers. The purpose of this article is to explore the reasons for teacher turnover. The authors explore key…

Presents a letter offering help for an overwhelmed first-year middle school teacher hating teaching. Offers a response from her former college professor commiserating with her, advocating survival as a perfectly good goal, offering four suggestions, and remembering his own desire to quit early in his teaching career. Includes the beginning…

Nearly half of all new teachers leave the job within five years. What is killing their spirit? How can they be convinced to stay? This article attempts to answer such questions in presenting one person's account of why she left the teaching profession. Statistical data relating to teacher employment and turnover; reasons for leaving among…

Discussion of the importance of induction and support programs for new special education teachers notes the substantial additional demands placed on new special educators in addition to the frustrations and stresses that all new teachers experience. The article notes the high numbers who leave teaching after the first year and identifies national,…

The essays presented in this "Occasional Paper" reflect the voices of those in the midst of becoming the teachers they hope to be. In these essays, teachers find courage, resourcefulness, insight, and inspiration. They are reminded not to give up on themselves. Three vital aspects explored in these essays include: (1) teaching is about being…

State-level policy support for teacher induction programs can help teachers realize their full potential, keep them in the profession, promote greater student learning, and save money. Higher education institutions and school districts must work together to provide high-quality and well-designed induction programs. This issue of "Policy Matters,"…

Beginning teachers are often given teaching assignments that would challenge even the most skillful veteran teachers. Such assignments can take several forms: teaching in a subject area for which the teacher is not certified; having too many class preparations; "floating" from classroom to classroom; working with low-ability, unmotivated, or…

This article summarizes research findings related to teacher burnout, examines the literature on induction programs, proposes ways in which an induction program can be an effective means of reducing stress and burnout for the purpose of retaining beginning teachers, and describes a seminar developed as part of an induction program. (IAH)

This article discusses problems of beginning teachers and suggests two categories of solutions: increased support during the initial year and increased involvement of principals in the preservice preparation program. Several responsibilities for principals in relation to student teaching are recommended. (IAH)