The authors examine one school that has implemented effective and replicable teacher retention policies and practices, and spotlight the meaningful outcomes that ensued when teachers were supported and empowered.

While the challenge to retain highly competent teachers affects all schools, the crisis is critical in urban districts, which historically suffer from high teacher turnover (Ingersoll, 2004). This high turnover is especially problematic in the content areas of science (Ingersoll & Perda, 2010). Through ethnographic case studies the first year…

Retaining teachers is a pressing issue facing many urban middle schools in the southern US. Urban middle schools continually face increased teacher turnover rates in spite of state mandated induction and mentoring programs. Drawing from Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, the purpose of the qualitative case study was to examine urban middle…

Although induction support is heralded as an effective way to reduce high attrition among beginning teachers, nationwide increases in induction participation have not been accompanied by a comparable reduction in attrition rates. This inconsistency suggests some induction programs may not provide adequate support. This article presents the results…

This article reports the results of a case study about elementary school teachers' induction experiences. Four teachers began the three-year study, but only two remained in the profession after their second year. This development was consistent with estimates that 40-50% of novices leave the profession within five years. Bandura's (1977) construct…

Teacher induction programs provide the critical support that new teachers need as they move from university teacher education studies to the everyday realities of teaching. Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) work through a range of new and challenging experiences as they explore their sense of themselves as professionals. Their identities are being…

Across Australia and internationally, the vexed problem of staffing rural school remains a major issue affecting the educational outcomes of many rural students and their families. TERRAnova, (New Ground in Teacher Education for Rural and Regional Australia), is the name of a large Australian Research Council funded (2008-2010) project involving:…

How can we avoid the "why new teachers cry" phenomenon and the high dropout rate for beginning teachers? Start teacher preparation with an introductory foundations class that is experience based and allows students to study themselves and their preferences for teaching styles, learning styles, and classroom management by living through case…

This is a study of the practices utilized by four school districts, two with high and two with low retention rates of teachers, to examine how similarities and differences in selected human resources practices relate to the successful retention of teachers in these districts. The factors studied that may impact teacher retention included…

Examines preservice teacher education and professional development in Ireland, presenting a case study of graduates from one Irish college of education during their first 10 years of teaching elementary school and noting participants' involvement in professional development and graduate studies. Participants had no formal induction programs,…

Student diversity in classrooms is on the rise and with it, a need for teachers who recognize the needs of diverse student populations. Teacher retention is a national crisis, with teachers of color at especially high risk for leaving the teaching profession early. This case study describes a collaborative mentoring approach used by a primary…

This book is a result of a study on best practices used by teachers. The author presents a comprehensive discussion of how successful teachers handle classroom management and details strategies increasing student achievement, teaching for retention and transfer, assessing student understanding, and more. Features include: (1) Real-life classroom…