In an era of teacher shortages, what would motivate individuals to become teachers when the demands on teachers are greater than ever and there are plenty of alternative occupations from which to choose? This paper presents the findings of a study of student teachers' motivations to be primary teachers and their commitment to teaching after their…

Analyzes why teachers leave urban schools and their subsequent employment, using the questionnaire responses of 50 of the 124 teachers who left the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) public schools in 1988. Finds that 90 percent of the "leavers" find teaching jobs in other schools. Suggests how the problems cited by the leavers could be ameliorated.…

This study describes the changes in demographic characteristics of beginning teachers who entered the profession between 1956-57 and 1976. Existing literature on beginning teachers is examined to construct an image of the changes that have occurred among those choosing teaching careers. National and statewide samples are reviewed; however,…

In light of the current increase in elementary and secondary school attendance coupled with a simultaneous decrease in college-age population between now and the end of the decade, this study assesses (1) the role of economic factors in determining the number of teachers certified and (2) the responsiveness of teachers in the "reserve pool" to…

This study attempted to ascertain the degree to which teacher attrition rates may affect future educational trends on a cross-national basis and to identify particular characteristics, such as class, gender, or academic achievement, that might be associated with those teachers electing to leave and those expecting to remain in the classroom.…

This study developed a descriptive profile of an institutional academic marketplace reflecting differences in mobility across rank, disciplines and gender over a 10-year period at one research university. Because the study focused on faculty attrition, data analysis examined reasons for departure by rank, gender and discipline. Data sources…

This paper presents the methods and results of a probabilistic teacher labor supply model. It uses both qualitative research findings and econometric methods to estimate the number of teachers with specified characteristics under various policy conditions, especially teacher salaries and supervision received. A review of selected relevant…

Projected teacher shortages are due to an expanding need and teachers leaving the profession. With the extreme pressures on beginning teachers, a large percentage of them leave the profession within their first 5-6 years. Causes for leaving the profession include school staffing actions; personal reasons; pursuing another job; and dissatisfaction.…

Investigates and compares the effects of motivation for service on persistence in teaching among teachers in the 1960s and 1970s. With the exception of women in the 1960s (when few alternative careers were available), frustration among service-oriented teachers led to low levels of teacher persistence. (MJP)

This paper describes an initial effort to provide a carefully reasoned, factually based, systematic analysis of teacher pay in comparison to pay in other occupations available to college-educated workers. It also reports on the sensitivity of these salary comparison estimates to differences in certain characteristics of the labor force, such as…