Problem: The high attrition rate among teachers poses significant challenges for schools (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019; Covay Minor et al., 2019; Hammonds, 2017; Ingersoll & Strong, 2011; Kamrath & Bradford, 2020; Ryu & Jinnai, 2021), particularly in urban settings with diverse student populations (Carver-Thomas &…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how urban high school teachers describe their understanding and navigation of workplace pressures that are associated with teacher burnout. Maslach's multidimensional burnout theory served as a framework for two research questions: (1) How do urban high school teachers describe their…

We present analyses from focus group interviews with a geographically diverse set of experienced, urban teachers who point to "systemic inequity" as a major contributing factor to the problems they face in their schools and communities. To begin, we overview the literature relating to our development of this project, after which we…

This study examined how mentor teachers' perceptions of reciprocity and ideas around equitable teaching practice were cultivated within the context and practice of the Reciprocal Learning Partnership framework. For this study, I analyzed twenty paired interviews with ten mentor teachers and mentees participating in an urban teacher residency…

Drawing on critical Whiteness studies (CWS) alongside theories of engagement and critical consciousness, we share the story of two student teachers (STs) who were identified as "fully engaged" during urban student teaching. At the program level, results indicate that the STs' teacher preparation program favored compliant engagement over…

We present one subset of findings from a larger study of twenty-one practicing urban teachers regarding their perceptions of their positioning in public discourses. We begin with a general introduction, focusing primarily on the myth of the "bad teacher," after which we provide an overview regarding the evolution of this myth, as well as…

This article uses elements of narrative and portraiture to acknowledge the voices of four teachers who participated in a 3-year effort to turn around an urban elementary school. Turnaround is a sanctioned reform effort intended to produce rapid, dramatic improvement in student academic achievement in a low-performing school. We present the teacher…

Embodied pedagogy is a way of facilitating lessons which use the body as a locos of learning. Through a practice of storytelling, reflection, and imagination, embodied pedagogy evokes enactment and a release of emotions. This qualitative narrative study created multimodal portraits of embodied educators in the Newark Board of Education using the…

This study examined how the concept of social justice was operationalized in the university coursework of students enrolled in an urban teacher residency program that aims to diversify the teaching corps and prepare secondary STEM teachers for urban classroom environments. Based on analysis of 39 syllabi and interviews with nine faculty members,…

Educators feel overwhelmed by managing challenging behaviors which often leads to burnout and turnover (Clotfelter et al., 2006; Kokkinos, 2007; Simon & Johnson, 2015). However, professional development (PD) in evidenced-based behavior management practices (EBMPs) is sparse with current PD models yielding varied outcomes (Darling-Hammond et…

Teacher attrition is a chronic challenge facing many education systems, and has been shown to negatively impact education quality and equity. Common explanations rooted in occupational choice theory identify pecuniary and non-pecuniary rewards as critical factors in motivating and retaining teachers. Using China Household Income Project (CHIP)…

In this age of migration and transnationalism, it is imperative to take account of migratory experiences and lives of transmigrant teachers, who exhibit multiple ways of belonging and knowing. Informed by the theoretical framework of transnationalism and flexible citizenship, this study investigates two Asian transmigrant teachers who work in…

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework was established as a comprehensive, equitable approach for addressing urban students' academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs. Still, confusion surrounded its implementation. On returning to in-person instruction, urban educators have been challenged to…

This study investigated the impact of professional development support structures for enhancing teacher mastery of Response to Intervention (RTI) in an urban elementary school setting. With a focus on effective implementation strategies, the research explored the role of tailored professional development initiatives in equipping educators with the…

Teachers' work is inherently political at both the interpersonal and structural levels. Yet, now, many teachers are under state-sanctioned and local pressure to be apolitical. Moreover, many teachers are citing feelings of political attack as a significant driver in their decisions to stay or leave the teaching profession, even as the US faces…