Teacher Retention: Building Self-Efficacy To Keep Educators In The Classroom
A dissertation in the Isabelle Farrington College of Education and Human Development presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education.
Abstract
This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice investigated the impact of professional development with coaching support on a novice teacher’s self-efficacy, with the goal of improving novice teacher retention in an urban district. In Phase 1 of this study, the researcher determined that the problem of practice, novice teacher attrition, impacted students’ academic and behavioral outcomes. In Phase 2, the researcher offered a six-module professional development course, in-person and online, that included classroom management strategies for teachers in their first year of employment. The researcher designed the intervention to include coaching from the novice teachers’ assigned district mentors to support implementation. The professional development course and supportive coaching aimed to increase novice teacher skills to positively impact self-efficacy. Using an explanatory mixed methods design, the researcher collected quantitative data through the Teacher Self-Efficacy Survey (TSES) to measure perceived self-efficacy in classroom management, instruction, and engagement in the classroom. Additionally, the researcher collected qualitative data through open-ended course reflections, interviews, and mentor surveys. At the end of the study, course completers showed a statistically significant increase in self-efficacy in classroom management and promising results in instructional strategies. Participants expressed a positive impact on their emotions, growth mindset, and professional skills from the intervention. Participants also saw an increase in 6 student engagement in their settings. Implications and recommendations for revision and continued implementation of the intervention in the district are shared.
