- Year 2023
- NSF Noyce Award # 1758385
- First Name Elizabeth
- Last Name Edmondson
- Discipline Chemistry, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics
- Co-PI(s)
LaChelle Waller, Aimee Ellington
- Presenters
Elizabeth Edmondson
Need
VCU Noyce Track 1 Phase III incorporates a monthly induction meeting model to support and retain our Noyce novice teachers. These efforts are critical for these teachers working when working in stressful high-needs schools. In addition, the current shortage of highly qualified secondary science and mathematics teachers is linked to low retention rates. Of particular note, Ingersoll (2007) argued that the shortage of science and mathematics teachers is due to the large number of teachers (40-50%) who leave the profession within their first five years of teaching. Ingersoll (2007), supported by Linda Darling-Hammond et al. (2016), identified several contributing factors including low salaries, lack of support from school administrations, student discipline problems, and the lack of teacher input into school decision making. The analysis of the induction sessions will help us to better support our graduates and to learn whether we are able to overcome the contributing factors identified by Ingersoll.
Goals
This work focuses on a two-year induction model that consists of the novice teachers attending monthly dinner meetings before COVID and Zoom meetings during COVID and now back to dinner meetings. These meetings that provide a forum for sharing instructional and school-related issues. This poster will examine these questions: What themes arise from issues and solutions presented during the descriptive consultancy protocol? What themes arise from the success protocol as instructional approaches the new teachers are using and willing to share? What does the feedback from the last session each year tell us is working and what needs are not being met?
Approach
To answer these questions, we are using qualitative strategies to understand issues and successes of our induction participants. Our theoretical approach is grounded culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) and literature on retention of teachers. Data collected is being examined using analytic induction during the first round of data analysis and then collapsing the data around codes from research on CRP and retention and new ideas not found in the research. These approaches will allow us to systematically look across years of the induction model to learn from our participants.
Outcomes
The two-year VCU induction model has been very successful with at least 83% of the completing scholars attending at least one session. The novice teachers believe the sessions are helpful and that they learn from their colleagues through the protocols. Areas that the novice teachers struggle with include classroom management, student work ethic post COVID, student honesty on assignments, working with diverse students who are different from them, and lack of school leadership support. Modifications have been made over the years to meet the teacher’s needs. Further insights will be shared in the poster as data analysis is not complete at this time.
Broader Impacts
As we move past COVID and see the teacher shortage getting worse, we want to ensure that we are providing the supports our former scholars need to keep them in the profession as well as growing professionally. The VCU Noyce grant has impacted over 100 preservice students as Noyce Scholars to date (13 Cohorts). Of these Noyce Scholars, 85% have completed their obligation to the grant. Of these Scholars, 70% continue to teach science or mathematics. The VCU model provides relevant coursework leading to licensure and an induction model that supports these scholars. Not only has the VCU Noyce project impacted the scholars, but it has impacted many students in our region. The work described in this poster we hope sheds insights into struggles and supports faced by our novice teachers and how we can better support them.
