- Year 2024
- NSF Noyce Award # 2050406
- First Name Meghan
- Last Name Marrero
- Registration Faculty/Administrator/Other
- Discipline STEM Education (general)
- Role Principal Investigator (PI)
- Presenters
Meghan E. Marrero, Mercy University; Amanda M. Gunning, Mercy University; Kristen V. Napolitano, Mercy University
Need
Navigating teacher attrition in high-need school districts has become increasingly important as those positions become harder to fill (Bell et al., 2019; Fuller & Pendola, 2019; Zahner et al., 2019). Nationally, Black and Brown communities are disproportionately impacted by teacher attrition and turnover (Ronfeldt, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2013; Sleeter & Milner, 2011; Zahner et al., 2019). Yet, there is much left to explore regarding what makes teachers successful in high-need schools and how those factors relate to retention (Fuller & Pendola, 2019; Grillo & Kier, 2021). Preparing teachers for persistence and success in high-need schools, particularly in STEM, is important to the success of the students in those schools.
Research Questions
How do administrators and teachers perceive the qualities of teachers who persist in high-need schools?
Approach
Pedagogies of Care and LoveFeminist and identity lenses offer nuanced layers to our perspective on terms, such as care or compassion in teaching (Dickson & Dingus, 2008; Ohito, 2018; Olitsky, 2020). If viewed along a spectrum, at one end we might see that teachers take on a motherly identity that elicits unconditional nurturing and love for students (Dixson & Dingus, 2008; Olitsky, 2020). This may be unsustainable or unhealthy for teachers and students. On the other end, we might see an impersonal or a businesslike approach to teaching. Ignoring care or love in teaching can be equally harmful, especially for those in Black and Brown communities (Dixson & Dingus, 2008; Ohito, 2018; Olitsky, 2020). In this study, we use pedagogies of care and love as a framing to explore how these elements are attributed to teacher success. Additionally, this lens helps us situate concepts of love and care sociohistorically as they relate to the high-need districts at center of this study. Professional Learning ContinuumWe use Feiman-Nemser’s (2001) professional learning continuum (PLC) to understand that teacher learning is on-going and continuous throughout a teacher’s career. Using this lens, we see teachers at all stages of their careers being in a position of learning and change (Anderson & Olsen, 2006; Feiman-Nemser, 2010). Whether a teacher has years of experience or is just beginning their careers, starting at a high-need school may bring about a relearning as teachers grow into their new professional community and navigate new relationships (Feiman-Nemser, 2010; Luft et al., 2007). This framing came naturally as administrators described the continuous nature of teacher success in their schools, some emphasizing that there was no finite definition of success, but rather elements of success that must be nurtured and strengthened over time. MethodsWe took a qualitative approach to this research study to understand which factors contribute to teacher success in high-need schools. Teacher success is often represented through quantitative data; we felt that a qualitative lens is necessary to gain a richer understanding of what it means to be successful in a high-need context. Using a comparative case study research design, we worked with six administrators to collect their narratives and compare their perspectives on success (Creswell & Poth, 2018; Yin, 2018). Due to space constraints, we provide a limited description of the participants here. All six of the administrators in this study were from high-need charter school districts in the metro NYC area and all had been with their respective districts for more than ten years. Of the six administrators, two were principals, two were vice principals, one was a human resources manager, and one was a superintendent. We felt that administrator perspectives are greatly needed in this work because their practices and commitments to their districts ensure the overall growth of their schools and retention of their teachers (Klar & Brewer, 2013; Ware & Kitsantas, 2011). Data collection and analysis remains on-going. IRB approval for this study was garnered. Data AnalysisWe interpreted qualitative data for this study, including, interviews with principals, teacher evaluation rubrics from participating administrators and edTPA scores from participating teachers to triangulate with empirical references of success (Creswell & Poth, 2018). Here, we used comparative case study analysis to review all narrative data line by line, noticing recurring thoughts (Yin, 2018). Peer debriefing led the team to seek scores/rubrics as means for triangulation (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). This study is limited by the scope of setting. As a result of existing relationships with local schools, charter schools are the focus on this work due to their willingness to participate in the study.
Outcomes
Three major themes emerged from this work in terms of characteristics of teachers needed for persistence in high-need schools: 1) Practices of Care; 2) Socialization and Sense of “Family,” and 3) Resilience. While the data from teachers and administrators yielded similar findings, in reality the teachers who get hired often do not have these characteristics because of a need to “fill a vacancy,” or hire a teacher with a specific certification.
Broader Impacts
Understanding the factors that lead to teacher persistence in high-need schools is critical to improving teacher retention in these communities. At the same time, although teachers and administrators seem to be in agreement on these characteristics, it seems that they frequently feel forced into situations in which they feel they must hire teachers who do not embody their desired attributes. Thus, we must consider how teacher education and induction programs can develop in teachers the necessary qualities that can support them in persisting.
