Although the turnover rate among beginning teachers has been a major concern for some time, most studies do not link teacher retention with teaching practice. In contrast, this study looks specifically at career decisions coupled with practice. Guided by a view of teaching as social and cultural practice, the study used multiple qualitative data sources, including extensive observations, interviews, and samples of teachers' and students' work. Based on within and cross-case analysis of 15 cases at four distinct time points within a 5-year period, the authors identified multiple patterns of teaching practice linked to early career decisions, which reflect considerable variation in quality of teaching and career trajectory. The authors argue that ''stayers'' and ''leavers'' are not homogeneous groups, as is often assumed in research and policy. Rather, there are multiple variations of practice coupled with career decisions, some desirable and others not, with different implications for policy and practice.
Utilizing the critical race theory (CRT) construct of majoritarian stories and the already identified story of English-is-all-that-matters in the education of multilingual learners and their teachers, this study illustrates the influence of this powerful narrative in classroom practice. By promoting English-only instruction, maintaining a limited perspective of what it means to know English, and treating multilingual learners as if they were monolingual, this study demonstrates that multilingual learners’ educational opportunities are being limited through a persistent and unhelpful overemphasis on English.<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"></span>
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