Science Teacher Retention in Today's Urban Schools

Abstract

This study is based on data collected during 6 years (12 semesters) in the secondary science methods courses at an urban university in Southern California. The secondary science credential candidates were teaching on emergency permits or internship credentials in local urban secondary schools. They taught science during the day and pursued their teaching licenses in the late afternoons. Power relationships, urbanity, and critical pedagogy lenses were critical in analyzing the data. Multiple data sources, such as the credential candidates' written assignments, verbal communications, and field notes during classroom observations, were triangulated. Findings suggest that secondary science interns tend to thrive in schools where there is a perceived cohesive vision regarding science education and where efforts of all the stakeholders in the educational community (teachers, students, administration, community, including parents, district personnel, university instructors, and the science education research community) are focused on reaching a common goal. However, efforts are wasted where there is no cohesion, and frustrated players in the educational community tend to blame each other for the lack of positive results. Implications of these situations for the interns' attitudes and actions are further explored.

Reflective Pathways: Analysis of an Urban Science Teaching Field Experience on Noyce Scholar‐Science Education Awardees' Decisions to Teach Science in a High‐Need New York City School

“…Research conducted in the United States (e.g., Bryan & Atwater, ; Hashweh, ; Lumpe, Haney, & Czerniak, ) and abroad (Verjovsky & Waldegg, ) has shown that a fundamental and essential disposition of successful urban science teachers is an understanding of, and appreciation of, the culture of the students taught. Internships like the one described here, designed to cause considerable self‐reflection about how teachers see themselves in urban settings (e.g., Moscovici, ; Newton, Jang, Nunes, & Stone, ; Osisioma & Moscovici, ), are proving helpful in ensuring that those who accept these challenging teaching positions have at least a foundational understanding of the challenges that await them as high‐need urban science teachers.…”

Promoting Retention of Alternative Certified Teachers Through Professional Development

“…Furthermore, preparation is a leading factor in retention (Zhang & Zeller, 2016) under the ideal that the better prepared the teacher, the happier he or she will be, resulting in greater retention (Darling-Hammond, 2010). Other factors that can either positively or negatively affect retention include (a) a teacher's perceived impact on and relationship with students (Carter & Keiler, 2009); (b) administrative directives (Kelly et al, 2015); (c) school vision (Moscovici, 2009); (d) professional culture (Johnson & Kardos, 2002); (e) perceptions of value and status as a professional (Easley, 2006(Easley, , 2008; (f) availability of resources, supplies, and curriculum (Kelly et al, 2015); (g) school environment (Humphrey et al, 2008); and (h) chosen certification path (Boyd et al, 2011). These factors are not unique to retaining alternative certified teachers but are described in the research literature as more acute.…”

“…Moreover, clear and consistent administrative directives that align with a school vision can promote retention through teacher satisfaction (Moscovici, 2009). Working together to achieve a common goal can encourage teacher success.…”

Career Trajectories of Urban Teachers

“…Finally, teachers want to work in a context that is supportive of their professional aims. Recent research has indicated that urban science teachers are most likely to persist in school contexts with coherent and common goals (Moscovici, 2009). Similarly, beginning teachers appear to seek out school contexts in which they can best pursue a sense of success and where they perceive themselves to be effective as educators (Johnson & Birkeland, 2003;Yee, 1990).…”