Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Cheryl Keen

Abstract

AbstractTeacher attrition disproportionately affects schools that have high populations of students who are socio-economically disadvantaged and/or high populations of students of color. The retention of social justice teachers is specifically important at high-needs schools because these teachers help to address both educational and social inequality. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how experienced teachers who identify themselves as social justice educators describe why they stay in the classroom despite perceived emotional challenges and what supports they recommend to keep social justice teachers in the classroom. The concepts of purpose, identity, and power, culture, and context from Hargreaves’s emotional practice of teaching model were used as a framework. In this basic qualitative study, interviews with eight self-identified social justice teachers were analyzed using two-cycle coding to discern three emergent themes. The themes addressed why self-identified social justice teachers stay in the classroom and suggestions they offer to increase retention. The results indicated that teachers desired and experienced opportunities to grow (subthemes were collaboration and mentorship), being treated like professionals (subthemes were autonomy and trust, structural support and power, and relevant professional development), and finding fulfillment (subthemes were investment, personal and spiritual fulfillment, and leaving a legacy). The findings of this study could help principals and district leaders understand how to retain experienced social justice teachers, and this could promote positive social change by increasing the number of teachers who support having a more equal and equitable education system.

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