Teacher induction variables: Impact upon second year teacher retention
Abstract
Teaching is unique among the professions because beginning teachers are often required to assume full responsibilities from the first day on the job. During the crucial period of initial adjustment, formative assistance is often needed to facilitate professional success. Beginning teacher assistance programs attempt to address this need. Such assistance is intended to: (1) benefit beginning teachers by providing a personal introduction to teaching, (2) assist in the implementation of sound teaching practices, and (3) increase beginning teacher retention. This study focused on the third intended benefit of beginning teacher assistance by exploring the question of whether or not variables associated with beginning teacher assistance, demographics, job-related characteristics, and motivation to enter teaching correlated with teacher retention. Surveys were mailed to Spring, 1990 education graduates of a large, public university (N = 384). A total of 306 were accessible, comprising the self-selected sample. Responses totaled 157 (51.3%) with 121 (40.0%) meeting eligibility requirements. Descriptive results differed from those of existing literature in that (a) beginning teacher retention and high measured intelligence of the teacher were positively correlated and (b) beginning teacher attrition occurred at a lower rate than in previous studies. Results of phi correlational analysis on the key variables of retention and induction assistance were not statistically significant, given the small subsample size. However, four teachers receiving beginning teacher assistance left teaching compared with seven teachers receiving no beginning teacher assistance. The combined results of Pearson Product Moment, chi-square and Cramer's V analysis indicated that the same three variables correlated with beginning teacher retention at the.01 level of significance and the same four variables correlated at the.05 level. Three additional variables were notable only in Cramer's V analysis. Demographic, job-related, or motivational characteristics comprised nine of these ten variables. Although caution is indicated in generalizing findings, descriptive results favored induction assistance. Implications for further study include considerations for school administrators and teacher educators.
Recommended Citation
Selke, Mary Judith Goggins, "Teacher induction variables: Impact upon second year teacher retention" (1992). Dissertations (1962 - 2010) Access via Proquest Digital Dissertations. AAI9306001.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations/AAI9306001