Simple Requests to Maintain High Quality Teachers: A Qualitative Study on Preschool Teacher Retention
Michael Wells
Social Pediatrics/Parenting Support
Uppsala University
Dept. of Women’s and Children’s Health
Faculty of Medicine
Social Context, Availability, Affordability, Quality
Overall Score
1 Finland 91.8
2 Sweden 91.7
3 Norway 88.9
24 USA 60.3
Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson = War on Poverty– 1965-1966
– Sargent Shriver• Dr. Edward Zigler
• Dr. Robert Cook
Pres. George W. Bush Reauthorized 2007
Pres. Obama grew
Head Start
30 million served
Teacher Retention: Is this a big issue?
• 33% of teachers leave their schools within the first 3 years
• 50% of new teachers leave within five years
• High turnover costs – $2.2 billion to $4.9 billion
Preschool teachers quit for:
Extrinsic ReasonsLow Salary
Work Overload
Children’s Behavior
Poor Leadership
Intrinsic Reasons Personal Efficacy
Working with Students
Job Satisfaction
AIM
Method
• One major Midwest city, USA
• 10 Head Start preschools
• Qualitative Interviews
• 45 minutes
• Thematic Analysis
Demographics
Jobs vs. Profession
4 Themes
• Relationships Matter
• Stress (about Paperwork)
• Child Behavior
• Needed Support
“We work well together, and we have good communication and know
what’s expected of each other. I don’t tell her what to do; she just
knows what needs to be done and does it.”
Relationships Matter
Stress
• Preschool teachers are stressed!!!
• What are they stressed about?
• Not stressed about co-workers
• Not stressed about Center Director
• Not stressed about parents
• Not stressed about preschool children
Stressed about Paperwork???
– eDECA– Brigance– Anecdotals– USDA Forms– Lesson Plans– Home Visit Forms– Leveling of Children– Documenting Artwork– Taking Pictures/Video– TS Gold Documentation– Family Conference Form– Documenting Reggio Boards– Portfolios (which includes several items)
“I feel like it’s a lot that’s expected, and we don’t get time off to do it. And we have nap time, but we don’t really have that because kids will do other things during that time and act up.”
Child Behavior
“I have 6 kids that had behavior issues, which takes away from the other children.”
Needed Support
“I feel like sometimes I can’t talk to my supervisor one-on-one because I feel like nothing is going anywhere and nothing is being done to rectify the problem.”
Conclusions
• Teachers work for Head Start because that’s what they want to do for their career
• Teachers leave preschools for all sorts of reasons
• Many of the reasons are preventable
• Develop a realistic plan based off of teachers’ suggestions
Conclusions
“Education needs to work by pull, not push” – Charles Leadbeater
Citations for Pictures
1. http://www.economist.com/
1. http://www.kibois.org/hs_about.html
1. http://swampland.time.com/2011/11/09/why-obamas-plan-to-fix-head-start-is-not-enough/
1. http://www.preschoolsnsw.org.au/about-preschools/preschool-advantages
1. http://blog.capital.org/job-satisfaction-what-matters-most-to-employees/
1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/33339579@N06/3680481039/
2. http://s279.beta.photobucket.com/user/ClynnS023/media/pon%20and%20zi/thLeave.jpg.html?fromLegacy=true
Citations for Pictures9. http://weheartit.com/entry/30270136
10. http://cae2k.com/photos-of-bars-0/pictures-interviews.html
11. http://www.theblackfeminista.com/blog/590371-if-i-was-white-female-and-privileged-for-one-day/
12. http://www.fart-sounds.net/educated_fart_analysis.htm
13. http://www.personalizedteachershirts.com/Shop/Pre-K-Preschool-Teacher.10080/
14. http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/File:Human_Pyramid.png
15. http://www.burtchiropractic.com/2010/12/31/7-tips-for-stress-management/
16. http://www.cdsolicitors.com/2013/01/23/new-tax-liability-for-resident-taxpayers/paperwork-climbing-02-3/
Citations for Pictures
17. http://www.theawall.com/node/104
18. http://www.almightydad.com/behavior/kid-acting-badly-try-the-total-transformation-scam
19. http://www.egodevelopment.com/3-practical-ways-to-stop-child-behavior-problems/
20. http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/p/principals_office.asp