Better understanding the professional and personal factors that influence beginning teacher retention in one Canadian province

Abstract

In 2019-2020, approximately 300 beginning teachers agreed to participate in the Alberta Teachers’ Association research study designed to better understand the factors that best support early career satisfaction and growth. With attrition rates as high as 50% in the first five years worldwide, more information is needed as to how to retain teachers. Some contexts have a greater retention rate, but why? Is it due to professional or personal factors, or a combination of both? Using a survey design and a focus group that investigated Early Career Teachers (ECT) perceptions of professional development, mentorship, and school contexts, in addition to personal well-being and resiliency characteristics, results from this study demonstrated that both professional and personal factors are equally influential when retaining early career teachers beyond the first three years. Participants reported not only feeling supported and valued by administration and colleagues, they also rated high on competency and resiliency questions. When asked if they could see themselves being a teacher in 10 years, over 77% selected Strongly Agree and Agree. Therefore, when implemented and supported in unison, adaptive professional and personal factors appear to be a highly predictive combination for improved teacher retention.