Leadership Behaviors Which Positively Influence Teacher Retention Throughout an Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic
In March 2020, schools around the United States shut down due to the COVID-19pandemic. As a result, teachers at all levels were forced to reimagine how to deliver their curriculum virtually, without contact with their students. Teachers experienced a dramatic increase in stress, burnout, and lack of professional boundaries; they subsequently began leaving the profession in droves. Previous research studies have cited relationships with administrators, autonomy, and adequate compensation as reasons why teachers have remained in their profession. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological research study was to discover leadership behaviors which positively influenced K-12 teachers who considered leaving the education profession to remain in their teaching roles, despite the challenges of teaching during an ongoing, COVID-19 pandemic. Thirteen teachers who teach in midwestern, independent schools were interviewed about their experiences with teaching during the pandemic and leadership behaviors which positively influenced them to remain in their teaching roles. The findings of this study reveal the importance of four key administrator behaviors: incorporating teacher perspectives into decisions and policies, acknowledging teacher work and effort, providing autonomy and freedom, and encouraging healthy boundaries. This study contributes to an existing body of research on teacher retention. The results contribute to the limited body of research on leadership behaviors which positively influence teachers to remain in the profession despite the new and unique challenges of teaching through a pandemic. Keywords: administrator, teacher autonomy, hybrid instruction, teacher perspectives, teacher retention
Administrator, Hybrid Instruction, Teacher Autonomy, Teacher Perspectives, Teacher Retention
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