Valuing Early Career Teachers: Putting the Brakes on the Exodus

Abstract

The attrition of early career teachers has been identified as an international issue. This paper reports on an Australian study that sought to identify the lived experiences of beginning teachers in one independent school system in their first three years. Areas such as the teacher’s job satisfaction and impacting factors were addressed. Data revealed that the main drivers for teachers terminating their teaching career in the first few years are connected to work/life balance, the level of support from administration, the teacher’s mentor, and the level and appropriateness of the professional development they are permitted to attend.