Term

Spring 2019

Capstone

Capstone Project

Degree Name

MAT

Facilitator(s)

Trish Harvey

Content Expert

Janet Baird

Abstract

Data shows that Minnesota teachers are leaving the classroom at alarming rates; teacher retention is an issue for both new and tenured teachers that must be addressed for the sustainability and longevity of our schools. The professional development sequence designed for this capstone project focuses on answering the research question: what impact does cultivating emotional resilience in teachers’ professional development have on teacher retention for both new and tenured teachers? Much research has been devoted to teacher retention and attrition, its causes and potential solutions - however research on how teachers can build habits and dispositions that lead to greater emotional resilience and retention are lacking in the field. The project utilizes specific retention strategies and adult learning principles to design a year long sequence where participants will explore everything from building empathy and trust - to empowered storytelling and optimism. The sequence will initially be used with a small cohort of Teach For America corps members and alumni, but is adaptable to a variety of contexts and participant groups; the project also lends itself to customization and adaptability at the behest of the facilitator. The goal of the project is that through opportunities such as the professional development sequence, teachers can practice their self-reflection and build their resilience so they can be better for themselves, for their communities and their students - and truly make education their life-long careers.

Project Type

Professional Development

Keywords

Adult Education, Reflective Practice, Staff Development, Teachers/ Teaching

dc_type

text

dc_publisher

DigitalCommons@Hamline

dc_format

application/pdf

dc_source

School of Education Student Capstone Projects

Included in

Education Commons

Share

COinS