Date
11-2018
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction (EdD)
Chair
Gary Smith
Keywords
Teacher Job Satisfaction, Administration, Teacher Retention, Burnout, Job Satisfaction, Novice Teacher
Disciplines
Education | Educational Administration and Supervision | Other Educational Administration and Supervision
Recommended Citation
Bailey, James Mitchell Jr, "A Case Study Comparison of Novice and Veteran Middle School Teachers' Perceptions of Job Satisfaction" (2018). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 1896.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/1896
Abstract
American schools, like nations across the world, are faced with the challenge of recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers. The purpose of this case study was to discover and compare the perceptions of job satisfaction among novice and veteran middle school teachers that lead to longevity in one county in the state of Georgia. This research study followed a qualitative research design using a case study framework from data collected through focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and participant journaling. Participants included a total of 16 teachers within two groups who had either a maximum of five years or a minimum of 11 years of teaching experience with at least five of those years teaching in a middle school. The first group consisted of eight novice teachers, those with less than five years of teaching experience, working in middle schools located within Coweta County, Georgia. The second group consisted of eight veteran teachers, those with more than 11 years of teaching experience, working in middle schools located within Coweta County, Georgia. A total of eight participants, four from each group, participated in a one-on-one interview and participant journaling. The other eight participants, four from each group, participated in two separate focus group sessions and participant journaling. Data were collected and analyzed by assigning a pseudonym to each participant in the study and by classifying responses as a result of emerging themes. Findings revealed eight essential themes that correlate to literature related to job satisfaction and school climate, school leadership, and a teacher’s working condition.
