Understanding the Leadership Styles and Behaviors That Contribute to New Teacher Success and Retention: A Basic Qualitative Study

Abstract

The problem is a lack of administrative leadership creates environments where new teachers decide to leave the position, or profession, resulting in teacher attrition. Teacher attrition is a national problem, impacting new teachers to a staggering degree. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to develop an understanding of the leadership behaviors and styles contributing to teacher development and retention in the first 5 years of teachers’ careers. Research questions for this study used the lens of andragogy and transformational leadership theories to explore the leadership behaviors and styles that had the greatest impact on new teacher retention. They explored how leadership styles impacted new teacher growth during the first 5 years of teachers’ careers. There is a gap in the literature about supports needed by new teachers and how leaders implement those supports. This basic qualitative study explored the views of 15 new teachers in a Connecticut school district within the first 5 years of teaching. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were utilized to collect data, which was analyzed utilizing reflexive thematic analysis. Participants expressed positive experiences with transformational leaders and with leaders who provided regular support, engaged them in collaborative conversations, and who were engaged in classrooms. Participants who worked for transformational leaders had positive experiences that contributed to their development as educators. Future study recommendations are to extend the study beyond one school district to identify more global trends.