The Teaching Fellows-new Teacher Project: a Case Study in a Rural Southeastern State
Location
Hamilton B
Proposal Track
Research Project
Session Format
Symposium
Abstract
There is a pronounced shortage of high-quality teachers in urban and rural areas of the country where high levels of poverty exist (Hammer, Hughes, McClure, Reeves & Salgado, 2005; Levinson & Theisen-Home, 2015; Rosenberg, Christianson, & Hague, 2015; Wilson, 2014; You, 2015). In response to the aforementioned, many states began creating alternative routes to teacher preparation in the early 1980’s (Feistritzer, 2009). The purpose of the study was to explore the perceived utility and durability of a structured teacher development program for staffing and sustaining quality teachers in high-needs rural school districts.
A qualitative research design with a case study approach was used to address the four research questions. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with each of the six participants in an effort to ascertain perception data. In addition, twenty-eight documents were analyzed. The Open Systems Theory developed by von Bertalanffy (1950) and adapted for organizations by Katz and Khan (1978) was the theoretical framework used as a lens for the study.
Identified from the findings of the study were nine emergent themes that include Quality of Life, Strategic Recruitment, Rigorous Selection Process, Collaborative Culture, Supportive Structure, Evaluation, Effectiveness, Sustainability, and Policy Implications. These are presented in two categories: Principles and Practices.
Keywords
Teacher Shortage, Alternative Teacher Certification, Educational Leadership
Recommended Citation
Alexander, Donna, "The Teaching Fellows-new Teacher Project: a Case Study in a Rural Southeastern State" (2016). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 21.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2016/2016/21
The Teaching Fellows-new Teacher Project: a Case Study in a Rural Southeastern State
Hamilton B
There is a pronounced shortage of high-quality teachers in urban and rural areas of the country where high levels of poverty exist (Hammer, Hughes, McClure, Reeves & Salgado, 2005; Levinson & Theisen-Home, 2015; Rosenberg, Christianson, & Hague, 2015; Wilson, 2014; You, 2015). In response to the aforementioned, many states began creating alternative routes to teacher preparation in the early 1980’s (Feistritzer, 2009). The purpose of the study was to explore the perceived utility and durability of a structured teacher development program for staffing and sustaining quality teachers in high-needs rural school districts.
A qualitative research design with a case study approach was used to address the four research questions. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with each of the six participants in an effort to ascertain perception data. In addition, twenty-eight documents were analyzed. The Open Systems Theory developed by von Bertalanffy (1950) and adapted for organizations by Katz and Khan (1978) was the theoretical framework used as a lens for the study.
Identified from the findings of the study were nine emergent themes that include Quality of Life, Strategic Recruitment, Rigorous Selection Process, Collaborative Culture, Supportive Structure, Evaluation, Effectiveness, Sustainability, and Policy Implications. These are presented in two categories: Principles and Practices.
