Sense of Belonging of Educators as a Retention Tool
Faculty Mentor
Daniel Chapman
Location
Russell Union Ballroom
Type of Research
Completed
Session Format
Poster Presentation
College
College of Education
Department
Curriculum Foundations & Reading
Abstract
Retaining educators in the field of education is becoming more challenging. Much of the research on educator retention focuses on pay and job dissatisfaction (Carver-Thomas and Darling- Hammond, 2017). In this study, I propose the concept of belonging as a tool to retain educators, but because belonging is a term with many implications and usages, there is a lack of understanding a sense of belonging. Desiring a sense of belonging is a natural process that all people face in life. The lives of educators are no different. In this dissertation I explore the influence that hegemony, intersectionality and identity have on teachers in the United States when gaining a sense of belonging in schools as a workplace. In this qualitative research study, I use speculative essays to examine this phenomenon of belonging as a complicated conversation and how belonging can be a tool in teacher retention efforts. The findings of this study conclude that systemic, hegemonic, and intersectional issues can hinder belonging but operating from a space of collective identity can build bonds and form. connections.
Program Description
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Start Date
4-23-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
4-23-2026 12:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Morris, LaShunda, "Sense of Belonging of Educators as a Retention Tool" (2026). GS4 Student Scholars Symposium. 26.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2026/2026/26
Sense of Belonging of Educators as a Retention Tool
Russell Union Ballroom
Retaining educators in the field of education is becoming more challenging. Much of the research on educator retention focuses on pay and job dissatisfaction (Carver-Thomas and Darling- Hammond, 2017). In this study, I propose the concept of belonging as a tool to retain educators, but because belonging is a term with many implications and usages, there is a lack of understanding a sense of belonging. Desiring a sense of belonging is a natural process that all people face in life. The lives of educators are no different. In this dissertation I explore the influence that hegemony, intersectionality and identity have on teachers in the United States when gaining a sense of belonging in schools as a workplace. In this qualitative research study, I use speculative essays to examine this phenomenon of belonging as a complicated conversation and how belonging can be a tool in teacher retention efforts. The findings of this study conclude that systemic, hegemonic, and intersectional issues can hinder belonging but operating from a space of collective identity can build bonds and form. connections.
