Why beginning and experienced teachers leave the profession: a narrative inquiry of "stories to leave by"

Abstract

This presentation adopts a narrative inquiry approach to report on a comparison of the lived experiences of beginning teachers and more experienced teachers in their first two years of employment in Hong Kong. While there is a broad literature on teacher attrition globally (Ingersoll, 2004; Schaefer & Clandinin, 2011), I choose to compare and contrast the experiences of beginning teachers and experienced teachers who leave the profession after two years. This paper builds on two important concepts in narrative inquiry: ‘stories to live by’ and ‘stories to leave by’ (Clandinin et al., 2009). Using a narrative inquiry methodology this study throws light on the complex, intertwined personal and professional landscapes, which form the backdrop to those teachers’ lives and the shaping of their personal and professional identities. The beginning teachers in the study are new graduates from a Hong Kong university teacher training course. The experienced teachers are Native English-speaking Teachers (or NETs) in their first two years of work in Hong Kong. Similar to the attrition rates among beginning teachers, anecdotal evidence points to a high attrition rate among NETs too, with more than 50% leaving after just two years. These international teachers arrive in Hong Kong with a rather unique identity; though they are often highly qualified and experienced teachers in their home countries (most NETs come from Australia, UK, New Zealand, and Canada), they arguably become ‘beginning’ teachers the minute they step of the plane in Hong Kong. Drawing on field texts and reflective journal extracts these teachers’ narratives provide an opportunity for theorization through storytelling. While there are fundamental differences between the two types of teacher (novice and experienced), both are seen to negotiate a new identity as they start their teaching careers in Hong Kong and are navigating their professional and personal landscapes. The adjustment period for new and experienced international teachers is fraught with similar challenges and cannot be always related to remuneration issues (Chapman, 1994), or student behaviour in the classroom (Smith & Ingersoll, 2004). I argue that this comparison of experiences acts as a vital counter story to the sometimes simplistic reasons prescribed in the aforementioned literature on teacher attrition. Instead, using a narrative frame I emphasise the importance of stories constructed on the personal landscape that appeared to bump with the professional knowledge landscape. Insights gleaned may have significant implications for teacher education institutions (TEIs), policy makers and school leaders.