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Abstract

The issue of teacher attrition has strengthened over the course of the decade, especially with the influence of a global pandemic (Zamarro et al., 2021). Ingersoll et al. (2018) found that 44% of teachers leave the field of education within the first five years of their careers. More recently, Zamarro et al. (2021) described a 6% increase in teachers expressing the desire to leave their teaching careers within the next five years. A wide range of demands have contributed to teacher attrition across the years, and it can be problematic when teaching philosophies are pushed aside as teachers attempt to navigate the demands of teaching. This paper considers how some may find the enthusiasm involved with a new career dissipating as the challenges of teaching become clearer.

Author Biography

Lauren May is a third-year doctoral candidate in Virginia Tech's Curriculum and Instruction program. Her research interests include teacher identity, teacher attrition, reflective inquiry, and pre-service teacher preparation. She has experience teaching secondary English and Language Arts, and she is currently conducting her dissertation study which examines how novice teachers can be better supported through the challenges that are often within the first years of teaching.

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