Leading with Love: How Elementary Principals' Leadership Influences Teacher Retention

Abstract

High turnover has cost-related consequences for the school and community. Understanding how principals lead and motivate through specific behaviors and characteristics is important to learn what influences teachers’ decisions to return to teaching in their schools each year. This qualitative study addressed the connection between the actions and characteristics of school leaders and the influence they have on teacher’s retention decisions. Elementary teachers and principals from a large public-school district informed this study about how principals’ communication, behaviors, and leadership characteristics influence teachers’ organizational commitment. The researcher sampled schools with 90% or higher retention rates and invited 26 principals and 840 teachers from these schools to participate in the study. Data sources included a survey and interviews. One hundred sixty-one teachers and 12 principals completed the 29-item survey, including a 14-item demographic survey. They answered Likert-Scale and open-ended questions. The teachers (N = 10) and principals (N = 8) who agreed to continue participating in the study were interviewed using a semi-structured protocol and a self-anchoring scale about leadership traits that influence retention. Findings from analysis of the surveys, interviews, and self-anchoring scales indicated: (a) relationships, professional development, and staff recognition are supportive behaviors that influence teachers’ decisions to stay; (b) teachers choose to remain in their schools year after year because of location, leadership, and the communities they serve; and (c) principals communicate trust to keep teachers committed to the school. Recommendations include (a) school-based leaders using strategies to support teacher retention, (b) district leaders supporting school leaders with leading for teacher retention, and (c) administrative and supervisory programs creating courses focused on leadership behaviors.