Date of Award

Spring 5-15-2020

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Policy Studies

First Advisor

Nicholas Sauers, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Robert Hendrick, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Gregory Middleton, Ph.D.

Abstract

Nationally, African American Male (AAM) teachers represent only 2% of new teachers, while also being the most significant number of teachers who leave the profession in their 3rd to 5th year in the classroom, when new teacher attrition is at its highest (Tio, 2018). For this reason, it was crucial to identify the practices that school leaders use to help retain their new AAM teachers. One strategy previously identified was to support AAM teacher's perceptions of their self-efficacy. Positive experiences or interactions can bolster a teacher's self-efficacy, while negative experiences decrease it. Drawing from Bandura's (1977) self-efficacy theory and Tschannen Moran and Hoy's (2001) work on teacher self-efficacy, this study explored the practices of school leaders that impacted the self-efficacy of AAM teachers who acquired their teaching certification through an alternative teacher preparation program, the Georgia Teacher Academy of Preparation and Pedagogy (GaTAPP). Qualitative data were collected from 11 elementary and secondary school teachers who were from 11 schools in an urban school district located in Georgia. The teachers selected for this study had received their teaching certification through the 2-year GaTAPP program, and they were in their 3rd to 5th year of teaching. Participants were asked to complete the Tschannen-Moran and Hoy's twelve item teacher self-efficacy survey instrument. Furthermore, data were collected through individual interviews as well as focus groups where the participants discussed the practices of their principals and assistant principals. These comments and opinions were transcribed then analyzed using NVivo. The results identified three practices that influenced the AAM teachers: (a) providing emotional support; (b) maintaining trust through leadership promotions; and (c) delivering consistent, constructive feedback. Accordingly, school leaders, educational leadership programs, and educational policy experts should emphasize these three practices in the national effort to retain African American Male teachers, particularly those teachers certified through an alternative teacher preparation program.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/17607210

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