Some questions of recruitment and retention from Auckland's south west

Abstract

The current problems we are facing in our state secondary schools of retention, quality and the availability of New Zealand trained secondary teachers, remain largely unsolved. Before any long term solutions are found, the right questions need to be asked.

This study follows the early teaching careers of three teachers, all from the same Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) programme. During the study, the three were all teaching together in a semi rural co-educational state secondary school.

The individual reflections of these teachers are explored, with a focus on their experiences and the challenges facing them as they work(ed) toward full registration. Sources of data include their personal reflections, lesson observations, evaluations and individual interviews with the teachers. These were analysed to ascertain their long term career goals.

The findings are presented as a series of questions which need to be addressed urgently if we are to learn what is required of a school and of our profession in its support and retention of beginning teachers. These questions may be crucial if we are to assuage the worsening secondary teacher shortage ahead of us.