This article has been published in the journal Teachers and Teaching, Theory and Practice. It reports on the factors that continued to sustain the initial commitment of a group of 57 primary and secondary teachers who had been identified early in their careers as individuals showing “promise” and who were predicted to make a significant contribution to teaching.
By the end of their ninth year of teaching, the quality of their school leaders and their working conditions were shown to be key factors influencing teachers’ decisions to stay in their schools, change schools or leave teaching altogether. The majority of the teachers continued to derive their satisfaction from their work with students, but their satisfaction with their work and their willingness to contribute to wider leadership roles were compromised by the working conditions in their schools. Those teachers that reported high levels of job satisfaction and appeared to be fulfilling their potential worked in schools with strong leadership, where they felt trusted and empowered by their principals and their fellow teachers.
The article is available here.