This study is divided into personal stories and environmental reasons for the causes of child care center teachers' turnover and regignation. After analyzing in-depth interviews with seven teachers who have three year teaching experiences at child car...
This study is divided into personal stories and environmental reasons for the causes of child care center teachers' turnover and regignation. After analyzing in-depth interviews with seven teachers who have three year teaching experiences at child care centers, the following results were revealed.
First, the teacher's individual reasons for turnover and resignation are "mismatch of educational philosophy", "difficulties in social adaptation", "personal development", "personal boredom", and "enthusiasm needed in the golden days".
The teachers have difficulty in performing the duties of work when their educational philosophies and the educational philosophies of the day care center do not match. In novice teachers' case, they need time to adapt to the work place, but they usually start their work without appropriate guidance. The teachers say that it causes stress at work and the teachers decide to change jobs.
"Difficulties in social adaptation" is tough for both experienced teachers and novice teachers. Novice teachers had difficulties in adapting to work because everything was new, and teachers had more difficulties without other teachers' help. Even experienced teachers had a hard time adapting to a new job when they changed work places, and when new teachers cannot make a relationship with experienced teachers, the new teachers judge the work place is not suitable for them.
When teachers want to support parents of children and they have a hard time providing information about raising children, teachers decide to change jobs and resign in order to develop as a professional. If the original goal of teachers is going to graduate school, they change jobs or resign after a certain period of time in work experiences.
Three year teaching experienced teachers usually felt bored of their jobs when they became familiar with their work, and they considered changing jobs or resigning. It is the same for five year teaching experienced teachers. The five-year teaching experienced teachers lose affection toward teaching in their golden days and they say turnover and resignation will infuse new energy in them.
Second, the environmental factors of teachers' turnover and resignation are "work environment", "human environment", and "job".
The teachers, who work at a child care center located far from cities, feel isolated and make a decision to change jobs. The teachers, who work at a child care center with a poor environment, have a hard time providing good quality of education. As a result, they feel stressed and consider changing jobs. In the case of a child care center having financial difficulty, teachers are advised to resign, and then they decide to change jobs.
As "Human Environment", a relationship with a principal and problems with co-workers cause turnover and resignation. Principals blame or insult teachers for teachers' mistakes, the responsibilities resulted from co-workers' turnover, and accidents that happened to young children. The problems with co-workers are married teachers have problems with single teachers and head teachers have difficulties also. These problems cause turnover and resignation.
The teachers say class-placement, salary, and work-related stresses are the reasons for turnover and resignation. Teachers decide to change jobs or resign when they do not teach their desired age or grade. Teachers think that because salary is similar in almost every child care center, it does not have a big impact, but if the salary is lower than a previous work place it could be a reason for turnover and resignation. When teachers have a lot of other work besides teaching, they are confused about their identity, and as a result they make up their mind to change jobs or resign.
This study explored and analyzed interviews with teachers about the background of turnover and resignation. It has a significance of providing discussion about teacher education which is pursuing stable work environment and a policy direction.