Urban Teachers Influence On Teacher Retention

Teaching is a profession that is often under recognized, funded and appreciated. Teachers in urban, low-socioeconomic areas are probably more challenged and less appreciated than their counterpart in affluent schools and middle class neighborhoods. The challenges facing urban teachers also face teachers in rural areas, however, teacher dissatisfaction and turnover appears to be higher in urban schools, according to Tanner, McLeod, Carter, Simpson, and Maxwell (2008). Tanner et al. (2008) suggest that the teacher’s perception of effective leadership, particularly the school principal, can have a positive or negative influence on teacher retention. Furthermore, he suggest that two different discernible characteristics can be identified to determine whether a teacher has the staying power to remain in the teaching profession. These characteristics he labels as dependent or independent. According to
As technology and society change so do pedagogy and instruction. Teachers that feel independent need to feel confident about their ability to teach and must believe that they can teach the children in their classrooms, this is teacher efficacy. This also applies to the competence needed to be effective in providing adequate instruction to children in urban schools. Educators need to provide stimulating and motivating modes of instruction, the traditional is not always effective for urban students. They should have classrooms that reflect diversity, which is characteristic of our society, and encourage respect, treating students as unique individuals. A cultural responsive environment contributes to effective learning by acknowledging different learning styles and lived experiences.
Tanner et al. believe their study adds to the literature on teacher satisfaction and retention and can be useful for identifying perceptions of teachers and