Teacher Retention: Factors That Contribute to Teachers\u27 Decisions to Remain in the Profession

Burnout can be an occupational hazard regardless of ones profession. Hendrickson (1979) defines teacher burnout as physical, emotional, and attitudinal exhaustion that begins with a feeling of uneasiness and mounts as the joy of teaching begins to gradually slip away. Many studies focus on burnout, teacher attrition and teacher shortages. There are relatively few studies, however, that address the issue of why teachers decide to remain in the profession. This paper investigates the factors that cause teachers to remain in the field. An online survey of 17 questions was sent to graduate students at a private university in Northern California. Results showed that teachers remain in the profession because of the rewarding work. The study indicated, however, that an increase in salary, more administrative support and fewer disciplinary problems would further influence them to remain in the profession