This book explores why veteran teachers choose to remain in the classroom, making teaching their life’s career. The authors felt compelled to interview veteran teachers to learn about their experiences, how they make meaning of their classrooms and schools, and in particular what can be known about the adversities they face and their resilience. Factors (individual and contextual) are uncovered that influence veteran teacher’s resiliency and adaptation from veteran teachers’ perspectives and the literature. Induction programs, professional development, and mentoring are also examined for their importance to the interviews and education. Features of this book include: Focuses on veteran teacher resilience and why veteran teachers choose to remain in the classroom and teaching profession Uses an interview method involving veteran teachers that illuminates issues of resiliency and retention from their perspective Highlights 15 narrative accounts of veteran teachers tailored to their perceptions, experiences, and strategies for navigating barriers and overcoming challenge Combines conceptual frameworks, research results, interventions, and strategies Connects implications of the study and suggestions for future research to practice and policy This book is for researchers interested in teacher resilience, particularly veteran teacher resilience and the study and development of it, as well as practitioners drawn to the same topic, with applicability to their fields. Anyone interested in resilience, particularly within demanding professional contexts and stressful situations, should find value. "The focus on teacher resilience is original and it is an important aspect of why teachers might choose to stay in the profession. Teacher resilience is understudied and should provide useful knowledge to policymakers and education leaders on how to improve working conditions and increase efficacy. So much ink is spilled extolling why teachers exit the profession--there is a dearth of research on why they stay, which in my opinion is even more important than why they leave. This book makes an important contribution to the literature and will hopefully inform policy making and inspire others to conduct research on the subject." Christopher H. Tienken, Associate Professor, Dept. of Education Leadership Management and Policy, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, USA "The topic is original. It seems there is much literature on new teachers and why they leave, but little on veteran teachers and why they stay. The topic and the reporting of the findings with suggestions for practices to be implemented in university programs as well as in K-12 schools is very useful. The format this book follows is actually a strong one for other researchers and students in doctoral programs." Sandra Harris, Professor Emerita, Educational Leadership, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas, USA

This project examined the life narratives of four veteran teachers, each of whom began their careers before the onset of the Standards Era and were still teaching in 2013. Seeking to surface both their ways of resilience and negotiations of their identities as teachers through their decades-long careers, the question is positioned in the neoliberal turmoil of high-stakes accountability, national curriculum standards, and widespread, large-N assessment, to determine if resilient, long-career teachers exhibit particular characteristics and support systems that enable their accomplished status. Using the postmodern, interpretivist methodologies of portraiture and oral history, richly contextualized narratives for each teacher were crafted as an initial analysis. A secondary analysis revealed three manifestations of identity: the socially constructed identity, the bureaucratically informed identity, and the emotionally shaped identity. Findings suggest that having a fully developed and robust set of identities might encourage teacher resilience and longevity, supporting existing bodies of research, and that storytelling is an important aspect of identity development and maintenance. An additional finding was the absence of adversity through veteran teachers' careers, which pushes against current research on resilience, as it positions resilience against adversity. An interesting question remains, which is in what ways might these veterans have renamed themselves--through the development of multiple and fluid identities--and renamed the challenges and disruptions of their world of work so that they might continue in the classroom. As school leaders typically rely on the knowledge base of seasoned veterans--to inform curriculum development, novice teacher support, and professional learning communities--it seems important to consider the power of storytelling in those venues. In conclusion, the author suggests that the addition of research from the field of knowledge creation, usage, and stewardship could be useful to future research of veteran teachers and the ways their professional knowledge might be better leveraged for improved educational outcomes.

A practical framework to avoid burnout and keep great teachers teaching Onward tackles the problem of educator stress, and provides a practical framework for taking the burnout out of teaching. Stress is part of the job, but when 70 percent of teachers quit within their first five years because the stress is making them physically and mentally ill, things have gone too far. Unsurprisingly, these effects are highest in difficult-to-fill positions such as math, science, and foreign languages, and in urban areas and secondary classrooms—places where we need our teachers to be especially motivated and engaged. This book offers a path to resiliency to help teachers weather the storms and bounce back—and work toward banishing the rain for good. This actionable framework gives you concrete steps toward rediscovering yourself, your energy, and your passion for teaching. You’ll learn how a simple shift in mindset can affect your outlook, and how taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally is one of the most important things you can do. The companion workbook helps you put the framework into action, streamlining your way toward renewal and strength. Cultivate resilience with a four-part framework based on 12 key habits Uncover your true self, understand emotions, and use your energy where it counts Adopt a mindful, story-telling approach to communication and community building Keep learning, playing, and creating to create an environment of collective celebration By cultivating resilience in schools, we help ensure that we are working in, teaching in, and leading organizations where every child thrives, and where the potential of every child is recognized and nurtured. Onward provides a step-by-step plan for reigniting that spark.

Teachers are leaving education at an alarming rate. Teacher burnout, an ever-looming issue, affects new and veteran teachers alike. Jaclyn Reuter’s The Resilient Educator delves into this growing problem and equips teachers with strategies they can start using today, in hopes of keeping more teachers in their classrooms. You’ll learn about: Managing a full-time teaching job alongside your full-time life. Setting limits and re-prioritizing your personal goals. Redefining professional success in the classroom In The Resilient Educator, Reuter uses her personal journey from burnt-out teacher to thriving practitioner as a guide for struggling teachers on their own paths towards rediscovering the joys of this vocation. Written for new teachers and experienced educators alike, Reuter’s book provides actionable steps to combat teacher burnout and work towards a thriving teaching career. You’ll discover: The power of small mindset shifts on productivity. The importance of resilience in education. The value of living our vocation. A true vocation, like teaching, is not easy to come by. Now that we’ve found it, we need to hold on with both hands. The Resilient Educator helps struggling educators just like you rekindle their love of teaching and commit to staying in their classrooms. Our resilience is what will fuel the next generation of learners.

This open access book follows the development of the Building Resilience in Teacher Education (BRiTE) project across Australia and internationally. Drawing on the success of this project and the related research collaborations that have since emerged, it highlights the importance of cultivating resilience at various stages of teachers’ careers. Divided into three sections, the book includes conceptual, empirical and applied chapters, designed to introduce readers to the field of research, provide empirical evidence and showcase innovative applications. The respective chapters illustrate the ways in which teacher resilience can be enhanced in a variety of contexts, and address specific learning activities, case studies, resources and strategies, student feedback and applied outcomes. They also consider future directions including cross-cultural applications and the use of technologies such as augmented reality. The book will appeal to researchers, teacher educators and teachers, as well as those interested in supporting the cultivation and ongoing development of professional resilience for pre-service and practicing teachers.

What is a veteran teacher, and how do veteran teachers contribute to schools and education? This international volume contributes to our understanding of veteran teachers with new conceptual studies and empirical research from different countries around the world. It is explores what we mean by a ‘veteran teacher’; the factors that encourage teachers to remain in the profession; the characteristics of a successful veteran teacher; and the values with which veteran teachers associate themselves. Rather than supporting stereotypes about teachers at different stages in their professional lives, this book both scrutinises prevalent stereotypes and explores the great variety of veteranship in teaching, in different cultures and different subject matter domains. Teacher retention is an increasingly difficult issue and there are severe problems of high staff turnover and attrition in many countries - so recognition of the qualities of more experienced teachers is timely, as well as valuing the potential contributions of veteran teachers in schools. The book also addresses broader issues about teachers’ lives and identities, the vulnerability of different groups of teachers to the effects of change and reform, and the various forms of teacher knowledge and teacher development. This book was previously published as a Special Issue of Teachers and Teaching.