A cross-case study analysis

This study examines the impact of school leadership on the experience of the novice educator. If the teacher shortage epidemic is ultimately rooted in attrition, it is important to understand the factors that contribute to this mass exodus (Ingersoll, 2001). While much has been written about this flight from the teacher perspective, it has not been thoroughly examined through the lens of the building leader (Wynn et al, 2007). This study seeks to understand how principals and novice teachers make sense of the new teacher experience and what steps principals explicitly take to support their newest employees. In designing the study, literature was reviewed to investigate what role, if any, the school principal had in the novice teacher experience. This review of literature allowed me to build a framework to guide my research. These dimensions offered a paradigm for the type of leadership that novices seek during the early stages of their teaching career. New teachers seek principals who: (1) focus on creating a professional learning organization; (2) build a strong operational infrastructure; and (3) provide individualized instructional support and access. Using the framework as a guide, I explored the following questions: (1) How do urban elementary school principals understand their role in supporting novice teachers? What do urban school principals do to support novice teachers? To what extent does the conceptual framework describe principal behavior?; (2) What do new teachers say about their principal's understanding of their needs?; and (3) What are the most effective practices for principals guiding new teachers? To answer these questions, a qualitative, multiple-case study methodology was employed to understand the dynamic between principals and new teachers from the perspective of the building leader. As the "unit of analysis' (Yin, 2003, p. 22) three urban elementary schools were selected with veteran principals, a critical mass of novices and evidence of supporting new teachers. The dynamic between school administrator and novice educator has not been adequately explored from the perspective of the principal. In the end, this work offers a set of strategies and recommendations to assist principals in thinking about effective support of new practitioners.