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LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS WHICH POSITIVELY INFLUENCE TEACHER
RETENTION THROUGHOUT AN ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

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___________________________________
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NATALIE SIMMS
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A DISSERTATION IN PRACTICE

Submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School of Creighton University in Partial

Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in
Interdisciplinary Leadership
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Omaha, NE
March 27, 2023
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Copyright (2023), Natalie Simms

This document is copyrighted material. Under copyright law, no part of this document
may be reproduced without the expressed permission of the author.
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Abstract

In March 2020, schools around the United States shut down due to the COVID-19

pandemic. As a result, teachers at all levels were forced to reimagine how to deliver their

curriculum virtually, without contact with their students. Teachers experienced a dramatic

increase in stress, burnout, and lack of professional boundaries; they subsequently began

leaving the profession in droves. Previous research studies have cited relationships with

administrators, autonomy, and adequate compensation as reasons why teachers have

remained in their profession. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological research

study was to discover leadership behaviors which positively influenced K-12 teachers

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who considered leaving the education profession to remain in their teaching roles, despite
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the challenges of teaching during an ongoing, COVID-19 pandemic. Thirteen teachers

who teach in midwestern, independent schools were interviewed about their experiences
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with teaching during the pandemic and leadership behaviors which positively influenced

them to remain in their teaching roles. The findings of this study reveal the importance of

four key administrator behaviors: incorporating teacher perspectives into decisions and
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policies, acknowledging teacher work and effort, providing autonomy and freedom, and

encouraging healthy boundaries. This study contributes to an existing body of research on

teacher retention. The results contribute to the limited body of research on leadership

behaviors which positively influence teachers to remain in the profession despite the new

and unique challenges of teaching through a pandemic.

Keywords: administrator, teacher autonomy, hybrid instruction, teacher

perspectives, teacher retention

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Dedication

This dissertation is dedicated to numerous people who make the world a

wondrous place to be:

To all of the educators who fought to ensure our future generations were provided

opportunities to learn through a time of unknown.

To the students who fought to continue learning during the pandemic.

For my husband, Tom. I will never have enough words to express how utterly

grateful and amazed I am that it’s as simple as, “Do you want to do it?” Your belief in me

is one of my greatest gifts. I love you.

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To my parents, Mom, Dad, thank you for your guidance, unwavering belief, and
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honesty. You instilled my love of learning and the belief I can do anything. You were

right.
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Mom, Isaac, Dad, Ashley, Ted and Amy: I hit the jackpot. Thank you for your

love, encouragement, and support.

Michael, Michelle, Kristen and Donnell, our sibling group is one of the most
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treasured spaces in my life. Thank you for inspiring me to be my best.

For Stella and Leo, because you deserve the best education this world has to offer

you.
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Acknowledgments

I am incredibly appreciative to my dissertation chair, Michael Wardlaw, and my

dissertation committee member, Jeffrey Miller. Thank you for being the lights at the end

of this tunnel and the signs which showed me the way.

To Cohort 45: “Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or

forgotten.”

To my teaching partner, Jordan Stolpe, there’s no way I could have finished this

process without your partnership, friendship, and belly laughs. Thank you.

To Mary Menacho and Bridget Keegan, for taking a chance on me. The world

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needs more women like you. I plan to pay it forward.
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To Aunt Mary, for the encouragement, talks, and support. You are one of one and

I adore you.
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To the ISACS Board of Trustees, thank you. Our discussions helped inspire this

dissertation.

To the Faculty of the Gardner Carney Leadership Institute for your exceptional
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example of leadership. I still pinch myself that I get to learn with you and from you.

To Naike, Kelli, Mikaela, Melissa: “There is one friend in the life of each of us

who seems not a separate person, however dear and beloved, but an expansion, an

interpretation, of one’s self, the very meaning of one’s soul.” ― Edith Wharton

And finally, to the lady bugs who showed up along the way, thanks, Grammie.
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Table of Contents

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Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iii

Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iv

Acknowledgments................................................................................................................v

Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... vi

List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... ix

List of Figures ......................................................................................................................x

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................1

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Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................................1
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Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................2

Research Question ...............................................................................................................3

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Aim of the Dissertation in Practice ......................................................................................3

Definition of Relevant Terms ..............................................................................................4

Methodology Overview .......................................................................................................5

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Delimitations, Limitations, and Personal Biases .....................................................6

Reflections of the Scholar-Practitioner ................................................................................7

Summary ..............................................................................................................................8

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................10

The Effects of a Teacher ....................................................................................................11

Paths to Becoming a Teacher .................................................................................12

Teacher Effectiveness ............................................................................................13

Student-Teacher Relationships ..............................................................................14

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Teacher-Administrator Relationships ................................................................................15

Seeking Teacher Input ...........................................................................................15

Transformational vs. Transactional Leadership .....................................................16

Pre-COVID Attrition .........................................................................................................18

Factors Threatening Teacher Retention .................................................................19

Teacher Salaries and Compensation ..........................................................20

Unsatisfactory Working Conditions ..........................................................21

Teacher Autonomy and Workload .............................................................22

Lack of Administrator Support ..................................................................25

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Factors Influencing Teachers to Stay .....................................................................26
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Compensation ............................................................................................26

Perceived Administrator Support ...............................................................27

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The Effect of COVID-19 on Education .............................................................................29

Teachers’ Technology Acumen .............................................................................29

Teachers’ Workload ...............................................................................................32

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Teacher Stress and Burnout ...................................................................................34

Effects of the Pandemic on Administrators .......................................................................36

Effects of the Pandemic on Teacher Retention ..................................................................38

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ..........................................................................40

Research Question .............................................................................................................40

Method ...............................................................................................................................40

Research Design Overview ....................................................................................40

Participants .............................................................................................................43
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Data Collection ......................................................................................................45

Data Collection Procedures........................................................................46

Data Collection Tools ................................................................................48

Data Analysis .........................................................................................................49

Methodological Integrity ...........................................................................50

Ethical Considerations ...........................................................................................50

Summary ............................................................................................................................52

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND FINDINGS .............................................................54

Results and Findings ..........................................................................................................54

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Organization of the Data ........................................................................................54
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Theme 1: Incorporate Teacher Voices ...................................................................60

Theme 2: Grant Freedom and Autonomy ..............................................................64

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Theme 3: Acknowledge Work and Provide Feedback ..........................................66

Theme 4: Encourage Healthy Professional Boundaries.........................................69

Discussion ..........................................................................................................................71
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Summary ............................................................................................................................73

CHAPTER FIVE: PROPOSED SOLUTION AND IMPLICATIONS .............................74

Aim Statement ...................................................................................................................76

Proposed Solution(s) ..........................................................................................................77

Evidence that Supports the Solution ......................................................................78

Evidence that Challenges the Solution ..................................................................82

Implementation of the Proposed Solution..........................................................................84

Factors and Stakeholders Related to the Implementation of the Solution .............86

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Timeline for Implementation of the Solution ............................................87

Evaluating the Outcome of Implementing the Solution ....................................................88

Implications........................................................................................................................88

Practical Implications.............................................................................................88

Implications for Future Research ...........................................................................89

Implications for Leadership Theory and Practice ..................................................90

Summary of the Dissertation in Practice ...........................................................................91

References ..........................................................................................................................93

Appendices .......................................................................................................................106

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List of Tables

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Table 1. Participant Demographic Data .............................................................................54

Table 2. List of Codes by Frequency .................................................................................59

Table 3. Themes and Descriptions .....................................................................................60

Table 4. Solutions, Timelines, and Evaluation Plans.........................................................77

Table 5. Quarterly Meetings between Administrators and Teachers .................................84

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List of Figures

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Figure 1. Research Design Summary.................................................................................52

Figure 2. Themes and Connections ....................................................................................61

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LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS AND TEACHER RETENTION 1

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Teachers matter. Results of years of research show the significant positive effects

teachers have on their students (Aaronson et al., 2007; Hattie, 2012; Lei et al., 2018;

Slater et al., 2009; Split et al., 2012). Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic presents

teachers with challenges impactful enough to drive many of them to leave the profession.

Sometimes, this choice is mitigated by educational leaders such as administrators, whose

behaviors or actions can influence a teacher to remain in their role. This chapter explains

the critical issue of teacher attrition in the United States and outlines a research study

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which will help leaders begin to solve this growing and prominent problem.

Statement of the Problem

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Teacher attrition has been a focus of research for decades. Even prior to the

COVID-19 pandemic, teaching was found to be one of the most high-stress jobs in the
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United States (Gallup, 2014). The stress of teaching is often too much for early-career

teachers. Between 40% and 50% of new teachers leave the profession within the first five
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years of teaching (Gallup, 2014). The stress is also a deterrent for potential teaching

candidates. Between 2009 and 2014, the enrollment for teacher preparation programs

decreased by 35% (Sutcher et al., 2016; Sutcher at al., 2019). In addition to stress,

teachers also leave the profession because of low salaries, unsatisfactory work conditions,

heavy workload, and lack of administrator support (Carver-Thomas & Darling-

Hammond, 2017; Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019; Steiner & Woo, 2021).

While teachers leave the profession often, there are factors which have been

researched to retain them: adequate compensation, increased autonomy, and perceived

administrator support. Supportive administration has been found to have the greatest
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impact on a teacher’s decision to remain in the profession (Boyd et al., 2011).

Additionally, supportive administration has been shown to be the most prevalent

contextual resource which helps teachers develop their resiliency and role retention

(Mullen et al., 2021).

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic presented a multitude of challenges for

both teachers and administrators. Namely, online instruction, health concerns, and stress

and burnout levels have driven teachers from the profession at exponential rates (Carver-

Thomas et al., 2021; Diliberti et al., 2021; Kotowski et al., 2022; Steiner & Woo, 2021).

However, administrators are not able to support their teachers in the same ways they did

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prior to the pandemic. Organizational changes, technology requirements, loss of face-to-
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face instructional time, and student social-emotional and behavioral issues have presented

teachers with new challenges and a profession that has morphed, almost, overnight
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(Carver-Thomas et al., 2021; Diliberti, et al., 2021; Duraku & Hoxha, 2020; Kraft et al.,

2021; Steiner & Woo, 2021). It is quite important to learn more about teacher attrition

and retention in these new circumstances to ensure students receive quality educational
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experiences for years to come.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological research study was to discover

leadership behaviors which positively influenced K-12 teachers to remain in their

teaching roles, despite the challenges of teaching during an ongoing, COVID-19

pandemic.
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Research Question

The research question guiding this study was: What leadership behaviors by

school administrators (division heads, heads of school) positively influenced K- 12

independent school teacher retention throughout an ongoing, COVID-19 pandemic?

Aim of the Study

Researching leadership behaviors which positively influenced teacher retention

during an ongoing pandemic is crucial. Currently, educational leaders are leading

teachers through a situation which has not been experienced in this lifetime: the

knowledge to guide and the skills to act on pandemic-related issues are arbitrary guesses

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which leaders are making daily. Research has shown educators have significant effects on
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their students. However, organizational changes, technology requirements, loss of face-

to-face instructional time, and student social-emotional and behavioral issues have
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presented teachers with new challenges and a profession that has been transformed.

Subsequently, the behaviors leaders can take which positively influence teachers’

decisions to remain in the profession have had to change.

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The aim of this study was two-fold. First, with the results of this study, I aimed to

create a list of identifiable leadership behaviors which positively influenced teacher

retention. While this list is specific to private, independent school teachers, I aimed for it

to be transferable to public schools as well. The second aim of this study was to use this

list of behaviors to educate teacher leaders and administrators in leadership conferences,

professional developments, and school meetings. The findings may also aid in higher

education, specifically in teacher training and administrator/ principalship programs.

Truly, the aim of this research study was to act as a voice for teachers so their leaders can
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become informed on exactly what teachers need to continue having significant, positive

effects on students.

Definition of Relevant Terms

The following terms were used operationally within this study:

Administrator: a Head of School (also considered superintendent) or Division

Head (such as Head of Lower, Middle, or Upper School, also considered principal)

Asynchronous learning: learning which does not occur in the same place or same

time for students and teachers

Burnout: multidimensional concept incorporating emotional exhaustion,

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depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment (Byrne, 1999).
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COVID-19 pandemic: a pandemic caused by the infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus (World

Health Organization, n.d.)

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Hybrid instruction: instruction which includes any combination of in-person or

face-to-face lessons with lessons delivered through online learning management systems

Independent school: “non-profit private schools that are independent in

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philosophy: each is driven by a unique mission. They are also independent in the way

they are managed and financed: each is governed by an independent board of trustees and

each is primarily supported through tuition payments and charitable contributions. They

are accountable to their communities and are accredited by state-approved accrediting

bodies” (National Association of Independent Schools, n.d.)

Synchronous learning: learning which does occur in the same place and same

time for students and teachers, such as on a Zoom call

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Teacher autonomy: control over textbook selections, teaching pedagogy,

techniques to measure student progress and document behavior, decisions about

scheduling and the creation of a classroom environment (Boyd et al., 2011; Sutcher et al.,

2019).

Teacher compensation: an increase in salary, forgiveness of student loans, or

merit pay for student performance on standardized testing (Elyashiv & Navon, 2021;

Nguyen et al., 2019; Podolsky et al., 2019).

Methodology Overview

Phenomenology is best utilized when the researcher describes the lived

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experiences of individuals about a phenomenon described by the participants (Creswell &
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Creswell, 2018). The focus of my research study was on the lived experiences of teachers

who chose to remain in their teaching roles throughout the pandemic. Further, I
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researched the leadership behaviors their administrators took to influence retention.

Teaching through the COVID-19 pandemic is a recent phenomenon. Therefore, using

inductive reasoning, a phenomenological study was conducted to solicit the feelings,

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perceptions, and thoughts of individual teachers who were positively influenced to

remain in their role due to leadership behaviors taken by their administrators (Martin,

2020).

I designed a qualitative, cross-sectional research study. Contrary to a longitudinal

study, a cross-sectional design provides the researcher with an opportunity to make

appropriate inferences about a recent phenomenon (Babbie, 2017). Foundational

elements of a phenomenological study were included: emphasis on a new phenomenon,

interviews with individuals who have lived experiences connected to the phenomenon,
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and systematic analysis of data which moved from narrow to broad concepts (Creswell &

Poth, 2018). The results of this methodological approach led to a conceptual

understanding of the essence of teachers’ lived experiences while making decisions

regarding their career.

Delimitations, Limitations, and Personal Biases

Delimitations

This study included only independent school teachers who teach grades

kindergarten through twelfth-grade. Further, the study was conducted in the Midwest

region of the United States. Experiences of teachers may vary state to state and the

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geographical location of the voluntary participants at the time of this study may have
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influenced the results. Further, the sample size was a small portion of a large population

of independent, co-ed day schools in the United States. Further, the research study was
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conducted during an ongoing pandemic which will restrict the research in several ways. I

conducted all interviews virtually rather than in person, preventing the reading of full

body language during interviews. Virtual research prevents the observation of

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participants in person, witnessing live interactions between administrators and teachers,

and limits the collection of print materials to those available online or sent through the

mail.

Limitations

Three notable limitations existed within this study. First, the research study was

limited to one type of school in the United States, limiting the generalization of the

results of this study to other educational organizations, such as public-school districts in

the United States or schools around the world. Secondly, this study was conducted during
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the COVID-19 pandemic. Next, the research explored relationships between two groups

of individuals, which may be unavoidably influenced by factors contributing to the

pandemic. Finally, this study focused on teachers who have chosen to remain in the

teaching profession during an ongoing pandemic. It did not research the reasons teachers

chose to leave the profession, or what leadership behaviors would have convinced them

to remain had those behaviors been experienced.

Numerous steps were taken to ensure the integrity of the methodological approach

and to mitigate bias. To control for potential researcher bias, I utilized member checking,

used rich and thick descriptions of findings and experiences, and triangulated the various

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sources of data collected (Creswell & Poth, 2018). In reporting the data, I bracketed my
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experience as an educator and how this experience shaped my interpretation of results

despite attempts to remain neutral and alleviate bias (Creswell & Poth, 2018). Further, I
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have included both positive and negative experiences in the Results section, adding to the

study's validity (American Psychological Association, 2020). These results have been

shared with the participants to check for accuracy and clarity.

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Reflections of the Scholar-Practitioner

In March 2020, I was forced to reimagine everything I knew about teaching

children. In one week, I stumbled through turning everything meant for an in-person

experience into virtual, online lessons. I created and distributed student username and

password cards and brought one read-aloud book home, fully expecting my students and I

would return to our classroom before year’s end to enjoy more books together in person.

I never could have imagined how my teaching career, and my students, would be

changed forever because of the COVID-19 pandemic. My third graders and I finished our
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year with socially-distanced visits to their houses, where I delivered their summer gift

and took a picture with them- all six feet apart. I never could have imagined that I would

teach both in-person and distant learners simultaneously, while masked and enforcing

enhanced cleaning procedures, for an entire school year following the original lockdown.

And I could have never imagined how much I would learn as I navigated teaching

through a pandemic.

On a random school day in 2021, I asked my students what they wish adults knew

about learning through a pandemic. One of my toughest students, who rarely connected

to class discussions and who rarely showed any emotion, raised their hand and said

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through tears, “I wish that adults knew how hard we’re working. I wish they knew how
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hard this was: being in a mask all day, trying not to be scared, and trying to learn at the

same time. I wish adults knew that us kids are just trying our best.” This student wasn’t
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alone. In the two years and two months of teaching through the COVID-19 pandemic, I

have had more teachers and students tell me how hard this is, how what they need is so

different from what they needed prior to the pandemic, than ever before. I decided that
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my research study should act as their voice, so that administrators and the general public

know just how hard those in education are working to ensure the strong foundation for

our country’s future. And, hopefully, I can help the teachers who so desperately want to

remain in the profession but lack the courage to use their voice.

Summary

Teachers can have a significant, positive, lasting effect on their students. Research

has shown these effects to last for years, propelling students to achieve academic and

personal success. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the landscape of the
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education profession in ways that neither teachers nor administrators could have

anticipated. Likewise, teachers and administrators continue to navigate a landscape which

remains new and unfamiliar. This research study aimed to discover ways in which

administrators can positively influence teacher decisions to remain in the teaching

profession.

The next chapter reviews past and present research on teacher attrition and

retention, the effect of teachers on their students, factors contributing to teachers’

retention decisions, and the effects of COVID-19 on the education industry.

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CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter begins with effects teachers have on their students: academically,

environmentally, and emotionally. Secondly, I provide leadership behaviors which

positively influenced relationships between administrators and teachers before the

COVID-19 pandemic. Then, I provide information regarding the retention and attrition of

teachers pre-pandemic, including leadership factors which attributed to teachers’

decisions to remain in the profession. Next, I explain the many ways the COVID-19

pandemic has altered the education profession and subsequently, teacher attrition. I also

address how the pandemic has affected the professional relationships between

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administrators and teachers. Finally, I outline how these shifts in the education profession
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have affected teacher retention and attrition both during and throughout an ongoing

pandemic.
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Teachers matter. For years, researchers have explored the effects teachers have on

student achievements and success. Often the results, whether quantitative or qualitative,

show teachers to be a significant predictor in the experiences of all students, regardless of

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age (Aaronson et al., 2007; Hattie, 2012; Lei et al., 2018; Slater et al., 2009; Split et al.,

2012). Teacher effects vary within-school as well as school to school and district to

district (Hattie, 2012). However, there are some teachers whose backgrounds, beliefs, and

practices lead some students to having an advantage over other students. Slater et al.

(2009) revealed the powerful role of teachers. Students in a highly effective teacher’s

classroom had nearly one academic year of advantage over students in a lesser-effective

teacher’s classroom. Therefore, principals and educational leaders have begun placing

emphasis on educating and retaining highly effective teachers (Darling-Hammond &

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Youngs, 2002). Yet, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented ample reasons for quality

teachers to choose to leave the education profession (Boyd et al., 2011; Carver-Thomas

& Darling-Hammond, 2019; Hanson, 2013; National Association of Independent

Schools, 2022; Perryman & Calvert, 2019; Sutcher et al., 2016).

The Effects of a Teacher

The effectiveness of teachers in the classroom setting has been widely researched

from various viewpoints. Researchers struggle to agree on one definition of teacher

effectiveness; some use the terms teacher effectiveness and teacher effect

interchangeably, which some authors would argue is wildly different (Ding & Sherman,

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2006). For other researchers, the term teacher effect refers to a tangible list of variables
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that can be analyzed to determine a teacher’s effectiveness (Ding & Sherman, 2006). For

example, teacher salary, education level, cognitive ability, age, and experience have been
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used as dependent variables to assess teacher effectiveness (Aaronson et al., 2007;

Bardach & Klassen, 2020; Boonen et al., 2013; Chingos & Peterson, 2010; Slater et al.,

2009). On the other hand, a teacher’s effectiveness is often discussed as an abstract

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variable, measurable only through the researcher’s operationalization of the term (Ding &

Sherman, 2006). Regardless of how teacher effectiveness is operationalized and studied,

a sizeable number of studies have shown teachers have a lasting, significant effect on

their students (Darling-Hammond, 2000; Lei et al., 2018). While there are just as many

teachers who have significantly low effects on student experiences as those who are

highly effective, for the purpose of this literature review and study I will focus on

research about highly effective teachers.

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