Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Dennis Triplett
Committee Member
Harvey Sadoff
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
absenteeism, applied dissertation, attendance, attrition, beginning teacher program, burnout, Carver Elementary School, elementary school, incentive and rewards program, kindergarten, leadership training, professional development plan, public school, resource plan, sick leave, stress, teacher, teacher absenteeism, teacher burnout, teacher incentives, teacher resource plan, time management course, training, workforce retention
Abstract
This applied dissertation describes a program that targeted the teachers at Carver Elementary School. Teachers have indicated through informal interviews and a formal survey that they are burned out. Attendance and sick leave records show that teacher absenteeism reached 319 days in 2002.
The school is a public school with a population of 680 students in Grades Kindergarten through 6. Implemented solution strategies included (a) a beginning teacher program, (b) a teacher incentive and rewards program, (c) a teacher resource plan, (d) a professional development plan, (e) a time management course, and (f) a leadership training for the researcher.
The outcome of this applied dissertation was that the 58% of teachers who reported that they were experiencing burnout would be reduced by 50%. This was achieved and 35% of the 58% of teachers no longer feel burned out. Also, the number of days missed from work by teachers was reduced by more than 50% from 319 to 160. This solved the problem of teacher burnout at Carver Elementary School.