UAB Pilot Program Aims to Curb Teacher Burnout

During the 1999-2000 school year there were more than 1,900 first-time teachers in Alabama. In one year, 330, nearly 17 percent, had quit. To improve retention, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Education has launched a pilot program to assist and support its graduates during their first five years on the job.

October 30, 2003

During the 1999-2000 school year there were more than 1,900 first-time teachers in Alabama. In one year, 330, nearly 17 percent, had quit. To improve retention, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Education has launched a pilot program to assist and support its graduates during their first five years on the job.

The program is called Project Alabama Teacher Training and Induction Network (ATTAIN). Local education associations run most induction programs. ATTAIN is one of the few programs nationwide directed by a university.

High teacher turnover robs youngsters of the chance to learn from more skilled, veteran teachers, say experts. Moreover, the constant recruitment of new hires is costly for school districts – and ultimately the taxpayers.

“It’s not until you are in the classroom by yourself that you actually learn to teach,” said Cecilia Pierce, Ed.D., a co-principal investigator on the project. “All of the unforeseen things hit first-year teachers at once. They’re learning how to deal with parents and colleagues and how to discipline. Often they don’t even have a classroom of their own. Because they’re beginning teachers, they’re the ones put in charge of extracurricular activities like school clubs. They’re overloaded, and yet, they’re still learning how to teach students.”

  • Two retired, veteran teachers and two School of Education faculty members mentor 14 first-year teachers in Jefferson, Shelby and Talladega counties and in Atlanta. The mentors observe the teachers on the job each week and offer advice on teaching strategies, lesson plans and classroom management. The two Atlanta teachers communicate with mentors through e-mails and the ATTAIN Web site.

  • The 14 teachers meet together each month to discuss their experiences and frustrations and to seek advice from the mentors.

  • Through the establishment of a Teacher Leadership Program, the mentors teach the novices the skills they’ve developed from years on the job.

  • At the end of five years, the 14 participating teachers will become mentors for their schools. They will also have the option of becoming candidates for National Board Certification, a credential awarded to accomplished teachers.