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Journals / Anadolu Journal of Educational Sciences International / 2026 / Cilt: 16 Sayı: 2

Teacher Attrition: Insights from School Administrators

Öğretmenlerin Meslekten Ayrılması: Okul Yöneticilerinin Görüşleri

Özge Gökten Bayrak0000-0002-5229-8211
Ahmet Ok(ORTA DOĞU TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-5941-4158
Pages
740–756
Publication Date
2026-06-24
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Findings revealed two main themes: (1) work life experiences, including challenges related to classroom management, organizational climate, workload, and obligatory service requirements, and (2) career dissatisfaction, including the perceived status of the teaching profession, low salaries, and alternative job opportunities.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Teacher attrition has emerged as a critical issue globally, with numerous teachers leaving the profession voluntarily before retirement, negatively affecting educational quality and school climate.
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Key Findings & Data:Data were collected from 10 administrators through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using inductive content analysis.
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Conclusion & Impact:Findings revealed two main themes: (1) work life experiences, including challenges related to classroom management, organizational climate, workload, and obligatory service requirements, and (2) career dissatisfaction, including the perceived status of the teaching profession, low salaries, and alternative job opportunities.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:örgütsel iklim · okul yöneticileri · okul liderliği

Abstract

Teacher attrition has emerged as a critical issue globally, with numerous teachers leaving the profession voluntarily before retirement, negatively affecting educational quality and school climate. School administrators play a central role in shaping school environments that may influence teachers’ decision to stay or leave. This basic qualitative study investigates public school administrators’ perspectives on the influences contributing to teacher attrition in Türkiye. Data were collected from 10 administrators through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using inductive content analysis. Findings revealed two main themes: (1) work life experiences, including challenges related to classroom management, organizational climate, workload, and obligatory service requirements, and (2) career dissatisfaction, including the perceived status of the teaching profession, low salaries, and alternative job opportunities. The findings indicate that administrators’ interpretations of their roles shape how attrition is understood and addressed within schools. Based on the results strengthening mentoring programs particularly for early career teachers, enhancing leadership development for administrators, improving workload management practices, reconsidering sociocultural factors of obligatory service, and improving financial conditions of teachers are recommended.

Özet

Öğretmenlerin meslekten ayrılması, dünya genelinde önemli bir sorun haline gelmiş olup, birçok öğretmenin emeklilikten önce gönüllü olarak öğretmenliği bırakması, eğitim kalitesini ve okul iklimini olumsuz yönde etkilemektedir. Okul yöneticileri, öğretmenlerin kalma ya da ayrılma kararlarını etkileyebilecek okul ortamlarının şekillenmesinde merkezi bir rol oynamaktadır. Bu nitel araştırma, Türkiye'de devlet okulu yöneticilerinin, öğretmenlerin meslekten ayrılmasına neden olan faktörlere ilişkin bakış açılarını incelemektedir. Veriler, yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler aracılığıyla 10 devlet okulu yöneticisinden toplanmış ve içerik analizi yöntemiyle analiz edilmiştir. Veriler, 10 yönetici ile yapılan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler aracılığıyla toplanmış ve tümevarımsal içerik analizi kullanılarak çözümlenmiştir. Bulgular iki ana tema ortaya koymuştur: (1) sınıf yönetimi, örgütsel iklim, iş yükü ve zorunlu hizmet gerekliliklerine ilişkin zorlukları içeren iş yaşamı deneyimleri ve (2) öğretmenlik mesleğinin algılanan statüsü, düşük maaşlar ve alternatif iş olanaklarını içeren kariyer memnuniyetsizliği. Bulgular, yöneticilerin kendi rollerini yorumlama biçimlerinin, meslekten ayrılmaların okullarda nasıl anlaşıldığını ve ele alındığını şekillendirdiğini göstermektedir. Sonuçlara dayanarak, özellikle kariyerinin başındaki öğretmenlere yönelik mentorluk programlarının güçlendirilmesi, yöneticiler için liderlik gelişiminin artırılması, iş yükü yönetimi uygulamalarının iyileştirilmesi, zorunlu hizmetin sosyokültürel boyutlarının yeniden değerlendirilmesi ve öğretmenlerin maddi koşullarının iyileştirilmesi önerilmektedir.

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Cite This Article

Bayrak, Ö. G., Ok, A. (2026). Teacher Attrition: Insights from School Administrators. Anadolu Journal of Educational Sciences International, Cilt: 16 Sayı: 2, 740–756. https://doi.org/10.18039/ajesi.1642906

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