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Abstract
This qualitative interview study utilizing phenomenological methods investigates the experiences of three male teachers who exited Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS).
The goal was to identify their rationales for resigning from M-DCPS. Using phenomenological methods, this study reduces individual experiences with the phenomenon of being a male teacher to a description of the essence of the participants’ experiences. The participants were chosen from M-DCPS because it is the fourth largest school district in the country, and it is grappling with teacher attrition just as many other large, diverse, urban districts in the nation. Three participants who shared the characteristics of self-identifying as male and who had left M-DCPS were included in the study.
This study relied on the participants’ recollection of their experiences, taking into account their perceptions of particular experiences in their teaching careers and how they made sense of those experiences. This study examined two sources of data: (a) questionnaires which provided information on participant demographics, educational backgrounds, teaching certifications, years of teaching experience, and employment histories; and (b) two in-depth interviews per participant. The spacing of each interview, with each participant, was three to seven days a-part.
This study sought to address the call for more male teachers in school districts across the United States. Through rich storytelling, the findings provide insight into the essence of three male teachers’ experiences. While not generalizable, the findings from these participants, in this study, in a large diverse urban district, hold implications for other school districts’ policies and practices with regard to retaining male teachers.