Author: Caroline R. Gilbert

Publisher:

Published: 2023

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

This study explored the relationships between perceived administrative support, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment as experienced by elementary teachers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 elementary school teachers to gain insight through their perspectives of the lived experiences of administrator support and how it influences job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Social exchange theory was selected as the guiding theory for the study, which is best applied to understand the nature of the relationships between perceived administrative support and organizational commitment. The study's findings indicated that teachers' perceptions of support are directly affected by their relationship with their administrators. The themes from the research suggest administrators must establish relationships built on praise and trust to affect teachers' organizational commitment positively. Additional themes suggest that administrator trust is perceived as the level of autonomy afforded to teachers in the classroom along with the availability of leadership opportunities. Those who shared negative experiences with their administration, both past and present, including distrust and dissatisfaction, had little to no affective commitment, which resulted in either leaving the school or the profession. Those who shared positive experiences with their administrator that resulted in feeling valued, expressed various levels of positive affective commitment. Satisfaction may be defined differently depending on years of experience; however, the presence of administrative support and the perception thereof is an essential element in achieving job satisfaction. The teachers in this study expressed that a sense of job satisfaction comes from the opportunity to explore leadership within the school. The findings of this study converge with the notion that perceived administrative support significantly influences teachers' decisions to attrite. Recognizing the lack of leadership opportunities within the inherent teaching model, it is recommended that districts implement systems of leadership advancement opportunities for teachers. Further, recognizing the role that leadership plays in the retention of teachers, a shift must be made in not only how we choose leadership but how we support, train, and evaluate leadership in schools. A larger quantitative survey of teachers nationwide is recommended for future research to further understand the attitudes of teachers toward their perceptions of administrative support in terms of leadership opportunities and teacher autonomy.