One hundred and twenty-two students at Virginia Tech who had completed teacher certification requirements in science and/or mathematics from 1980 to 1986 were surveyed to determine their current employment status, and if not currently teaching, then what reforms in the conditions of teaching might encourage them to return to or enter teaching. Opinions were solicited from three groups: current teachers, those who had left teaching, and those who had never taught. Data were reported in four categories: general demographics of all groups, importance of work satisfaction for all groups, modifications in the conditions of teaching necessary to entice those not currently teaching to return to or enter teaching, and opinions of current teachers on how to improve recruitment and retention of qualified science and mathematics teachers. It was determined that the general demographics of the individuals surveyed conformed to general descriptions of teachers in current literature with the exception that the parents of Virginia Tech graduates were more highly educated and tended to hold professional and semiprofessional positions in higher percentages. No significant differences were determined among current teachers, those who left teaching, and those who had never taught in regard to opinions of work satisfaction in teaching. Lack of administrative support, poor student discipline, and low salaries were factors involved with decisions not to teach. Others left teaching to raise a family. Improvements in working conditions that would encourage non-teachers to teach include improvement of student discipline, reduction of class size, removal of incompetent teachers, reduction of teacher isolation, reduction of stress, and the improvement of the physical environment. Almost 60% of individuals not currently teaching would teach if offered a suitable position. The majority of current teachers believe that raising teachers' salaries would be the most important improvement to increase recruitment and retention of teachers, however, beginning teachers' salaries compared favorably with those of individuals employed outside of education. Almost two out of three current teachers indicated they planned to leave teaching within five or more years. / Ed. D.

The study analysed the management constraints in the distribution of qualified mathematics and science teachers in a post-1994 education system of South Africa. The study was qualitative and 14 participants were purposively sampled and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the identified participants. The interview transcripts were constantly compared and analysed and the data was classified into three main categories of management constraints and patterns: beliefs, experiences on management constraints and strategies for the elimination of management constraints. Turning vision into practice (TVP) framework was used to explain the relationship between its seven pillars of managing teacher recruitment and the links in the development, adoption, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of a teacher deployment system, focusing on mathematics and science. Findings of this study suggest that the current hybrid post establishment model is generic and focuses more on cost curtailment than on the supply of qualified mathematics and science teachers. The shortcomings of the model are exacerbated by the transgressions of the Employment of Educators Act. Contrary to the Employment of Educators Act, entry-level vacancies are not advertised in the province. In addition, the appointment and service conditions of qualified teachers are differential. While teachers from government bursary schemes are appointed immediately on permanent status and without probation, other qualified and long-serving mathematics and science teachers remain on temporary status for almost two years and without fringe benefits. The differential treatment leads to job insecurity and facilitates the exit of these qualified mathematics and science teachers from the profession. Moreover, schools horde and use qualified mathematics and science teachers in subjects they are not qualified to teach. It is recommended that through the suggested TVP framework, the current teacher recruitment and deployment strategies be revisited regularly to ensure effectiveness of teacher usage in mathematics and science. It is further recommended that school principals and other educational leaders should be provided with personnel management skills to ensure maximum effective recruitment and deployment of qualified mathematics and science teachers, particularly to the impoverished schools. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The study analysed the management constraints in the distribution of qualified mathematics and science teachers in a post-1994 education system of South Africa. The study was qualitative and 14 participants were purposively sampled and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the identified participants. The interview transcripts were constantly compared and analysed and the data was classified into three main categories of management constraints and patterns: beliefs, experiences on management constraints and strategies for the elimination of management constraints. Turning vision into practice (TVP) framework was used to explain the relationship between its seven pillars of managing teacher recruitment and the links in the development, adoption, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of a teacher deployment system, focusing on mathematics and science. Findings of this study suggest that the current hybrid post establishment model is generic and focuses more on cost curtailment than on the supply of qualified mathematics and science teachers. The shortcomings of the model are exacerbated by the transgressions of the Employment of Educators Act. Contrary to the Employment of Educators Act, entry-level vacancies are not advertised in the province. In addition, the appointment and service conditions of qualified teachers are differential. While teachers from government bursary schemes are appointed immediately on permanent status and without probation, other qualified and long-serving mathematics and science teachers remain on temporary status for almost two years and without fringe benefits. The differential treatment leads to job insecurity and facilitates the exit of these qualified mathematics and science teachers from the profession. Moreover, schools horde and use qualified mathematics and science teachers in subjects they are not qualified to teach. It is recommended that through the suggested TVP framework, the current teacher recruitment and deployment strategies be revisited regularly to ensure effectiveness of teacher usage in mathematics and science. It is further recommended that school principals and other educational leaders should be provided with personnel management skills to ensure maximum effective recruitment and deployment of qualified mathematics and science teachers, particularly to the impoverished schools. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)