The study explored factors related to life satisfaction for military members transitioning to teaching. Schlossberg's (1981) model of human adaptation to transition was used to articulate the career transition factors of readiness, confidence, control, perceived support, and decision independence. The Career Transitions Inventory (Heppner, 1992), Satisfaction with Life Scale (Deiner, 1985), demographic variables, and open-ended questions were used to examine relationships. The data were collected using a secure online survey with a total of 136 usable responses from the Troops to Teachers database. Participants were overwhelmingly male (86%), married (86%), white (79%), and not of Hispanic origin (87%), which were reflective of an earlier Troops to Teachers study (Feistrizer, 2005). A weak correlation was found with life satisfaction and the variables of confidence and control. Stepwise regression revealed that combined control and readiness accounted for approximately 16% of the variance in life satisfaction. Additional relationships were noted between time in transition and income, as well as time in transition and support. Generally, participants were satisfied with life, which may indicate successful adaptation post-military transition. Results supported earlier studies demonstrating that internal/psychological factors (i.e., confidence, readiness, control) are positively linked to successful career transition. However, results did not mirror research on external factors (i.e., support) being related to successful career transition. Participants' insights indicated that preparing for, investing in, and having a positive attitude might benefit others pursuing a mid-life career transition. Further, helping and serving others, recognizing their accomplishments, and finding work/life balance reflected satisfaction in both military and teaching careers. Limitations of the study included low response rates, lack of diversity among the respondents, and findings not generalizable to other populations. Implications for counseling individuals in mid-life military career transitions are to (a) incorporate confidence and control as counseling foci, (b) address social/family and financial supports during transitions, and (c) draw from previous meaningful experiences (i.e., military) to deal with transition. Future research with populations that fully encapsulate stages of transition and are representative of more diversity can further contribute to our understanding of mid-life career transition. / Ph. D.

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on Feb 25, 2010). The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Dissertation advisor: Dr. Jay Scribner. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The Troops to Teachers (TTT) program was created in 1994 to provide funds to recruit and support former members of the military as teachers in high-poverty schools. Most of the research on TTT participants has been positive, and leadership is often mentioned as an important factor in participants' successes. A number of these military veterans have moved from the classroom into school administrative positions. Initial research on these administrators based on the ISLLC standards has been positive. This multiple case study drew from interviews and surveys with 15 former military veterans currently administrating in K-12 schools to increase our understanding of the experiences and values that they bring to the classroom. It relied on Stake's (YEAR) case study methodology to surface findings. The five findings, presented in order of strength of evidence, include: 1) Participants' overarching leadership philosophy was taking care of the people. 2) The leadership that participants had witnessed in both the military and in education influenced their own leadership. 3) Not all of the participants utilized TTT. 4) Participants had classroom experiences that were consistent with previous research on new teachers. 5) The veterans' values as they relate to trust, delegating responsibility, accountability, and beliefs in service, merit future inquiry. These values, along with "taking care of their people", appear to be the commonality between the two seemingly incongruent cultures of the military and education. This study has implications for future research and educational leadership training both at the university and district levels. / Ed. D.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of West Florida, 2009. / Submitted to the Dept. of Professional and Community Leadership. Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 149 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

In 1995 Bedford County Public Schools in Bedford, Virginia, hired eight former military men to teach from a federally sponsored program known as Troops to Teachers. Only one of the men hired had completed a teacher licensure program; the other seven were utilizing the alternate route to licensure allowed by the Virginia Department of Education. These men were hired and placed in the classroom without any program especially designed for them by the division to assist in their transition from military life to the classroom. This study focuses on their first year as teachers. For this study, twenty-nine individuals were interviewed who were involved in the Troops to Teachers' first year experiences. Those interviewed were the eight Troops, seven Principals, eight Mentors, four Professors from the teacher licensure programs in which they were enrolled, the school division Superintendent and the Director of Instruction. Case studies were conducted using interviews to gather in-depth information using the key sources who worked with the Troop to Teachers participants. The interview protocols were developed to correlate with the research questions formulated for this study. Data obtained through interviews were analyzed. The findings indicated that the Troop to Teacher encountered some adjustment problems that are indicative of first year teachers. A number of problems encountered were unique to the individual Troop. The reliability and validity were solidified through triangulation of the interview data. At least two individuals were interviewed concerning each troop. Their experiences were categorized as follows: adjustments to education, adjustments to students, adjustments to instruction, support programs, barriers faced, job satisfaction, and suggestions for activities for future Troops to Teachers hired by Bedford County Public Schools. This study presents clear implications for practice. / Ed. D.