| The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to identify potential approaches to enhancing first-year teacher job satisfaction and retention through participation in a Florida Educator Preparation Institute. The study applied a narrative inquiry design to a sequence of interviews with seven K-12 Florida Educator Preparation Institute program completers. Addressing the problem of teacher retention in a time of critical shortage, Florida community colleges have established Educator Preparation Institutes as an alternative pathway to teacher certification. Connecting the study's themes with foundational and current literature in the field of alternative teacher preparation resulted in the development of a model that illustrates the enhancement of the first-year teacher experience through an Educator Preparation Institute. The study explored five areas connected to first-year teacher job satisfaction and retention. The areas were alternative teacher preparation, prior knowledge, motivation, field experience, and pedagogy. Recommendations included placing a greater emphasis on classroom management strategies, empowering participants to make connections between prior knowledge and classroom teaching, and increasing field experiences. Participants in the study expressed feeling adequately prepared to enter the classroom with a high degree of motivation, job satisfaction, and willingness to persist in education. |
