The Relationship between Teachers and School Professional Staff’s Retention and Managerial Styles

The retention of teachers and school professional staff is a challenge for the development and management of schools, particularly for international schools with difficulties in recruiting qualified teachers and school professional staff from overseas. However, only a few research projects have focused on how administrative styles influence the turnover of international school teachers and school professional staff. The researcher collected data from two semi-structured interview sessions with 51 international school teachers who have taught at an international school for more than a decade in one of two metropolitan districts in mainland China. This project aims, through the lens of Social Cognitive Career Theory, to understand why international school teachers and school professional staff decide to stay in a particular international school for their teaching career development. The participants indicated “acknowledgement from upper leadership”, “classroom/workplace authorities”, and “well-established facilities” to explain their current occupation as experienced international school teachers. The findings also outline potential solutions which could control the high turnover rate in international schools and local schools in the East Asian regions.