Why Do Effective Science Teachers Persist?: Exploring Post-induction Effective Science Teachers’ Experiences through a Collective Case Study

This collective case study aimed to identify post-induction effective science teachers in the United States and explore why they persist. We used the Local Systemic Change Classroom Observation Protocol (LSC-COP) to determine science teaching effectiveness and identify appropriate participants. The median and mode of the LSC-COP capsule score were 4.5 and 5, respectively, on a five-point scale, indicating that participants’ instruction was likely to enhance students’ understanding of science and their capacity to do science. Interviews with participants about their experiences yielded seven themes that pertain to effective science teachers’ persistence: exemplary preservice programs, meaningful support, autonomy, student goals, engaging in deliberate practice, building relationships with students, and viewing teaching as a moral act. Our study found that for teachers to persist, they have to view teaching as more than a job and have the support and the freedom to engage in deliberate practice in order to continually improve their teaching for their students.