The teaching profession faces a significant challenge with increasing rates of burnout and attrition, particularly among early career teachers (ECTs), those in their first five years of teaching. A recent scoping review by Melzak et al. (2024), titled “Factors Contributing to Early Career Teachers’ Sense of Belonging to the Workplace: A Scoping Review”, sheds light on the factors that positively influence ECTs’ sense of belonging in schools. Understanding these factors is crucial as belonging influences teacher well-being, retention, and ultimately, classroom outcomes such as behaviour, student engagement, and positive recognition.

This article summarises the core arguments and findings of Melzak et al.’s review, explores tradeoffs and challenges in fostering teacher belonging, and highlights why schools should prioritise belonging when making decisions about classroom education.

The Challenge: Why Early Career Teacher Belonging Matters

Research indicates that up to 50% of teachers leave the profession within their first five years (Arnup & Bowles, 2016; Ingersoll, 2003). Burnout and stress stemming from workplace demands, classroom behaviour management challenges, and a lack of collegial support contribute to this attrition. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD, 2018) has even forecasted a global teacher shortage.

Melzak et al. emphasise that a teacher’s sense of belonging — feeling accepted and involved in their school community — is a key factor in reducing burnout and improving commitment. Belonging fosters positive relationships and emotional support among teachers, which can buffer against stress and improve teacher and student well-being.

Key Findings: Four Themes That Foster Early Career Teacher Belonging

Melzak et al.’s review synthesised 31 studies covering 41 factors influencing ECT belonging. These factors clustered into four major themes:

1. Teacher Collaboration

Collaboration provides structured opportunities for ECTs to engage with colleagues through professional development, curriculum planning, and peer observation. These collaborative spaces allow teachers to build meaningful connections beyond isolated classroom work.

Tradeoff and challenge: While collaboration supports teacher integration and professional growth, schools with traditional cultures valuing teacher autonomy may find it challenging to shift towards more collaborative models. Balancing autonomy with collaboration requires careful cultural change management.

2. Relationships with Other Teachers

Quality collegial relationships, including mentorship, supportive leadership, trust, and informal social interactions, are vital. ECTs benefit from mentors who provide emotional support, practical advice, and help navigate school culture. Feeling valued and trusted by peers contributes strongly to belonging.

Tradeoff and challenge: Simply assigning mentors is insufficient; effective mentorship requires training, time allocation, and genuine relationship building. Schools must invest resources wisely while ensuring mentorship does not become a tokenistic checkbox.

3. The Early Career Teacher Journey and Shared Experiences of Doubt

The transition into teaching often involves imposter syndrome and self-doubt. When ECTs feel their doubts are validated by peers or mentors, they experience greater belonging. However, some first-year teachers believe belonging takes time to develop, which may delay seeking support.

Tradeoff and challenge: Providing timely validation requires proactive school cultures that recognise ECT vulnerabilities without overwhelming them. Schools must balance offering support with encouraging professional independence.

4. Involvement in Decision Making

Including ECTs in instructional decisions and extracurricular activities helps them feel their contributions are valued and fosters ownership over their work. This involvement builds both autonomy and connection.

Tradeoff and challenge: While involvement promotes belonging, not all ECTs may feel ready or confident to participate fully in decision making early on. Schools should scaffold involvement according to individual readiness to avoid undue pressure or disengagement.

Practical Implications for Schools: Balancing Factors to Enhance Classroom Outcomes

Melzak et al.’s findings highlight how fostering ECT belonging impacts broader school goals:

• Classroom Behaviour: Teachers who feel supported and connected are better equipped emotionally to manage challenging classroom behaviour positively.
• Positive Recognition in Schools: Feeling valued by colleagues and leaders enhances teacher motivation and reinforces positive recognition practices.
• Teacher and Student Well-being: A strong sense of belonging reduces teacher burnout risk and creates a more supportive environment conducive to student well-being.
• Student Engagement: Confident, supported teachers foster more engaging classrooms where students feel connected to learning.

Schools face the challenge of balancing systemic demands, such as curriculum targets and workload pressures, with creating relational environments where ECTs thrive. For example:

• Increasing collaborative time may reduce individual planning time but enhances shared expertise.
• Providing mentorship requires resources but can decrease turnover costs.
• Involving ECTs in decisions promotes ownership but needs careful scaffolding.

Thus, school leadership must weigh these tradeoffs carefully, recognising that investing in teacher belonging is an investment in long-term school stability and student success.

The Importance of School-wide Responsibility

Importantly, Melzak et al. emphasise that fostering ECT belonging is not solely an individual teacher’s responsibility but a school-wide commitment. Leadership plays a pivotal role in modelling supportive cultures, setting expectations for collaboration, mentoring, and inclusion.

Practical strategies include:

• Structured mentoring programs with clear goals.
• Scheduled collaborative meetings focused on shared curriculum planning.
• Social opportunities outside formal duties to build informal relationships.
• Inclusion of ECT voices in staff meetings and school events.

Such comprehensive approaches have been linked with improved teacher retention and job satisfaction.

Challenges in Research and Practice

Melzak et al. note several challenges:

• Inconsistent terminology: “Belonging” overlaps with related terms like connectedness or engagement, complicating research comparisons.
• Measurement difficulties: Few validated tools exist to assess teacher belonging directly.
• Context specificity: Belonging depends heavily on individual personalities, school culture, and geography — one-size-fits-all solutions are ineffective.
• Limited quantitative data: Most evidence comes from qualitative studies; stronger causal links require future research.

Despite these challenges, the review provides a valuable roadmap for schools aiming to support their newest teachers.

Why This Matters for Classroom Education

Decisions about classroom education are often driven by curriculum standards or student outcomes alone. However, as Melzak et al.’s review shows, teacher belonging is a foundational element that shapes how well teachers perform their role in managing classrooms, recognising student achievements positively, maintaining well-being, and engaging learners effectively.

Ignoring the social-emotional needs of ECTs risks perpetuating the cycle of burnout and attrition that undermines educational quality across classrooms. Conversely, embracing strategies that promote belonging can create healthier workplaces where teachers feel empowered to foster positive classroom behaviours and student success.

Conclusion

Melzak et al.’s scoping review offers compelling evidence that fostering early career teachers’ sense of belonging is essential for addressing teacher burnout and attrition globally. By prioritising collaboration, meaningful relationships, validation during the challenging early career phase, and involving teachers in decision making, schools can build supportive environments that benefit both educators and students alike.

For school leaders, policymakers, and educators committed to enhancing classroom behaviour, positive recognition, teacher well-being, and student engagement, integrating these findings into practice offers a promising path forward.

Reference

Melzak, E., Allen, K.-A., Jain, R., & Pruyn, M. (2024). Factors Contributing to Early Career Teachers’ Sense of Belonging to the Workplace: A Scoping Review. [Full article details].