Date of Award
Spring 3-12-2025
Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Degree Name
Ed.D in Secondary and Middle Grades Education (English language arts)
Department
Bagwell College of Education - Secondary and Middle Grades Education
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Dr. Rachel Gaines
Second Advisor
Dr. Mei-Lin Chang
Third Advisor
Dr. Jennifer Dail
Abstract
This multiple case study uses the appraisal theory of emotions to examine how Georgia education legislation, the Georgia Parents’ Bill of Rights and Senate Bill 226, impacted the emotional experiences, self-efficacy, and job satisfaction of ELA teachers in a rural middle school. This study also examines how this legislation impacted the retention of ELA teachers at the site school. The study highlights the experiences of 3 veteran teachers who were teaching ELA during the year immediately following the passage of the legislation. The findings indicate that the subsequent procedural changes initiated unpleasant emotional experiences: anger associated with the loss of autonomy and fear/anxiety associated with a perceived lack of support from administration should a parent challenge their classroom decision-making. The fear/anxiety caused the teachers to self-censor the materials and strategies they used in their classrooms. This self-censorship caused them to feel less efficacious in their classroom practices and less satisfied with their jobs as ELA teachers. In the year following the legislation, all the participants contemplated leaving the ELA classroom; however, only one participant chose to leave education, and one chose to transfer to a different content area. This research suggests the implementation of the legislation had an indelible impact on the emotional experiences, self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and retention of ELA teachers.
