Presentation Session II

This project examines the experiences of early-career, on-the-job (OJT) teachers enrolled in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s MEdT program. While balancing full-time teaching with graduate coursework, these educators face unique pressures within Hawaiʻi’s educational landscape. Using a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews, this study investigates the central research question: “What challenges do early-career OJT teachers face, and how can the program be improved to better support teacher well-being in a sustainable way?”

Moving beyond surface-level self-care advice, the findings advocate for systemic change within teacher preparation. The goal is to provide actionable insights for MEdT faculty and school administrators to design more equitable, responsive models. As both a classroom teacher and researcher, I aim to honor the labor and realities of local educators, contributing to a more sustainable future for teacher recruitment and retention in Hawaiʻi.