ERIC Number: ED655164
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 136
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-5825-5398-4
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
An Examination of Practices in an Approved Private Special Education School: A Focus on Induction Programming
Shawn Addison Miller
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh
Increases in identification of students with special needs have brought increases in the number of new special education teachers nationwide (Billingsley, 1993). The retention of these teachers is a challenge for administrators (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2000). Research reveals that 14% of new career teachers will leave the field of education within five years (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). Teacher induction programs are one system addressing the crisis of retention. The purpose of this case study was to investigate participants' perceptions of effective practices and challenges encountered as part of induction program implementation at a specific approved private school. This case study also asked what recommendations the participants would make to improve the current program. Participants were five new and six mentor special education teachers, as well as the Induction Coordinator. They each participated in a survey and an interview. In this qualitative study, the researcher analyzed and coded the data as themes and patterns that were revealed from the participants' responses. Major themes that emerged included: mentor-mentee pairing, collaboration, access to information, communication from administration, the resource of time and acknowledgement of mentors. Participants provided both examples of effective practices, as well as challenges that existed within these themes. Participants further engaged in creating suggestions to improve elements of the program that they felt posed challenges for the new teachers and their mentors. The study concludes with recommendations to the induction committee for improvements to its current induction program. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Students with Disabilities, Special Education Teachers, Beginning Teachers, Beginning Teacher Induction, Labor Turnover, Teacher Attitudes, Affordances, Barriers, Private Schools, Mentors, Teacher Collaboration, Access to Information, Administrator Role, Time
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
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