Supporting Beginning Special Education Teachers

The first few years of teaching are indeed vital ones.During these years the novice emerges from the status of a student responsible for his or her own learning to that of a teacher responsible for promoting learning in others (Cooke & Pang, 1991).Tonnsen and Patterson (1992) described the first year this way:New teachers aren ' t always prepared for the challenges they ' ll find in the profession.They enter the field expecting-and often being expected-to do what the veteran teacher has been doing for years, with equal success.They face long days, filled with little time for reflection and planning.They face children with problems they can' t understand.They face a bureaucracy that forces them to teach a prescribed curriculum in a prescribed manner ... Just months earlier, most of these new teachers were carefree college students, idealistic to a fault.If they're thrown into a classroom and expected to succeed with little or no support, it's no wonder many of them quickly become disillusioned.(p.29) And it is no wonder that so many teachers leave the field early in their careers.Add to this description an ill-equipped classroom, limited materials and supplies, overwhelming amounts of paperwork, a myriad of legal and accountability issues, students of widely differing abilities, and students with serious emotional and behavioral problems, and you have the situation facing many beginning special education teachers.Thus the stage is set for a beginning year that will severely test the morale and dedication of even the most well prepared and enthusiastic new teacher.An estimated 25% of beginning teachers do not teach more than 2 years and 40-50% leave the teaching profession within the first 5 years of teaching (Harris & Associates, 1992;Huling-Austin, 1986;Kirby & Grissmer, 1993;Schlechty & Vance, 1983).By the end of 5 years, 43% of the special educators newly hired in Michigan and North Carolina were no longer teaching in those states (Singer, 1992).Although some of these teachers may have been teaching in other states and others may ultimately have returned to the profession, even the temporary loss of these teachers is significant.And far too many leave permanently.The Council for Exceptional Children's (2000) report "Bright Futures for Exceptional Learners" states that "four out of every ten special educators entering the field leave special education before their fifth year of teaching" (pg.1).Why does this happen to teachers who begin with such enthusiasm and so many high hopes?What are the needs and concerns of beginning special education teachers?What kinds of supports can we provide to these beginning teachers that will ease their transition