Power in Relationships: Supporting Future Special Educators to “Fight the Fight That Needs Fighting”

Teacher preparation programs are key stakeholders in supporting pre-service special education teachers’ (SETs) well-being and commitment to the field. With the shift toward online teacher preparation programs, the relationships that are foundational in supporting SET well-being, commitment to the field, and resilience are more difficult to develop. This study explores a strategy for supporting relationship development among pre-service SETs in a virtual setting. Through this qualitative case study, we sought to understand how the experiences of a cohort of pre-service SETs in a virtual seminar contributed to their well-being and commitment to the field. We found that the seminars helped foster deep connections that enabled participants to develop a sense of mutual care and courage which supported their sense of empowerment, suggesting that the relationships formed through participation in the seminars supported both the participants well-being and their commitment to the profession. Implications for practice and research are discussed.