Supporting New Special Education Teachers in Virtual Settings: Links to Stress, Burnout, Satisfaction, and Efficacy

• In Event: Using a Quantitative Lens to Examine Teaching in Diverse Communities and Contexts

Abstract

Special education teacher attrition is a critical problem for the field. The present study sampled 54 new special education teachers with an average of 1.54 years experience who were teaching virtually. They were surveyed on their perceived support from colleagues and administrators, their feelings regarding burnout, stress, and overall job satisfaction, and how efficaciously they viewed their teaching, behavior management and student engagement. This study investigated relations between these variables using Pearson correlations. Results from the study indicated that perceived support from school administrators was more consistently and more strongly related to teacher efficacy, stress, burnout, and job satisfaction than perceived support from colleagues. Support from administrators may be a protective factor for new special education teachers during remote learning.

Authors

• Morgan Friedman, Loyola Marymount University

• Andrew Dakopolos, University of California - Davis