What are some typical challenges faced by new special education teachers?

In some fields—for example, medicine or law—new professionals are initially given fewer responsibilities, and they work for extended periods under the tutelage of experienced mentors. By contrast, new special educators are required to assume numerous responsibilities all at once. They need to learn the curricula, get to know their students, develop lesson plans, become familiar with a range of instructional resources and materials, assess student progress, and manage classroom behavior. They are also responsible for learning district and school policies and procedures; learning how to work effectively within the school community; and interacting in a positive and constructive manner with administrators, teachers, related services personnel, and parents. New teachers also struggle to put what they have learned in coursework and practicum into practice as independent educators.

New special education teachers are often idealistic, underestimate the time it takes to complete tasks, and overestimate their abilities. Their first teaching job might be quite different than the “ideal” version they were expecting. They might be unhappy that they have more students than they think they should, surprised at the lack of resources, or dismayed by inadequate support.

New special education teachers report a range of difficulties, including managing classroom behavior, motivating students, dealing with parents, organizing work, making do with limited teaching resources, and having little time to do their work. They also have to deal with large numbers of students and address the needs of students who come from backgrounds other than their own.

New special educators find that they need to collaborate with a range of individuals, including principals, general and special educators, related service providers, paraprofessionals, and parents. However, this is often difficult because of:

• Lack of time to collaborate
• Few opportunities for collaboration
• Other educators’ reluctance to collaborate
• Not having the skills for collaboration
• Questions about paraprofessionals’ roles
• Anxiety about interacting with parents

Accountability for new teachers has never been higher, nor have the pressures associated with that accountability. Students today are expected to master specific standards—ones usually measured through high-stakes tests—and their teachers are often evaluated on the extent to which those students make progress from one year to the next.

Even when new teachers face numerous challenges, they might be unwilling to seek help. They sometimes believe they should know what to do, or they might worry that others will see them as incompetent. They also might be unsure who to turn to for assistance.

Special education teachers might not always feel like they are a part of the school community. This can be due to any number of factors, such as the absence of a readily available support group (e.g., a grade-level team), work space that is physically distant from their colleagues, or lack of common planning times with general education teachers. In addition, special education teachers often feel as though they are not included equally in school decisions and activities. These experiences often create feelings of isolation, which in turn can lead to stress and burnout.