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Cultivating and Keeping Committed Special Education Teachers

What Principals and District Leaders Can Do

By: Bonnie S. Billingsley

Foreword by James McLeskey

Improve teacher retention by understanding and supporting the work of special education teachers!

Are you concerned about meeting the demand for highly qualified special educators? This book highlights the problems that drive many special educators out of teaching and outlines practical recommendations that leaders can use to increase retention. Drawing on field experience as well as research findings, Billingsley provides a comprehensive framework for supporting special educators, and provides effective ways to:

Recruit and hire qualified special educators
Provide responsive induction programs for new teachers
Design effective professional development opportunities
Create inclusive and collaborative schools
Provide reasonable work assignments and reduce paperwork

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Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9781412908887
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2005
Page Count: 264
Publication date: March 10, 2005

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Author(s) Table of Contents

Description

Improve teacher retention by understanding and supporting the work of special education teachers!

Are you concerned about special education teacher attrition? Do you wonder about how to meet the demand for highly qualified special educators? This book highlights the problems that drive many special educators out of teaching and outlines practical recommendations that leaders can use to increase retention. Drawing on field experience as well as research findings, Billingsley provides a comprehensive framework for supporting special educators.

Cultivating and Keeping Committed Special Education Teachers provides effective ways to:

Recruit and hire qualified special educators
Provide responsive induction programs for new teachers
Design effective professional development opportunities
Create inclusive and collaborative schools
Provide reasonable work assignments and reduce paperwork
Promote wellness by reducing stress

This book emphasizes the important role that principals play in supporting special educators and how they can make a difference in what special educators accomplish in their schools. Numerous assessments, tools, and resources are included to help leaders, mentors, and teachers improve the conditions of special education teaching.

Key features

Features vignettes from practice and interviews with teachers
Provides research-based strategies for principals
Includes coverage of NCLB, and key topics such as 504 plans and IEPs
Market to principals; market to special education list – it is critical to include the book in both areas
Good candidate for ads in EAQ, EAA, EUS, and UEQ

Author(s)

Bonnie S. Billingsley

Dr. Bonnie S. Billingsley is faculty member in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Virginia Tech. She has taught a range of courses over the last fifteen years in the areas of learning disabilities, emotional disorders, and the administration and supervision of special education. Dr. Billingsley began her career in special education teaching students with disabilities in both Tallahassee and St. Augustine, Florida. She also served as district supervisor of special education in both St. Augustine, Florida and in Roanoke City, Virginia.

Dr. Billingsley’s research interests are in the preparation, support, and retention of special education teachers. Her interests in retention are focused on workplace conditions and the induction of new teachers. Dr. Billingsley has published numerous articles in leading journals on special education teacher retention, teacher support, and the needs of beginning special education teachers. She has served as a consultant in the area of special education teacher retention to various professional organizations, school systems, state departments of education, research groups, and universities and has been an invited speaker as various conferences.

List of Figures

List of Contributors

Dedication

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Part I: Understanding Teacher Attrition and Retention

1. Introduction: A Leader's Framework for Teacher Retention

Chapter Overview

The Leadership Framework

Types of Attrition: A District and School Perspective

Chapter Summary

2. Why Special Educators Leave and Why It Matters

Scenario: Two Perspectives on Attrition

Chapter Overview

Why Special Educators Leave

Special Educators' Plans to Leave

Why Attrition Matters

Chapter Summary

Selected Readings

Websites

Part II. Finding and Cultivating High Quality Special Educators

3. Recruiting and Hiring Highly Qualified Special Educators

Scenario: "Where are the Qualified Applicants?"

Chapter Overview

Recruiting Special Education Teachers

Effective Hiring and Assignment Practices

Tips for Leaders

Chapter Summary

Selected Readings

Websites

4. Supporting New Teachers Through Responsive Induction

Scenario: How We Eat Our Young

Chapter Overview

Reasons New Teachers Struggle

Induction Goals and Planning

Key Components of Induction Programs

Summary

Selected Readings

Websites

5. Designing Effective Professional Development

Scenario: Unclear Boundaries

Chapter Overview

Involve Teachers in Assessing Needs and Planning Goals

Use Effective Professional Development Practices

Clarify Leader Roles in Professional Development

Developing University-School Partnerships for Professional Development

Enhancing Experienced Teachers' Professional Growth

Tips for Leaders

Summary

Selected Readings

Websites

Part III. Creating Positive Work Environments

6. Creating Inclusive and Collaborative Schools

Scenario: What a Difference a Principal Can Make

Chapter Overview

Eight Leadership Tasks for Inclusive and Collaborative Schools

Tips for Leaders

Summary

Selected Readings

Websites

7. Designing Reasonable Work Assignments

Scenario: "I Wanted to Teach Kids"

Chapter Overview

Four Types of Role Problems

Designing Reasonable Assignments for Special Education Teachers

Tips for Leaders

Summary

Selected Readings

Websites

8. Promoting Wellness by Reducing Stress

Scenario: "Where's the Joy?"

Chapter Overview

Symptoms of Teacher Stress and Burnout

Contributors to Stress and Burnout

Assessing Stress and Burnout

Strategies to Reduce Stress

Tips for Leaders

Understand Local Stressors Affecting Special Educators

Summary

Selected Readings

Websites

9. Strategic Planning for Teacher Quality and Retention

Scenario: Learning From Teachers

Chapter Overview

Key Questions for Understanding and Improving Retention

Strategic Planning for Retention

Summary

Selected Readings

Websites

Part IV. Resources

A. Principal Support Questionnaire

B. Teacher Stress Inventory

C.Teacher Exit Interview

D. Teacher Follow-up Exit Questionnaire

E. Teacher Workforce Survey

F. Focus Group Interviews

References

Feedback Form

Index

Other Titles in: Principalship | Superintendents & District Administration | Special Education Administration

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