Perceptions of new and experienced teachers on teacher efficacy and burnout in special education

Many areas of education are having difficulty retaining teachers; this is especially true in the field of special education. The present study compared the perceptions of new and experienced teachers on teacher efficacy and burnout in special education. Both new and experienced teachers shared similar views on stress, supports and passion for teaching. While there was not one specific contributing factor leading to stress, there were many areas where teachers did not feel supported and this could potentially lead to special educators leaving special education or the profession of teaching all together. The implications of these fmdings are discussed and some recommendations that may improve teacher efficacy and reduce burnout in special education teachers are presented. Some of these recommendations include direct monitored support for all new special educators, workshops for stress management and team building exercises to build staff morale. Implementation of these recommendations can assist in reducing stress and increasing overall job satisfaction. Key Words: Special education, burnout, teacher efficacy, stress