Date of Award

8-2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Supervisor

Loretta Quigley, EdD

Second Supervisor

Bonnie Cazer, EdD

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to answer two research questions: “What are the perceptions of job satisfaction for elementary school special education teachers working with students with emotional disabilities in Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) centers in New York State?” and “How do elementary school special education teachers working with students with emotional disabilities in BOCES centers in New York State perceive their school principals impacting their job satisfaction?” The overall qualitative research design included semistructured interviews of eight elementary school special education teachers in BOCES centers in New York State who worked with students who had emotional disabilities. The study utilized the theoretical framework of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Fisher and Royster’s representation of teachers’ needs. Five categories emerged: subsistence, security, association, respect, and self-actualization. The themes that emerged were the influence of resources, planning time, professional development, physical safety, classroom community, principal support, appreciation, trust, and student growth regarding the participants’ job satisfaction. Specific recommendations for planning, grouping of students, access to curriculum, safety, teamwork, and administrative support for principals, school leadership, and policy development were brought to light based on the analysis of the data. Through reading this study, administrators can gain a greater understanding of the factors that influence their elementary school special education vi teachers’ job satisfaction and the ways to decrease burnout to better support their teachers and improve the quality of their special education teachers’ work experiences.

Included in

Education Commons

Share

COinS