Sink or Swim
Feeling Unsupported
Sink or Swim
New and inexperienced special educators often struggle because they lack a robust support system. This problem is intensified by factors such as inadequate induction and mentoring, gaps in understanding IDEA, and the need for more targeted and sustained coaching. Without proper early career support, new teachers are often unprepared for the complexities of the classroom and lack the guidance needed to navigate challenges and improve their practice.
A principal’s role in supporting new and inexperienced special educators involves creating a structured and supportive environment. This role includes providing access to mentorship, ongoing job-embedded professional learning, and regular feedback. By being visible, conducting classroom visits and pulse checks, and offering consistent support, principals can help build the confidence and capacity of special educators.
“New [special education teachers] often struggle with the challenge of learning to provide effective instruction while making sense of roles that are often defined in ambiguous and contradictory.”
- Billingsley et al., 2019 Source
Principal Johnson: Novice and Unsupported
Learn from Principal Johnson as she works to ensure that new special education teachers receive the support and resources they need to succeed in their roles.
Toolkit 6: Supporting and Empowering Novice Teachers
Explore strategies that research and best practices highlight, along with short, medium, and long-term solutions, as crucial for supporting and boosting the confidence and skills of new or novice educators.
This tool was developed in partnership with the Collaborative for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR Center), a federally funded technical assistance center working to build the capacity of state personnel preparation systems to prepare teachers and leaders to implement evidence-based practices within multi-tiered systems of support.