B. Strategies Used by Building Level Administrators
Building level administrator support is also important in the retention of beginning and experienced special educators. Ways that building administrators can support beginning special educators include:
- Conduct a building orientation meeting. This orientation should include information specific to school/building where the beginning special educator works.
- Provide introductions to key building staff as well as the rolls and responsibilities of key school personnel.
- Clearly define the supervisory role and responsibilities of the Building Administrator/Principal in relation to special education staff. For example, discuss who will be responsible for evaluations, the district administrator, the building administrator, or both?
- Assign a building guide (someone who can show the special educators around the building and share with them the school 'culture'). This person may be the special educator's mentor or another faculty member.
- Provide release time for the special educator to visit other classrooms.
- Provide opportunities for the beginning special educator to network with other new special educators.
- Delineate clear responsibilities for the special educator.
- Reduce extracurricular assignments such as the faculty advisor to clubs or coaching.
- Institute a system to communicate with the special educator. This may be an informal system (such as talking with them between classes in the hall or a more formal system (such as meeting with them on a scheduled basis, or communicating through phone or e-mail).
- Have a common prep time for the mentor and beginning special educator. This will allow the mentor and beginning special educator time to plan as well as address issues that surface in a timely manner.
Reflection
Administrator support or the lack of support is an important variable in the retention of beginning and experienced special education teachers.
Within this section of the tutorial we have presented strategies that district and building administrators can use to support beginning and experienced special education teachers.
During the next several sections we will present information on how helpful Oregon special educators have found these supports, and then address some possible challenges to providing these supports.
