Rapid scientific and technological development as well as numerous social changes constantly set new challenges for school pedagogical workers, including special education (SPED) teachers. The expectations towards pedagogical workers are becoming greater and greater; therefore, they constantly need to acquire new knowledge, follow the novelties in their field and gain new competencies. Their professional development is crucial. How the latter proceeds with every individual, depends on different external and internal factors. Among those, conception of their job, career, and professional development carry a great role.
The theoretical part exhibits SPED teacher`s occupational role and their key competencies, it enlarges upon their professional development, presents different models and factors of professional development, and it finally touches resilience of pedagogic workers.
The purpose of the research was to find out how SPED teacher understand career processes, how they define the occupation`s fundamental purpose, competencies, and career pathways. We wanted to know about their job satisfaction and factors, which influence it. Further on, we investigated the factors of professional development, SPED teacher`s job stressfulness, and resilience safety factors.
The empirical research was based on qualitative approach, using non-probability convenience sampling. The sample comprises 11 SPED teachers, who work in different positions and have over 30 years of service. The data were obtained from semi-structured interviews, and analyzed and categorized according to the principles of qualitative research.
Study results show that SPED teacher`s understanding of a career concept is complex. Typical teacher`s career is mostly associated with promotion, whereas success of their career development is perceived through their personal satisfaction. Most of them believe that the purpose of their occupation is to educate and raise children with special needs, to enable them independency and social inclusion. As essential competencies for working in special education, the interviewees listed different competencies. However, all of them find formal education and acquired knowledge important. The participants claim that they are ending their career satisfied. Their occupational satisfaction derives mainly from teacher`s autonomy, cooperation with parents, cooperation with the school management and co-workers, job stability, feeling appreciated for their work at school, and pupil`s learning progress. As they find their job stressful, they most commonly stated family and co-worker support as being the most important safety factor. SPED teachers pointed out the factors, which most influence their professional development: ongoing learning, quality academic education, reading scholarly literature, being motivated for own professional development, taking a decision to become a teacher, supportive and positive atmosphere, and good family/personal relationships. On the other hand, bureaucracy and organization of documentation, inadequate assortment of teacher trainings, as well as lack of time for managing family/personal and professional life are factors, which they believe most obstruct their professional development.
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