The Identity Formation of Early-Career Special Education Teachers Working at Special Education Support Centers

Purpose: This study examined the experience of early career special education teachers working at special education support centers and aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the process through which their teacher identity is formed. Method: The participants were early career special education teachers with less than five years of experience at special support centers. Data were collected through in depth individual interviews and analyzed using constant comparative method to meaning units. Results: The analysis yielded three overarching categories, nine subcategories, and 28 meaning units. Participants’ experiences were organized into three overarching categories: confusion in adapting to the new environment of the Special Education Support Center, reinterpretation of their roles through reflection and self-examination, and establishing themselves as teachers and experiencing professional growth. Conclusion: The study discussed how the structural characteristics of special education support centers influence early career teacher’s role perceptions and identity formation processes. Based on these findings, educational implications were suggested for improving teacher support systems and organizational management within special education support centers.