Autoethnography of a Novice Special Education Teacher’s Learning Experience in a Special Education Graduate Program

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the learning experiences of novice special education teachers in graduate school for special education, in order to understand the process of professional development and the significance of their expertise through teacher retraining. Method: The methodology of this study involves using autoethnography, a qualitative research method, to richly and thoroughly document and analyze the experiences of novice special education teachers. Results: The results of this study are as follows. First, the novice special education teacher entered the graduate school of special education due to both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Second, the researcher experienced deep knowledge, learner-centered teaching methods, and reflective learning at the graduate school of special education. Third, the researcher achieved personal, practical, and social growth through the learning experience at the graduate school, which enhanced their professional competence as a special education teacher. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the need for learning experiences in graduate schools of special education to improve the professional development of novice special education teachers.