Exploring The Lived Experience Of Former Special Educators In The Greater Toronto Area And Their Perceptions Of Work Conditions In The Special Education Classroom

The purpose of this qualitative interpretive phenomenological analysis was (a) to explore the lived experiences of public Kindergarten–Grade 8 (K–8) special educators in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) who left the field of special education and (b) to understand challenges caused by their work conditions. The research questions were (a) “How do former public K–8 special educators in the GTA describe their lived experience within their special education classroom and the role of work their conditions in their decision to leave the field?” (b) “How do former public K–8 special educators in the GTA in the field of special education describe the role of pedagogical practices of planning and instruction in their decision to leave the field?” and (c) “How do prior public K–8 special educators in the GTA describe their perception of supports and barriers in their decision leave the field?” The affective event theory was the theoretical framework and personal interest with a succinct review of research provided the conceptual framework. Semistructured one-on-one interviews gathered data from eight participants. The emergent themes included (a) misalignment of preparation and the classroom experience of special educators, (b) complexities of role pressures as perceived by special educators, (c) contextual factors influencing pedagogical practice, and (d) emotional depletion as understood by special educators. The findings included role pressures in the work conditions of a special education classroom are because of unpreparedness, workload, and isolation. A lack of direction and resources, in addition to inadequate preparation training emphasized a disconnect between policy and practice.