Mining Reflections for the Disposition to Teach in Special Education

Candidates preparing to become special education teachers are asked reflect on their field experiences in journals. Eight participants were randomly selected from special education methods classes. Their 10 weeks of field experience reflections were qualitatively analyzed for the disposition to teach in special education. Construct codes emerged: Ethical Behavior, Empathy, Classroom Behavior Management, Reflective Analysis, and Collaboration. Comparisons were made between the reflections of traditional undergraduate students and candidates in a graduate alternative route to certification. Results suggest that field reflections can be used to assess the development of the disposition to teach in special education. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]