TITLE:
Educational Beliefs of Special Education Teachers and Principals Working in Short-Term Emergency Shelter On-Site Schools
AUTHORS:
Michal Levy, Ruth Gottfried, Hagit Inbar-Furst
KEYWORDS:
Child Welfare, Special Education Teachers, Principals, Educational Beliefs, Emergency Shelter On-Site Schools
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.15 No.1,
January
26,
2024
ABSTRACT: The present study qualitatively explored, via semi-structured interviews,
the educational beliefs of 12 Special Education Teachers (SETs)
and eight principals working within Emergency Shelter On-site Schools (ESOSs)
throughout Israel. Findings of the Deductive-Qualitative Approach (DQA) focus
on the following educational belief categories: 1) the professional role of
SETs within ESOSs; 2) the ESOS context/environment; 3) ESOS students’ special
needs, diversity, and abilities; 4) the content/knowledge taught within ESOSs;
and 5) the teaching practices incorporated within ESOSs. A broad perspective of
the findings revealed three novel continuums, titled: 1) mono-multi, 2)
independent-integrated, and 3) structured-flexible, upon which SETs’ and principals’
educational beliefs are situated. Study findings enhance the research fields of
both educational beliefs and ESOSs, for the ultimate benefit and positive
trajectory of ESOS students.