Republic of the Philippines

Laguna State Polytechnic University

Province of Laguna
College of Arts and Sciences

NARRATIVE ANALYSIS ON THE EXPERIENCES OF SPED INSTRUCTORS WITH

THEIR STUDENTS AND PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW ON THEIR CHOSEN

CAREER

Angeles, Bhea Rose A.

Cruz, Kim Allyson S.

Yusores, Ann Jeniel A.

 INTRODUCTION

Special education is a program designed for students who needs special

treatment and care. The environment and approach are different in order to obtain

the instructional technique that will provide student's individual need. In addition,

special education prepares special students to have better communication skills that

they will use every day. Also, special education provides knowledge and it teaches

students with special needs to deal with other people and do things that normal

people do. Indeed, special education promotes and helps these students to see the

beauty of life.

SPED instructors teach special students on how to write, read and understand

using a unique and different approach such as methods that fits solely for them.

Instructors in this field must always have patience in order to give the special need of

their students. SPED instructors are trained to use different method to fulfill the goal

of providing knowledge for both emotional and intellectual quotient.

Moreover, SPED instructors spent almost halves of their life with their chosen

job. They met different students that helped them grow as a teacher and an

individual. These teachers/instructors play a big part in their students’ lives. They

mold both mental and behavioral aspect and develop their special abilities. SPED

instructors have the most challenging job for they need tons of patience especially

when their students throw tantrum. They are the heroes of children with disability

because they are the ones who help these children achieve their hopes and dreams

not letting their disabilities be a hindrance on what they want to be. So, the

researchers conducted this study to learn and explore the experience these

instructors go through and their own view and thoughts on their field of work.
 PURPOSE STATEMENT

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the different experiences of

3 SPED instructors working at Santa Cruz Elementary School and discover their

personal point of view on their chosen career.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What are the experiences of 3 SPED teachers at Santa Cruz Elementary

School?

Issue Sub-Questions:

a. Was it difficult to handle children with special needs?

b. Moment that made you realized that your job isn’t just a job but a calling.

c. From your experiences, were there times where you learn valuable things from

your students?

Procedural Sub-Questions:

a. Were there episodes that occur during your class hours?

b. Who were the people that helped you when your students gets disruptive?

c. What routine do you follow each day working with your students?

2. What is the personal point of view of the 3 SPED teachers in their chosen

career at Santa Cruz Elementary School?

Issue Sub-Questions:
a. What made you choose this career?

b. Were there hardships faced when you chose this line of work?

c. Have you accomplished something with your chosen career?

Procedural Sub-Questions:

a. How did you adjust and cope with the new experience you have each passing

day?

b. How does the administration support the SPED instructors?

c. What do you do to keep yourself together when struggles occur?

3. What coping mechanism does the 3 SPED teachers use to handle their

students at Santa Cruz Elementary School?

Issue Sub-Questions:

a. How often do you use these mechanisms?

b. Did the mechanisms you used worked out?

c. Have you ever encountered a disagreement with your students’ parents regarding

on how you handle them?

Procedural Sub-Questions:

a. What occurrences made you used these mechanisms?

b. How did you manage to get every student cope up on their first day of school?

c. What coping mechanisms do you use on their first week of school, which is the

most intense time of the school year?

4. What is the process being used by the 3 SPED teachers in facilitating their

classes at Santa Cruz Elementary School?

Issue Sub-Questions:

a. Have you encountered a disagreement with your support staff?

b. When did you manage to get accustomed with your students?

c. Do you engaged your students to

Procedural Sub-Questions:

a. How did you handle a student who refuses to complete work?

b. How do you plan to adapt lessons to meet the state standard?

c. How have you established procedures and rules to maintain order among your

students?

5. What does the 3 SPED teachers use to discipline their students at Santa

Cruz Elementary School?

Issue Sub-Questions:

a. Do you include parents or guardian on your students’ educational process?

b. Do you conduct weekly meetings with your students’ parents to keep updated with

their children’ status?

c. Do you incorporate their current state with the activities you do in class?

Procedural Sub-Questions:

a. How have you encouraged the parental involvement on the students’ learning?
b. How can you make your students focus on their work knowing most of them have

short attention spans?

c. What do you do to make them behave and to avoid episodes and tantrums?

6. Do the 3 SPED teachers apply special services on their classes at Santa

Cruz Elementary School? Why or Why not? And if yes, how?

Issue Sub-Questions:

a. How do you give attention o those students when they act in a strange way?

b. Do SPED teacher checks his/her students, regarding their medical concerns?

c. What is the personal impact/effect to you, after you fulfill the role of SPED

teachers?

Procedural Sub-Questions:

a. What condition and disabilities do your students have and how did you handle it?

b. How do you manage students with their different personality and conditions?

c. What is the effective response to calm down a student when they are throwing

tantrums?
 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

According to Mulvey et. al. (2015) Special education teachers provide critical science

instruction to students. However, little research investigates special education

teacher beliefs and practices around science in general or the nature of science and

inquiry in particular. Further, they moved beyond simply mimicking course lessons

they experienced by adapting them to student needs and even innovating new

lessons. Teachers increased their attention to plans and instruction to meet the

needs of students with special needs; yet most of the teachers made few references

to specific Individualized Education Programs, individual student needs, or

associated instructional decisions. Results suggest that nature of science and inquiry

professional development can increase special education teachers’ expectations of

their students with special needs. To improve outcomes, professional development

should increase the explicit attention to planning and strategies to help meet specific

student needs.

According to Kimberly J. Vannest (2010) Both research and practice stand to gain

from information about the use of SPED teacher time. Data on how SPED teachers

use their time could inform the literature on evaluating teacher quality, by examining

the professional roles and expectations for special educators, by the measurement

and confounds of accountability, and by explaining some student achievement or

discrepancies in achievement. SPED teachers report themselves as engaged in

activities other than instruction a consider-able amount of the time. Expectations for
teacher quality are based on a changing cocktail of pedagogy and content expertise

driven by policy that is potentially uninformed by data on effective practices.

According to Bill Sands (2017) Providing instruction to students with special needs is

a completely different experience from working with the general population. The

difficulty of this profession is demonstrated by the startlingly high rate of burnout:

12.3 percent of special education teachers leave the profession, a rate that is nearly

double that of other teachers, and 49 out of 50 states report a shortage of available

teachers. Though being a special education teacher is not for everyone, it can

absolutely be a rewarding and informative experience. Working as a special

education teacher has taught me a lot about myself, both as a teacher and as a

person. The lessons I've learned have served and will continue to help me in the

classroom and beyond.

According to a study report from Rynika Allison (2012). The United States

Department of Education (2006) noted that approximately 80% of students with

disabilities receive special education support in the mainstream classroom. Due to

this increase, general education teachers are often required to differentiate them

instruction for students with documented disabilities and to share their classroom

with special education staff. Due to the added stress of high stakes testing, general

education teachers often feel that they will be unable to meet the necessary state

and federal requirements, such as Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and annual

benchmark criteria due to the fear that teaching students with disabilities in the

inclusion setting is a far greater task than initially anticipated.

A study from Liberty University by Cookson and Smith (2012) Christian schools often

rely on public schools to meet the special needs of their students. And initiating their
own SPED program has been reported to be a transforming process for both the

school community and the individuals within it. It typically involved developing or

revising the school mission, educating parents, hiring qualified teachers, and

developing curriculum. Because many stakeholders shared in the responsibility and

vision for the newly formed SPED programs, high levels of collaboration were

reported as a vital element of the process. In both the implementation and

maintenance of SPED programs, the principal plays a comprehensive role. The

tasks of principals include the humanitarian aspect—that of considering the concerns

of parents, students, and teachers. Other aspects of SPED leadership include the

educational elements of curriculum, instruction, legal constraints, and related SPED

services.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

This qualitative study was conducted at Santa Cruz Elementary School at

Santa Cruz Laguna, where we interviewed three (3) SPED instructors.

 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Province of Laguna
College of Arts and Sciences
REQUEST LETTER

March
Mr. Armin O. Cabrales
Principal IV of Santa Cruz Elementary School
Santa Cruz, Laguna

RE: Permission to Conduct Research Study

Dear Sir,

Warmest Greetings!

The following undersigned are 2nd year students at the Laguna State Polytechnic

University, Sta. Cruz Campus taking up Bachelor’s Degree in Science Major in

Psychology and presently conducting a research entitled “Narrative Analysis on the

Experiences of SPED Instructors with their Students and Personal Point of View on

their Chosen Career,” and we need your help to realize our objectives.
In view of this, we would like to ask your permission to allow us to conduct an

interview among the teachers in your school and rest assured that all information

derived herein will be treated with utmost confidentiality.

Thank you very much and God Bless.

Sincerely, Noted by:

Bhea Rose A. Angeles

Kim Allyson S. Cruz Mr. Ralph Randel R. Rivera

Instructor
Ann – Jeniel A. Yusores
_______________________
Mr. Armin O. Cabrales
Principal IV of Santa Cruz Elem. School
Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Province of Laguna
College of Arts and Sciences

INFORMED CONSENT

Title of Research Project: Narrative Analysis on the Experiences of SPED Instructors

with their Students and Personal Point of View on their Chosen Career

Name of Interviewer: Bhea Rose A. Angeles, Kim Allyson S. Cruz, Ann Jeniel A.

Yusores

A. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

We the researchers is conducting research on the experience of SPED instructors

and personal point of view about their chosen career. The purpose of your

participation in this research is to help the researcher achieve their objectives and

obtain information that can help us fulfill this study. You were selected as a possible

participant in this study because you are a SPED instructor working in this field.
B. PROCEDURES

If you agree to participate in this research study, the following will occur:

 A total of 35 questions will be asked and some possible follow-up questions

will occur.

 Questions related to the interviewees career will be given.

 The interviewers will document your interview through written statements and

a voice recorder, if given permission.

 The interview will last for 30 minutes to 40 minutes depending on the

interviewee’s answers.

C. RISKS

The interviewers will not force you to answer questions and you have the freedom to

skip questions that makes you uncomfortable, embarrassed and inconvenient.

D. CONFIDENTIALITY

The records from this study will be kept as confidential as possible. No individual

identities will be used in any reports or publications resulting from the study. All voice

records, written statement and questionnaires will be given codes and stored

separately from any names or other direct identification of participants. Research

information will be kept in locked files at all times. Only research personnel will have

access to the files and only those with an essential need to see names or other

identifying information will have access to that particular file. After the study is

completed the data collected will be used to complete the narrative analysis on the

study and will be passed as a requirement in our institution.

E. BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION
There will be no direct benefit to you from participating in this research study. The

anticipated benefit of your participation in this study is to help the researchers

explore the experiences of SPED instructors working and discover their personal

point of view on their chosen career.

F. VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION

Your decision whether or not to participate in this study is voluntary and will not

affect your relationship with our institution. If you choose to participate in this study,

you can withdraw your consent and discontinue participation at any time without

prejudice.

G. QUESTIONS

If you have any questions about the study, please contact Ms. Kim Allyson S. Cruz

by calling 0945 – 670 – 9303. You can also contact our instructor in our institution,

Mr. Ralph Randel R. Rivera with any questions about the rights of research

participants or research related concerns.

CONSENT

YOU ARE MAKING A DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN A

RESEARCH STUDY. YOUR SIGNATURE BELOW INDICATES THAT YOU HAVE

DECIDED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY AFTER READING ALL OF THE

INFORMATION ABOVE AND YOU UNDERSTAND THE INFORMATION IN THIS

FORM, HAVE HAD ANY QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND HAVE RECEIVED A

COPY OF THIS FORM FOR YOU TO KEEP.

________________________________ ________________
 Printed Name and Signature Date
Interviewee

________________________________ ________________

Printed Name and Signature Date

Interviewer