An Oral History of First-Generation Leaders in Education of Children With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Part 2: Important Events, Developments, and People

Abstract

As the second part of an oral history of education of students with emotional and behavioral disorders, 15 first-generation leaders were asked about the events, policies, and people that have had the most influence on their professional lives and to identify the most positive and most negative influences. Their videotaped responses to these questions were transcribed and analyzed and are reported here together with discussion of several themes that emerged. Among the most cited positive influences were passage of the Education of All Handicapped Children Act (precursor to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) in 1975, development and application of behavioral approaches, contributions of talented people, and involvement in professional organizations and activities in the field. The most often identified negative influences were the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002, zero-tolerance policies, inadequate federal definitions of serious emotional disturbance, isolation from other disciplines with potentially relevant knowledge and practices, and resistance to prevention and early intervention approaches.

Responsibilities and Instructional Time: Relationships Identified by Teachers in Self-Contained Classes for Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities

“…Special educators in self-contained classes have reported that they have insufficient time to meet students' needs (Nichols & Sosnowski, 2002), and a qualitative study of teachers' experiences serving students with EBD in self-contained settings revealed that time constraints prevented teachers from completing all responsibilities, which led to frustration (Myers, 2004). Such findings have led experts in the field of behavioral disorders to express concern that too much is expected of these teachers (Zabel, Kaff, & Teagarden, 2011). Such findings have led experts in the field of behavioral disorders to express concern that too much is expected of these teachers (Zabel, Kaff, & Teagarden, 2011).…”

“…Although scholars have expressed concerns about the weight of expectations placed on EBD self-contained teachers (Zabel et al, 2011) and about the amount of instruction these teachers provide (Benner, Conroy, Jolivette, Lane, & Nelson, 2011;Vannest & Hagan-Burke, 2010;Wehby et al, 2003), no research has yet drawn linkages between the challenges teachers face in these settings and their capacity to provide instruction. Research with other special educators suggests that such linkages could prove fruitful for understanding low instructional rates, because dimensions of the school context are significantly related to the quantity and quality of instruction that teachers provide (Berry, Smylie, & Fuller, 2008;Hirsch, Sioberg, Robertson, & Church, 2010;Vannest, Soares, Harrison, Brown, & Parker, 2010).…”

An Oral History of First-Generation Leaders in Education of Children With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Part 3

“…The first report of these leaders (Kaff, Zabel, & Teagarden, 2011) explored how these leaders entered the field and described their career paths. The second report (Zabel, Kaff, & Teagarden, 2011) reported participants’ perspectives on influential events, policies, and people during their careers. In this article, the first-generation leaders forecast the future of the field and share their advice to persons now entering the field.…”