Date of Award
Summer 8-22-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Department
Education: Special Education
First Advisor
Nicora Place
Second Advisor
Jennifer Samson
Third Advisor
Catherine Voulgarides
Academic Program Adviser
Jody Polleck
Abstract
This multiple case study investigates the alignment of novice special educators’ classroom practices, mentoring supports, and expressed needs with DisCrit Classroom Ecology. Situated in a large, urban city in the Northeast United States, this study centers the experiences of novice special educators and their mentors to examine this alignment to uncover gaps and best practices for improved mentoring support for novice special educators. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom artifacts, and teacher reflection journals. Thematic analysis using both deductive and inductive coding revealed that novice special educators demonstrated emerging entry points toward DisCrit aligned practices, particularly in the use of differentiation and family collaboration. Mentoring support most frequently emphasized differentiation and reward systems. However, barriers to alignment, which were revealed through the commonly expressed needs of the novice special educators and their mentors, including a need for curriculum inclusivity and greater support from curriculum implementation, a lack of discussion of dis/ability, and a needed shift in the educator’s perceptions of effective teaching and positive student behavior, were also evident. Findings highlight both promising practices and significant gaps, underscoring the need for mentoring supports that explicitly integrate DisCrit Classroom Ecology principles to better support novice special educators working within complex educational ecologies. Implications for research, practice, and policy aimed at improving mentoring practices to promote equitable outcomes for multiply marginalized students are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Stillwagon, Kaitlyn, "Aligning Novice Special Educators Classroom Practices, Mentoring Support, and Needs with DisCrit Classroom Ecology" (2025). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/1414
Included in
Disability and Equity in Education Commons, Special Education and Teaching Commons, Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons
