Course Blueprint

This course blueprint showcases our proposed learner experience and curriculum for a project called STAY at Lehigh University. This project supports teachers of autism in Years 1–3. It is an induction learning course with different sections that supports mentor teachers in establishing relationships with their mentees, new teachers in special education. The goal of this course is to increase new teacher retention in the special education field.

Project Context

• Background:

New teachers in special education are leaving their work within their first years of teaching due to mentor teachers who have not had the skills and techniques to support and establismentor-menteeee relationships.

• Needs:

Not knowing and understanding special education documentation; not having experience holding an IEP meeting; not knowing how to work with tough parents. Some new instructors find working in special education difficult because they aren't used to dealing with children's problematic behaviors, physical limitations, or mental/emotional issues. The umbrella that covers our pupils' demands appears to be growing larger and larger.

• Challenges:

Rejection from the mentee or resistance to accept feedback.

• Motivations:

Helping new teachers deal with students in difficult or special education and all stakeholders.

• Expectations:

Receive an engaging interactive course that is rich in resources, activities, or techniques fostering the mentor-mentee relationship and establishing effective communication through mentoring language and skills to support the new teachers in special education and retain them.