Behavior, Paperwork, Instruction, & Supervision. . . Oh My!: A Review of the Literature on Mentorship for Teachers of Children With EBD

Abstract

The role of a special educator is one of many different hats, including teacher, interventionist, comforter, parent, counselor, therapist, and administrator. These varying roles, particularly when working with students with emotional behavioral disorders, create one of the most emotionally taxing and challenging jobs in public education, which in turn leads to increased educator burnout and attrition. However, this does not need to be the fate of special educators. The purpose of this article is to (a) review one current support system widely implemented in the field for teachers of children with emotional behavioral disorders, (b) discuss the benefits of mentorship in the teaching workforce, (c) identify some of the barriers to mentorship, and (d) identify areas of reform for more effective mentorship practices.