Understanding educators’ perspectives and experiences of COVID-19 in schools serving children with intellectual/developmental disabilities
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted educators, both personally and professionally. However, very little is known about the extent of these impacts among educators’ serving children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The present study surveyed 230 educators (teachers...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-10-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.949430/full |
| _version_ | 1811256962239692800 |
|---|---|
| author | Erin F. Jones Vini Singh Calliope Holingue Calliope Holingue Cheryl Lyn Errichetti Linda Myers Michael R. Sherby Christina Gurnett Jason Newland Luther Kalb Luther Kalb |
| author_facet | Erin F. Jones Vini Singh Calliope Holingue Calliope Holingue Cheryl Lyn Errichetti Linda Myers Michael R. Sherby Christina Gurnett Jason Newland Luther Kalb Luther Kalb |
| author_sort | Erin F. Jones |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted educators, both personally and professionally. However, very little is known about the extent of these impacts among educators’ serving children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The present study surveyed 230 educators (teachers, staff, and administrators) to assess their wellbeing, concerns during the pandemic, and perceived importance of various COVID-19 school mitigation strategies. Data were gathered May/June of 2021 from two separate school districts, one in the Midwest and the other in the Mid-Atlantic, serving children with IDD. Nearly half of all survey respondents reported poor wellbeing. Almost all educators reported health of themselves, students, and family members was their greatest concern when compared to pandemic-related disruption of their duties or benefits (e.g., not having enough sick time). Most educators felt disinfecting routines, vaccinations, and daily health checks were the most helpful in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in schools, while in-school mask mandates and weekly testing of students and staff were perceived as less helpful. Our findings suggest that efforts are needed to support the wellbeing of educators during these challenging times. When pandemic-related policies and procedures are decided by administrators, our data suggest educators will review decisions within the framework of health and safety of themselves, their students, and families. Understanding this framework may be particularly valuable when considering implementation of COVID-19 policies, like masking and COVID-19 testing, that are less preferred. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:49:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-754952a9a5534b7a8f04f552a2eaa7e6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:49:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-754952a9a5534b7a8f04f552a2eaa7e62022-12-22T03:22:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2022-10-01710.3389/feduc.2022.949430949430Understanding educators’ perspectives and experiences of COVID-19 in schools serving children with intellectual/developmental disabilitiesErin F. Jones0Vini Singh1Calliope Holingue2Calliope Holingue3Cheryl Lyn Errichetti4Linda Myers5Michael R. Sherby6Christina Gurnett7Jason Newland8Luther Kalb9Luther Kalb10Information Systems Department, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United StatesCenter for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United StatesCenter for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United StatesJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United StatesMaryland Center for Developmental Disabilities, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United StatesSpecial Education, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United StatesDepartment of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, Baltimore, MO, United StatesDepartment of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, Baltimore, MO, United StatesDepartment of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, Baltimore, MO, United StatesCenter for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United StatesJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United StatesThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted educators, both personally and professionally. However, very little is known about the extent of these impacts among educators’ serving children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The present study surveyed 230 educators (teachers, staff, and administrators) to assess their wellbeing, concerns during the pandemic, and perceived importance of various COVID-19 school mitigation strategies. Data were gathered May/June of 2021 from two separate school districts, one in the Midwest and the other in the Mid-Atlantic, serving children with IDD. Nearly half of all survey respondents reported poor wellbeing. Almost all educators reported health of themselves, students, and family members was their greatest concern when compared to pandemic-related disruption of their duties or benefits (e.g., not having enough sick time). Most educators felt disinfecting routines, vaccinations, and daily health checks were the most helpful in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in schools, while in-school mask mandates and weekly testing of students and staff were perceived as less helpful. Our findings suggest that efforts are needed to support the wellbeing of educators during these challenging times. When pandemic-related policies and procedures are decided by administrators, our data suggest educators will review decisions within the framework of health and safety of themselves, their students, and families. Understanding this framework may be particularly valuable when considering implementation of COVID-19 policies, like masking and COVID-19 testing, that are less preferred.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.949430/fullteacherseducatorsexperiencepandemicintellectual disabilitydevelopmental disability |
| spellingShingle | Erin F. Jones Vini Singh Calliope Holingue Calliope Holingue Cheryl Lyn Errichetti Linda Myers Michael R. Sherby Christina Gurnett Jason Newland Luther Kalb Luther Kalb Understanding educators’ perspectives and experiences of COVID-19 in schools serving children with intellectual/developmental disabilities Frontiers in Education teachers educators experience pandemic intellectual disability developmental disability |
| title | Understanding educators’ perspectives and experiences of COVID-19 in schools serving children with intellectual/developmental disabilities |
| title_full | Understanding educators’ perspectives and experiences of COVID-19 in schools serving children with intellectual/developmental disabilities |
| title_fullStr | Understanding educators’ perspectives and experiences of COVID-19 in schools serving children with intellectual/developmental disabilities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding educators’ perspectives and experiences of COVID-19 in schools serving children with intellectual/developmental disabilities |
| title_short | Understanding educators’ perspectives and experiences of COVID-19 in schools serving children with intellectual/developmental disabilities |
| title_sort | understanding educators perspectives and experiences of covid 19 in schools serving children with intellectual developmental disabilities |
| topic | teachers educators experience pandemic intellectual disability developmental disability |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.949430/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT erinfjones understandingeducatorsperspectivesandexperiencesofcovid19inschoolsservingchildrenwithintellectualdevelopmentaldisabilities AT vinisingh understandingeducatorsperspectivesandexperiencesofcovid19inschoolsservingchildrenwithintellectualdevelopmentaldisabilities AT calliopeholingue understandingeducatorsperspectivesandexperiencesofcovid19inschoolsservingchildrenwithintellectualdevelopmentaldisabilities AT calliopeholingue understandingeducatorsperspectivesandexperiencesofcovid19inschoolsservingchildrenwithintellectualdevelopmentaldisabilities AT cheryllynerrichetti understandingeducatorsperspectivesandexperiencesofcovid19inschoolsservingchildrenwithintellectualdevelopmentaldisabilities AT lindamyers understandingeducatorsperspectivesandexperiencesofcovid19inschoolsservingchildrenwithintellectualdevelopmentaldisabilities AT michaelrsherby understandingeducatorsperspectivesandexperiencesofcovid19inschoolsservingchildrenwithintellectualdevelopmentaldisabilities AT christinagurnett understandingeducatorsperspectivesandexperiencesofcovid19inschoolsservingchildrenwithintellectualdevelopmentaldisabilities AT jasonnewland understandingeducatorsperspectivesandexperiencesofcovid19inschoolsservingchildrenwithintellectualdevelopmentaldisabilities AT lutherkalb understandingeducatorsperspectivesandexperiencesofcovid19inschoolsservingchildrenwithintellectualdevelopmentaldisabilities AT lutherkalb understandingeducatorsperspectivesandexperiencesofcovid19inschoolsservingchildrenwithintellectualdevelopmentaldisabilities |