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Teacher Morale: Perceptions of Deaf/Hard-Of-Hearing Teachers and Hearing Teachers in Residential Schools for the Deaf

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Teacher Morale: Perceptions of Deaf/Hard-Of-Hearing Teachers and Hearing Teachers in Residential Schools for the Deaf University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 5-2011 TEACHER MORALE: PERCEPTIONS OF DEAF/HARD-OF-HEARING TEACHERS AND HEARING TEACHERS IN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF Steven E. Farmer [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Part of the Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, and the Special Education and Teaching Commons Recommended Citation Farmer, Steven E., "TEACHER MORALE: PERCEPTIONS OF DEAF/HARD-OF-HEARING TEACHERS AND HEARING TEACHERS IN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2011. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/967 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Steven E. Farmer entitled "TEACHER MORALE: PERCEPTIONS OF DEAF/HARD-OF-HEARING TEACHERS AND HEARING TEACHERS IN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education, with a major in Education. Vincent A. Anfara, Jr., Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Ernest Brewer, Kimberly Wolbers, Pamela Angelle Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) TEACHER MORALE: PERCEPTIONS OF DEAF/HARD-OF-HEARING TEACHERS AND HEARING TEACHERS IN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF A Dissertation Presented for the Doctor of Education Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Steven E. Farmer May 2011 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated first to Heather, the love of my life, my wife, my best friend, and my rock through this journey so that I may realize my dream and goal of obtaining a doctoral degree. Secondly, this is dedicated to my three precious children who taught and continue to teach me to laugh a lot, love much, and to enjoy life! Thirdly, it is dedicated to my parents who convinced me that I could do whatever I wanted to do. They taught me to dream big. Finally, it is dedicated to the members of the cohort who were so very supportive of me and each other and made this excursion somewhat easier. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the members of my dissertation committee, Dr. Vincent Anfara (chair), Dr. Ernest Brewer, Dr. Kimberly Wolbers, and Dr. Pam Angelle. I greatly appreciate your guidance and insight throughout my studies. I especially thank Dr. Anfara who was extremely patient with me throughout my study. I thank God for His provision of strength, guidance, and wisdom throughout the study. Additionally, I would like to acknowledge the Student Living staff and administrators at the Tennessee School for the Deaf who graciously put up with my frequent unavailability due to excursions off campus including classes, trips, meetings, and so forth. Finally, saving the best for last, I would like to acknowledge my family. My wife and children have been patiently waiting for me to complete this program and supported me the entire way. iii ABSTRACT With increasing state and federal mandates to improve student performance, teachers everywhere are struggling with maintaining positive morale—particularly in residential schools for the deaf. Teacher morale serves as a critical component in promoting positive teaching and learning environments for students. Also, the dwindling number of Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing teachers and staff in Deaf Education severely limits the provision of positive language models for Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing children. The study sought to answer two research questions: (1) What is the overall teacher morale at five residential schools for the deaf in the southeastern United States? (Quantitative) (2) How does the morale of Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing teachers compare with the morale of their hearing counterparts? (Quantitative and Qualitative) Using Teacher Morale and Deaf Culture as the theoretical framework, this study utilized a sequential, mixed method, case study approach to examine teacher morale in five residential schools for the deaf in the southeastern United States. The Purdue Teacher Opinionaire (PTO), a 100-item four-point Likert survey, was administered to a sample of 118 teachers in five residential schools for the deaf. The results of the survey were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Mann Whitney U test. Quantitative analysis, following the factors in the PTO, revealed high scores in Satisfaction with Teaching and Rapport among Teachers and low scores in Curriculum Issues, Teacher Load, and Teacher Salary. Interviews and observations were performed at two of the schools. Data from the interviews and observations were analyzed according to iv Merriam’s (1998) constant comparative method. Qualitative data served to verify and expand upon quantitative findings. Collegiality is a forte among teachers in the five residential schools for the deaf and is a big contributor to the high level of morale. However, higher standards and additional expectations at the state and federal levels put a damper on teacher morale. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION Chapter Introduction ....................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem.............................................................................2 Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................5 Research Questions......................................................................................5 Definition of Terms......................................................................................6 Delimitations................................................................................................8 Limitations ...................................................................................................8 Significance of the Study.............................................................................9 Organization of the Study ..........................................................................12 II. LITERATURE REVIEW Chapter Introduction ..................................................................................14 Teacher Morale ..........................................................................................14 Definitions of Teacher Morale.......................................................14 Significance of Teacher Morale.................................................................15 Summary....................................................................................................21 Morale in Deaf Education..............................................................21 Summary....................................................................................................30 Deaf Culture...............................................................................................30 Perspectives of Deaf People...........................................................32 Summary....................................................................................................35 vi Theoretical Framework..............................................................................36 Teacher Morale ..............................................................................37 Deaf Culture...................................................................................37 Teacher Morale and Deaf Culture..................................................38 Conclusion .................................................................................................39 III. METHODS Chapter Introduction ..................................................................................41 Design Type: A Sequential, Mixed Methods Case Study Design .............41 Assumptions and Rationale for a Sequential, Mixed Methods Case Study Design..................................................................................43 Sample and Sites........................................................................................45 Participants of the Study ............................................................................45 Data Collection Procedures........................................................................49 Surveys...........................................................................................49 Explanation of Instrument Used ................................................................50 Purdue Teacher Opinionaire .........................................................50 Interviews.......................................................................................52 Observations ..................................................................................53 Data Analysis.............................................................................................54 Methods of Verification.............................................................................55 Role of the Researcher...............................................................................57
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