Teacher morale draft dissertation 2

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. 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 Definition of Terms. 8 Significance of the Study.9 Organization of the Study. LITERATURE REVIEW Chapter Introduction.14 Definitions of Teacher Morale.14 Significance of Teacher Morale.

21 Morale in Deaf Education.30 Perspectives of Deaf People. 35 vi Theoretical Framework.37 Teacher Morale and Deaf Culture. 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.48 Explanation of Instrument Used.49 Purdue Teacher Opinionaire.

53 Methods of Verification.54 Role of the Researcher. 56 Limiting Researcher bias.59 Procedures to Protect Human Subjects. FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS Chapter Introduction.61 All Schools Combined Teacher Morale.64 Collective Mean and Standard Deviation Scores for Each School.66 All Schools Combined Summary.67 School 1 Teacher Morale.68 School 2 Teacher Morale.70 School 3 Teacher Morale.73 School 4 Teacher Morale.75 School 5 Teacher Morale.77 Summary of Quantitative Findings.88 viii School 1 – Rapport with Principal.89 School 1 – Satisfaction with Teaching and Rapport among Teachers .91 School 1 – Teacher Load and Curriculum Issues.94 School 1 – Deaf Culture.94 School 1 – Comparison of Morale between Deaf/Hard-of- Hearing Teachers and Hearing Teachers.97 Summary of School 1.99 School 2 – Rapport with Principal.99 School 2 – Satisfaction with Teaching and Rapport among Teachers.100 School 2 – Teacher Load and Curriculum Issues.101 School 2 – Deaf Culture.103 Summary of Deaf Culture in School 2.105 Summary of Teacher Morale in School 2.105 School 2 – Comparison of Morale between Deaf/Hard-of- Hearing Teachers and Hearing Teachers.106 Summary of Teacher Morale at School 2.110 All Schools Combined. CONCLUSIONS, SUGGESTIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS Chapter Introduction.118 Discussion of the Findings for Research Question 1.118 Discussion of Findings for Research Question 2.119 Suggestions for Future Research.121 Implications for Practitioners.

137 Appendix A: Purdue Teacher Opinionaire.138 Appendix B: Institutional Review Board Letter.143 Appendix C: Sample Letter Requesting Permission to Survey and Interview Teachers.144 Appendix D: Permission to use Purdue Teacher Opinionaire.145 Appendix E: Interview Protocol.146 Appendix F: Informed Consent Form.147 Appendix G: Mean and Standard Deviation Data on All Five Schools (Combined). 149 x Appendix H: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Teachers at All Five Schools.150 Appendix I: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Hearing Teachers at All Five Schools.151 Appendix J: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for School 1 (combined).152 Appendix K: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Hearing Teachers at All Five Schools.153 Appendix L: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Hearing Teachers at School 1.154 Appendix M: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for School 2 (Combined). 155 Appendix N: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Teachers at School 2.156 Appendix O: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Hearing Teachers at School 2.157 Appendix P: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for School 3 (Combined). 158 Appendix Q: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Teachers at School 3.159 Appendix R: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Hearing Teachers at School 3.160 Appendix S: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for School 4 (Combined).

161 Appendix T: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Teachers at School 4.162 Appendix U: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Hearing Teachers at School 5.163 Appendix V: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for School 5 (Combined). 164 xi Appendix W: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Teachers at School 5.165 Appendix X: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Hearing Teachers at School 5. 167 xii LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Numbers of Teachers Who Met Criteria at Each School.47 Table 2: Purdue Teacher Opinionaire Breakdown of 10 Teacher Morale Factors.50 Table 3: Components of Categorization/Temporal Designation.58 Table 4: Overall Background Information of Each School.63 Table 5: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for All Groups.65 Table 6: Mann-Whitney U Test Statistics and Summary for All Schools Combined.66 Table 7: Overall Mean and Standard Deviation Data for Each of the Five Schools.67 Table 8: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for School 1.69 Table 9: Mann-Whitney U Test Statistics and Summary for School 1.70 Table 10: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for School 2.71 Table 11: Mann-Whitney U Test Statistics and Summary for School 2.72 Table 12: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for School 3.73 Table 13: Mann-Whitney U Test Statistics and Summary for School 3.74 Table 14: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for School 4.75 Table 15: Mann-Whitney U Test Statistics and Summary for School 4.76 Table 16: Mean and Standard Deviation Data for School 5.77 Table 17: Mann-Whitney U Test Statistics and Summary for School 5.78 Table 18: Satisfaction of Teachers Based on Years of Experience.80 Table 19: Demographic Information on Interview Participants at Both Schools.82 Table 20: Category Rankings of Combined Groups.119 Table 21: Mean Ranking of Categories for Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Teachers.121 Table 22: Mean Ranking of Categories for Hearing Teachers.122 xiii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Research Design Map.46 Figure 2: Code Mapping.57 xiv CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Chapter Introduction Teacher morale plays a powerful role in the education of our students. While there are volumes of studies on teacher morale in general, studies on morale of Deaf/Hard-of- Hearing1 teachers and hearing teachers in residential schools for the deaf are very limited.

Studies by Ellenberger (1972), Miller (1981), Lumsden (1998), and Houchard (2005) show that there is a relationship between student achievement and teacher morale. People who feel empowered tend to have higher morale. People are more personally invested in their work with an organization when (1) they have a voice in what happens to them, and (2) their work has meaning and significance in contributing to a higher purpose or goal (Maehr, Midgley, & Urdan, 1993). Bolman and Deal (2002) stated that it is important that teachers feel safe, have a sense of belonging, feel appreciated, and feel that they make a difference.

Morale can be described as feelings about the school or the environment present at the school (Evans, 1997; Hunter-Boykin & Evans, 1995). Unfortunately, schools in our nation are facing a critical period with low teacher morale, job-related stress, teachers leaving the profession, and recruitment problems continuing to grow over the last few decades (Andian, 1990; Blackbourne, 1990; Garner, 1985; Gold, 1990; Hofkins, 1990; Luckner & Hanks, 2003; Lumsden, 1998; Raferty & Dore, 1993). Prior to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, teachers were already being asked and expected to accomplish more than ever before. Teachers are now charged with 1 Capital-d Deaf: According to Marschark (1997), a “capital-d Deaf person” is a deaf person who considers deafness to be a positive characteristic rather than a disability, respects and may use American Sign Language, values Deaf Culture and claims membership in the deaf community.

1 additional mandates, responsibilities, and expectations being handed down by federal, state, and local governments with little to no additional resources. Stedt and Palermo (1983), Graves (2001), and Luckner and Hanks (2003) document that teachers leave the profession because of job dissatisfaction, poor working conditions, and/or lack of administrative support. In addition, a report by the National Center for Education Statistics (1997) showed that among several factors, American teachers considered administrative support and leadership as important elements contributing to higher teacher morale. This study focuses on comparing teacher morale between Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing teachers and hearing teachers in residential schools for the deaf.

This comparison will be based upon on the results of a mixed method study which will utilize a survey that measures teacher morale, the Purdue Teacher Opinionaire (PTO), and interviews. The first chapter of this study details the statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, and the research questions. It also defines specific terms, addresses delimitations and limitations of the study, and overviews the significance and organization of the study. Statement of the Problem Due to poor working conditions, increased work load and expectations, low pay, and other job-related stress, teachers have suffered from low morale and left the profession of teaching which has experienced recruitment problems over the last few decades.

These issues have been identified as symptoms of demoralization in the education profession (Andian, 1990; Blackbourne, 1990; Garner, 1985; Gold, 1990; Hofkins, 1990; Luckner & Hanks, 2003; Raferty & Dore, 1993). Unfortunately, more 2 than any time in the history of the United States, we face a crisis in providing quality education. While there is a lot of research on teacher morale in schools and/or programs, there is not much research on morale of teachers in Deaf Education.