Adapted Physical Education Teachers’ Job Satisfaction

in Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly

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Minhyun Kim Sam Houston State University

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José A. Santiago Sam Houston State University

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Chan Woong Park University of North Dakota

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Emily A. Roper Sam Houston State University

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2020-0203
Keywords:
disability; occupational socialization; school; special education
First Published Online:
27 Aug 2021
In Print:
Volume 38: Issue 4
Page Range:
661–680
Restricted access

Grounded in occupational socialization theory, the authors examined adapted physical education (APE) teachers’ job satisfaction. Twelve (nine female and three male) APE teachers who had 3–43 years of teaching experience participated in the study. A semistructured interview was employed. The interviews focused on the participants’ roles and responsibilities. The following questions guided this study: (a) What social agents positively impact APE teachers’ job satisfaction? (b) what APE teachers’ roles and responsibilities are related to job satisfaction? and (c) what type of working conditions are linked to APE teachers’ job satisfaction? Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. The following four themes emerged from the analysis: (a) support from administrators, physical education teachers, and colleagues; (b) relevant and meaningful professional development; (c) itinerant working conditions; and (d) seeing students’ progress and achievement. The results of this study provide several implications to enhance APE teachers’ job satisfaction.

Kim, Santiago, and Roper are with Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, USA. Park is now with the Dept. of Kinesiology, California State University, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA, USA.

Kim (mxk056@shsu.edu) is corresponding author.
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