‘Navigating my way through trial and error’ … resilience of newly qualified teachers in special educational needs schools for learners with physical disabilities

Starting a career in teaching is accompanied by much excitement for many newly qualified teachers. Nonetheless, novice teachers working in special educational needs schools for learners with physical disabilities face several adversities. These include lack of competence, psychological distress and anxiety. However, there are protective factors that enable their resilience despite the adversities. This qualitative study investigated the resilience of newly qualified teachers in special educational needs schools for learners with physical disabilities. Individual semi-structured interviews and two focus groups were conducted with eight newly qualified teachers from two special schools in one district in Gauteng, South Africa. Thematic data analysis revealed key resources that foster teacher resilience, including individual traits (sense of purpose, coping mechanisms, and adaptability); interpersonal relationships (support from family, friends, colleagues, and learners); and contextual elements (spirituality, role models, and access to social services). The findings of this study revealed that a combination of these social-ecological resources fosters the resilience of newly qualified teachers. Thus, interventions targeted at enabling the resilience of these teachers should consider these resources to enhance their well-being and their retention in special schools.