Finding power to balance the load : a qualitative single case study on the margin of Type III alternative educators within a trauma-impacted student population.
Type III alternative educators manage increased internal and external loads due to work environments that consistently expose them to trauma (Hernandez, 2022; Murphy, 2018). While research about Type III alternative educators has been limited (Afacan & Wilkerson, 2024), the few studies have described challenging working environments, such as innovative lesson planning, the need to manage students' emotional and sometimes violent behaviors, secondary stress, and compassion fatigue. This study built on previous research and explored the power-load margin of five Type III educators and their experiences working with students impacted by trauma, specifically in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The study used a qualitative single-case study with McClusky’s (1970) theory of margin as the theoretical framework to collect and analyze data from Type III educators to understand how they continue to manage their loads and remain in the Type III alternative education setting. Following recruitment efforts, participants were selected through a process that included three sampling types: snowballing, criterion, and maximum variation. Data were collected from five participants through four cycles of journal responses and semi-structured interviews. Interviews were used to gain clarity and elaboration from the journal prompt entries. The data revealed how Type III alternative schools describe their power-load-margin while working with a student population impacted by trauma. Findings revealed that educators in Type III alternative schools manage their power-load-margin while working with a student population impacted by trauma through maintaining a purpose greater than themselves, consistently implementing restorative practices, and surrounding themselves with a community of well-being. Alternative educators utilize skills such as insight, innovation, and resilience to work in challenging conditions and make a positive impact on students, thereby maximizing their potential. Whether personally or professionally led through self-care, alternative educators must disconnect and recover from the difficulties of their job to return the next day. They must also remain connected and aware of their purpose. Creating a community that values and models self-care, along with shared purpose, creates a greater margin for Type III alternative educators. The study contributes to the limited research on the experiences, particularly the margins, of Type III alternative educators.
Alternative educators., Type III alternative schools., Power-load margin theory (PLM), Burnout., Compassion fatigue.
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