Strategies for kindergarten through fifth grade teachers to use to address the phenomenon of learned helplessness in students with special needs

The purpose of this study was to examine effective strategies used by kindergarten\ud through fifth grade teachers to address the phenomenon of learned helplessness in\ud students with special needs. After reviewing the literature and working with students\ud who exhibit the characteristics of learned helplessness, the investigator learned many\ud educators face this same challenge in their classrooms everyday. This research project\ud asked administrators, special educators, and general educators at an urban elementary\ud school in southern California to identify strategies they currently use in their school\ud and classroom to support students who have special needs and characteristics of\ud learned helplessness. The results and interpretations of this qualitative study suggest\ud that administrators, special educators, and general educators need to have special\ud strategies and interventions in place to support and encourage our students be\ud successful in the classroom. As educators, we need to "raise the bar" for our students\ud and help them realize their full potential