Professional teachers working in private education institutionssociological examination of their experiences. (Bitlis province Adilcevaz county example)

This study aims to examine, from a sociological perspective, the professional experiences of teachers working with individuals with special needs at a special education institution located in the Adilcevaz district of Bitlis province. Teachers who provide education to students with special needs encounter distinctive and unique experiences in their professional practice compared to other educators. The student profiles in this institution necessitate the development of original practices that diverge from traditional educational processes. The research is a qualitative study designed to explore teachers' professional experiences in depth and was conducted using a phenomenological approach. The study group consists of 19 teachers working at Şehit Polis Mahmut İkibeş Special Education Practice School Levels I and II in Adilcevaz. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview form and analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. The findings reveal that special education teachers face various challenges during the teaching and learning process. These challenges include students' learning difficulties, their inability to achieve independence in basic life skills, the necessity for teachers to assume multiple roles, diversity in student profiles, societal attitudes towards individuals with disabilities, the need for individualized learning methods for each student, inadequacies in the physical environment, and the limited involvement of parents in the educational process. All these factors contribute to teachers experiencing an intensive and multifaceted educational process. Keywords: Students with special needs, sociology of disability, teaching profession, special education institutions, professional experience.