Career As a Teacher Special Education

SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS WORK TO help children who need special assistance. They instruct students at all grade levels who face a vast array of developmental, learning, physical, mental, and emotional disabilities and issues. To help youngsters with moderate disabilities, these teachers modify the existing curriculum and classroom techniques to meet individual learning styles and needs. They help those who have more severe disabilities learn basic literacy, math, social and independent living skills. These teachers work primarily in public and private schools. Residential centers, medical institutions, nonprofit groups, hospitals and similar facilities also employ special education teachers. Some special education teachers work alongside general education teachers, helping children with special needs function within the non-disabled student population. Others work with small groups of special needs children whose classes are separate from the general student body. Special education teachers assess each child to determine the least restrictive environment for their individual situation and skills. They develop Individual Education Plans (IEPs) that spell out the goals and techniques for each child, review those plans with parents and other school staff, and implement the plans. A career as a special needs teacher can be both rewarding and demanding. The annual earnings among all special education teachers average about $55,000, usually a little higher than that of general education teachers. Experts predict that the number of special education teaching jobs will increase by almost 20 percent within the coming decade. Classes often have 10 or fewer students, so special education teachers can work more closely with each individual. Many teachers report immense personal satisfaction from their work helping challenged children overcome their disabilities and eventually function as productive adults. However, the work is mentally and physically challenging. Special needs children require more attention than other students and present more discipline issues. It can be frustrating to work with a child for months without seeing significant progress on skills that most children master easily. Dealing with parents, fellow teachers and school administrators can also be difficult when they do not understand the nuances of handling a disabled child. Consequently, burnout and turnover rates are higher among special education teachers than in the general teaching profession. Becoming a special education teacher requires at least a bachelor’s degree and, for public schools and many private schools, certification by a state licensing body. Some states also require a master’s degree for teaching special needs children. Many special education teachers choose to obtain their master’s degree because the additional training helps their career advance more quickly and brings a higher pay rate. A career in special education is not for everyone. However, for those who have the patience, determination and temperament to build a successful career, teaching special needs children offers a unique opportunity to positively affect the lives of the children. This new Careers Ebook contains a wealth of unbiased information about an occupational field, based on the latest national surveys. Careers Ebooks cover attractive and unattractive sides, opportunities, education necessary, personal qualifications required, earnings, descriptions of different job specialties, first person accounts by those in the field, and how to get started; including practical advice on what to do now. There are live links to schools and colleges, associations, periodicals and other sources of reliable information.