In the Air Force:
Education And Training; Education And Training Apprentice; Education And Training Craftsman; Education And Training Helper; Education And Training Superintendent; Education and Training Journeyman; Instructor
With patience, resourcefulness and strong communication skills, special education teachers create a positive learning environment for students with special needs. Special education teachers work with students who have learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. They teach reading, writing, and math, and—for students with severe disabilities— they also teach communication and basic life skills. A special education teacher begins by developing an Individualized Education Program for each student, then implementing it and tracking student progress. Communicating with parents, counselors, other teachers, and administrators helps ensure they meet students’ needs. Tasks vary based on the student’s needs; teachers might develop flashcards for a student with hearing loss, facilitate a small group to teach collaboration for a project, or create a quiet corner for students with autism. Many use assistive technology to communicate with students. Most special education teachers work in public schools, with students ranging from preschool through high school. They generally work during school hours, following the traditional 10-month school year schedule. The work can be highly rewarding, but also emotionally demanding and physically draining. Special education teachers need a bachelor’s degree in special education or in an education-related field; or a content area, such as math or science with a minor in special education. A license is required to teach in public schools. States may offer a general license in special education, or disability-specific credentials, such as autism or behavior disorders.
What they do:
Teach academic, social, and life skills to middle school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.
On the job, you would:
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
Modify the general education curriculum for special-needs students, based upon a variety of instructional techniques and instructional technology.
Develop or write Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students.
Arts and Humanities
English language
Education and Training
teaching and course design
Math and Science
psychology
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Business
customer service
Basic Skills
talking to others
figuring out how to use new ideas or things
Social
teaching people how to do something
understanding people's reactions
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Verbal
read and understand what is written
communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
notice when problems happen
Attention
pay attention to something without being distracted
People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.
They do well at jobs that need:
Concern for Others
Adaptability/Flexibility
Dependability
Self Control
Cooperation
Stress Tolerance
You might use software like this on the job:
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Pear Deck
Computer based training software
Padlet
Schoology
Video creation and editing software
Flipgrid
Video editing software
master's degree or bachelor's degree usually needed