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 secondary 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:
Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.
Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
Arts and Humanities
English language
Education and Training
teaching and course design
Engineering and Technology
computers and electronics
Math and Science
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Basic Skills
using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Social
looking for ways to help people
teaching people how to do something
Verbal
communicate by speaking
communicate by writing
Ideas and Logic
notice when problems happen
come up with lots of ideas
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:
Dependability
Concern for Others
Stress Tolerance
Cooperation
Integrity
Adaptability/Flexibility
You might use software like this on the job:
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Graphics or photo imaging software
Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
Electronic mail software
Email software
Microsoft Outlook
bachelor's degree or certificate after college usually needed
In the military:
see titles from the Air Force
.
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