Do you know what is the role of a special education teacher in school?
Let us give you some idea…
A special Education teacher deals with children of various ages with learning or cognitive special needs, or emotional or physical special needs. The role of special education teachers is to help in the growth of students and look after their special needs. They are given to modify the general education curriculum in order to fulfil the individual needs of each student.
Special education jobs require a teacher to be patient, understanding and accepting.
To know what special education teachers do, how to become one, and special education teacher salary and job outlook, keep reading!
How about a career in Special Education?
To pursue a career as a special educator, you need to have an incredible passion for teaching and an immeasurable concern for children with special needs. Special education is all about providing personalised schooling to children with physical and mental special needs. Children with such special needs require special guidance and training by well-trained professionals in the field of special education.
A career in special education will provide you with different career opportunities including teaching, instruction and curriculum development for children with special needs and adults. As a special educator, your main job is to teach and connect with children who have various kinds of special needs. The special educators are trained in specific special needs that include learning special needs, speech or language impairments, visual impairments etc.
How to Become a Special Education Teacher?
The job of a special education teacher is quite challenging s they have to deal with special needs children who come from all kinds of backgrounds and are very unique in nature. Therefore, special education teachers are required to be calm, patient, organized, inspiring, and accepting. They need to have good communication skills as special needs children may have communication special needs.
A special education teacher needs to be licensed in order to teach at a public school. Some schools prefer their special education teachers to hold a master’s degree where few others only require a bachelor’s degree. Whether at the bachelor’s or master’s level, a focused special education degree is usually expected for most jobs.
Here are few steps that one needs to follow to make progress as a career in teaching special education:
- Obtain a state-approved bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in special education.
- Pursue a student teaching internship in a special education classroom.
- Take any state-level tests for special education teachers.
- Apply for your teaching license.
- Start applying to open special education positions.
Types of Job Roles Special Educator
The job profiles of special educators vary from other professions. Special educators work in schools where education is given to students with special needs. However, the teachers are divided into various categories based on their qualification and experience. Some of the job profiles of special educators are given below.
Special Educator for Early/ Pre-KG to Class 12: The responsibility of special educators in this role is to work with children and youth who have a variety of special needs.
Special Educator for High-Incidence Disabilities: The role of the teachers here is to work with students suffering from high-incidence special needs such as speech-language disorders, learning special needs and behavioural special needs.
Special Educator for Autism Spectrum Disorders: These teachers work with children/ students who are on the autism spectrum and possess disorders like communication delays, inability to relate to others and social situations etc.
Special Educator in College/ University: These teachers educate students with special needs beyond school education.
Job Opportunities and Salary outlook for Special Educator
There are enough job opportunities for all those who want to build their career in special education. Special educators can get employed in schools that work only with children with various kinds of special needs. They can also get jobs in inclusive schools that admit children with special needs in their classrooms.
Special educators who have mastered the skills of special education can work as consultants attached with schools or even start their own therapy centres after earning necessary certifications.
Special educators can also get opportunities to work with psychologists, physiotherapist and speech therapists. One can find jobs for special educators in both government and private sectors either and also in rehabilitation centres.
Special education teachers earn around $61,000 with the top 10% of earners making over $98,000 annually. Salaries for special education teachers are determined by factors like education, location and experience. Moreover, special education teachers at public schools often earn more than those at private schools.
Thus, if you looking to enter into the field of special education, you need to earn a degree in Special Education. You can also take up special educational needs courses to set your career in special education.
Written By : Angira Mitra
