Special Education Teacher

Special education teachers are teaching professionals who work with students who, because of disabilities, are unable to function in a traditional classroom or who do not have the capacity to learn at the standard achievement level. The various types of disabilities that qualify individuals for special education programs include specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, visual impairments, autism, combined deafness and blindness, traumatic brain injury, and other health impairments.

Early identification of a child with special needs is an important part of a special education teacher's job. Early intervention is essential in educating children with disabilities. These teachers work with students, often in a very individualized way, to help them achieve the learning goals that they are capable of reaching.

Both public and private schools employ special education teachers. They offer classroom and one on one instruction. Special education classes are often made up of children who are at the same development level, rather than the same age level. Special education teachers work with these children outside the traditional curriculum expectation.

Special Education teachers are typically tasked with providing assessments of their students to properly place them at the appropriate learning levels before beginning instruction. Once the student is classified, they provide the appropriate level of education for the school year. They are also responsible for monitoring the students' progress, and reporting on the level of education that the child achieves throughout the year.

Special Education teachers use a variety of teaching methods, designed to reach the challenged child. They often use hands on learning techniques, music and games to help augment traditional learning methods. Special education teachers also work with traditional curriculum teachers to allow special education students to spend some time in the traditional classroom, as activities and the individual child's circumstances allow.

Special Education teachers must be certified teachers, with a Bachelor's Degree in Special Education. This degree includes coursework specifically designed to prepare teachers for the special challenges associated with educating children with physical and mental disabilities. Not all universities that offer education degrees offer degrees in special education; so a student pursuing this degree may have to look a bit further to find an appropriate educational institution.

Special Education teachers must be especially patient and understanding, as they are working with students who face special challenges and may have greater than average difficulty functioning in the classroom. In addition, they may need to possess a wider variety of teaching methods, as they will likely be teaching children who are more difficult to reach and may not respond to traditional teaching methods.

Special education teacher typically teach in elementary level schools. Often, part of their role is to prepare older elementary students to transition to middle schools, where full time special education classes may not be offered. They may often be called upon to make recommendations as to whether students are capable of moving into the traditional classroom at this age, or whether specialized schooling will be required.

To find out more about jobs for Special Education teachers, visit the job sites of public school systems in your area, or go to www.carneysandoe.com.

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