Special Education Teacher

Virtually all positions for special education teachers in the country require the applicant to possess a bachelor's degree at the very least, with many requiring specific training in special education. Depending on the position applied for, some employers may even require the applicant to have a master's degree. There are numerous educational programs available for aspiring special education teachers who do not have a specific educational background in the field.

There are currently several special education teacher programs offered by colleges and universities, all over the country, at undergraduate, master and doctoral levels. Generally speaking, special education teachers are required to go through longer training than general education teachers. While many bachelor's degree programs include courses that specifically deal with special education, more and more institutions require further instruction at the graduate level, in order to prepare students for positions as special education teachers. The special education specific courses that are offered by bachelor's degree programs typically include educational psychology, the legal ramifications of special education, child growth and development and various methods for the instruction of students with disabilities.

Special education teachers have to be licensed in all 50 states of the country, as well as in the District of Columbia. This license is granted by the individual state's educational board or by an advisory committee, with the requirements varying from state to state. In most, the typical requirements in order for an applicant to be granted a license are a bachelor's degree, certification of completion of a state approved special education program for teachers and a practice teaching program. In addition, many states also require the applicant to have a master's degree in special education, which may entail an additional one year of course work on top of the bachelor's degree.

If you are not able to meet all the above requirements, but still wish to be a special education teacher, there are other licensing programs available if you have a bachelor's degree. These programs will usually require you to undergo a program of supervised instruction, after which you will have to pass an assessment test. Applicants who mange to fulfill these requirements will then be granted a provisional license, which will allow them to teach under supervision of licensed teachers. After you have taught for one to two years and have undergone further educational instruction, you will be granted a regular special education license.

Special education teachers are typically called upon to work with children and youths with a wide range of disabilities. While some special education teachers are employed as instructors for mentally retarded or autistic students, most are employed to work with children who have milder disabilities. Some may also get to work with infants and toddlers, although instruction of elementary, middle and secondary level students is far more common.

Special education teachers are routinely expected to use various learning methods, which may include individual instruction, problem-solving and working with small groups of students.

One of the most important qualities that a special education teacher must possess is patience. Since the job will involve working with students that have special needs, the ability to explain things in a clear, cohesive, consistent and patient manner, often repeatedly, is a must. Special education teachers should also be able to motivate their students, have a clear understanding of their needs and should be very tolerant of their differences. Creativity in the manner in which instruction is given and the application of different teaching methods are also absolutely essential. Excellent communication and cooperation skills are also required in order to effectively interact with other workers in the special education field.

The average salaries for special education teachers were estimated at about $46,300 in 2006. Of this group, most were employed in preschools, kindergartens and elementary schools, with the middle 50% making anywhere from $37,500 and $59,300. The lowest 10% of this group made less than $31,300, with the highest 10% making more than $73,600.

Special education teachers employed in middle schools earned an average of $47,600, in the same period, with the middle half making around $38,500 to $61,500. The lowest 10% of this group made less than $32,400, while the highest 10% made more than $80,200.

Special education teachers working in secondary schools averaged about $48,300 in annual earnings, with the middle half making about $39,000 to $62,600. The lowest 10% of this group made less than $32,800 and the highest 10% made more than $78,000.

In addition, special education teachers that work in schools can generally expect to earn extra income from sports instruction as well as extracurricular work.

One of the most notable figures in the field of special education is Dr. Samuel A. Kirk, who was formerly associated with the University of Arizona. Most of his accomplishments were performed in his role as the director of the Institute for Research on Exceptional Children. Concurrent with this position, Kirk was also the director of the Federal Office of Education's Division of Handicapped Children between 1963 and 1964.

Some of the most respected organizations in the field of special education are The Department for Education and Skills, The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities.

The Department for Education and Skills or DfES, is based in the United Kingdom and was actually a government organization from 2001 to 2007. The DfES was originally responsible for both the educational system and children's services in the country. It was subsequently broken up into two organizations: The Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities or AAIDD, is an advocacy group that primarily deals with issues related to mental retardation. It is a non-profit organization that that currently has members in the US and more than fifty other countries around the world.

The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities or NICHCY, currently serves as the country's central source of information for disabled persons and special education needs for children and the youth. Among its tasks are the collection, organization and exchange of information regarding childhood disability and special education. The NICHCY's primary goals are to further research, information exchange and teaching and learning about special education.

Of the more than 459,000 jobs held by special education teachers in 2006, almost all of them were found in public and private educational facilities. Some of them worked in individual and social assistance organizations, while others worked in residential, home or hospital settings.

It is expected that employment opportunities for special education teachers will rise at a rate faster than the average. Applicants can expect to find numerous employment opportunities in the next few years, due to the increasing demand for qualified special education teachers all over the country.

Among the cities that have numerous employment opportunities for special education teachers are Los Angeles, Baltimore, New York, Phoenix, Allentown, Chicago, and Philadelphia.