Can any special education teachers give me some insight on their job?

Question

I'm almost finished with my first bachelor degree in therapeutic recreation and I am considering doing something in special education.

Does anyone mind answering these questions for me?

1. Why did you choose this profession?

2.How many years have you had your job?

3.What is a typical work day like for you?

4.What is your favorite part of the work?

5.What is your least favorite part of the job?

6.do you have any advice that you would give to students interested in an allied health profession?

Thanks for your time!

Answer 1

I would like to tell you that I did it for all the right reasons. Not true. Fell into it, did not like it at first, thought just one more year. That turned into almost 20 and I know I made a difference.

Answer 2

1. Why did you choose this profession?

As a child, I was being abused, so I had severe acting out behavior. I began to fail in school, so I was punished because people thought I was being lazy, because I was smart. No one ever thought to ask why I was acting like this, instead they just criticized and punished me. I decided that I wanted to be the teacher that asked that question. For years

I taught children with emotional disturbance and now I am a school district behavior analyst working with the same population. I really understand them.

2.How many years have you had your job?

I taught for 14 years and I have been a behavior analyst for six years.

3.What is a typical work day like for you?

Typically I go to a school where a referral has been generated because a child is acting out. I observe, interview people, do a file review and then work with the school team to plan and implement an intervention for the child. I typically go from one to three schools per day, depending on the severity of the behavior.

4.What is your favorite part of the work?

I would have to say it is working with school teams to improve a child's behavior. I also like the variety. Most importantly, I love when we create a good outcome for a child. Children with severe problem behavior don't do well in life.

5.What is your least favorite part of the job?

The worst part is the travel.

6.do you have any advice that you would give to students interested in an allied health profession?

Learn to understand behavior or your therapies will constantly be disrupted by kids you can't control.

Answer 3

1.  I have to be honest and say part of it was employability.  There are ALWAYS job openings in SPED.  I have a SPED and Elementary license.  My sister graduated the same year with just Elem.  I have been teaching since then and she's been looking for a job since then.  Also I like the connectioon with kids.  I get a smaller group of kids and I get the same ones year after year.  Once you have a kid in your room for three years you really know them and you know the impact you have had on his or er life.

2.  I have been in my job for 5 years.  YAY I made it past the national average!

3.  My ypical work day is to get to work and try to get caught up on paperwork.  I never get all the way caught up.  Then I do a few hours of inclusive assistance where I go into students' classrooms and work with them and their teachers.  Then I have a few hours of pull-out where kids come to my room for some specific small group assistance.  I also have an aide who is a wonderful help.



4.  MY favorite part of my job is the kids.  I have had students tell me "Thank you for teaching me to read.  Everyone else gave up on me."  That gives me goosebumps.

5.  My least favorite part is the struggle to get classroom teachers to modify their techniques for different kids.  Oh wait, no I hate paperwork even worse than that.  The paperwork in this job is murder.

6.  I dont know anythign about allied health but I do recommen special ed but you should have a backup for when you burn out.

Good luck.

Answer 4

1. I wanted to teacher and that was the only "area" I could find a job in.

2. 5

3. Busy, I teach children who are emotionally disturbed.  I spend lots of time in meetings, doing paperwork and managing crisis.

4.  The break through with a child

5. The adults who do not understand or care to learn about ED kids

6.  nope

Answer 5

1) I liked being around deaf children.

2) Only started it. Taught summer school deaf kids.

3) Prepare the classroom. Doublecheck my lesson plans. Greet the children. Teach all morning. Have lunch. Teach all afternoon. Make phone calls to parents or attend school meetings. Prepare my specific lesson for tomorrow.

4) Seeing the kids improve in their vocabularies.

5) Yard duty.

6) Do volunteer work to see if you like the types of children. Find out the disadvantages of the paperwork vs. the advantages of the working with the kids. See how you like the balance. If it's OK with you, go for it!