Does any one have advice for someone entering on a course track to teach special-ed?

Question

I think I will good at it since I am compassionate and patient. I have never taught before, but I really want a job that is more of a career than what I have been doing(loan officer and sales). I want to do something where my life has real significance. There are too many drab people on this planet and I don't want to be one. Still I know I have a lot to learn, does anyone have any good pointers?

Are the classes difficult. What are the school employers looking for?

Answer 1

I agree that you should find a way to get into the classrooms, volunteering or any way you can. You need to see if it is truly what you want to do before you spend the time in school. I'm not trying to discoursge you, far from it. I've seen some teachers who had no idea what they were getting into when they got there first classroom.

Answer 2

before going into special ed i would suggest you do some volunteer work where you are exposed to children who have disabilities...its the most rewarding job, i love it. However it is alot of work....employers are looking for dedicated teachers, people,

Answer 3

I would try to find a way to spend some time in a SpEd classroom. You may qualify for a job as an Educational Assistant (in the US there are a lot of EAs who work with SpEd kids), or perhaps you can arrange to volunteer somehow.

I recommend this for two reasons. The first is that the experience will give you much insight into whether or not you really want to do this.

The second is that the time you spend observing the teachers and other school staff, observing the students, working with the students, is valuable experience you don't get in a university, reading a textbook or listening to a lecture. Sometimes I think all teachers and education students, SpEd or General Ed., should should be EAs first. I knew someone who was an EA and a public defender before he became a teacher, and I'm pretty it was the EA experience that made him a better teacher!

But you should also know that documentation is an important part of Special Education anymore. The paperwork that fuels the accountabilism grows every year. If you're walking away from loan officer because you hate paperwork, consider general ed. Those teachers have somewhat less in the way of documentation requirements, but they sure do complain about the ones they have!