Question:

Should I encourage my husband to pursue teaching Special Education classes?

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My husband is about to receive his CA teaching credential in Jan or Feb.

All the teachers are telling him if he takes a couple more classes he'll be qualified to teach Special Education, and he'll practically be guaranteed a job.

He got excited because otherwise he can only teach History which is incredibly hard to find a job opening in.

I have not been supportive of him pursuing Special Education as of this point because I don't feel like he's been called to it, and I think you have to have patience and a calling to that position.

Am I wrong? Should I just let him do his thing and hope he doesn't end up being miserable? It's his decision, but so far I've told him my opinion is no.

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6 ANSWERS


  1. Ultimately the decision should be up to your husband and you should support his decision. With that being said, even if your husband gets the certificate to teach special education doesn't mean that he can ONLY teach in that area. Having that cert. only opens more doors for him to find jobs. He can ultimately still choose to teach History if he finds a job. There is a high demand for SE teachers right now and if money is any kind of issue to your family, SE teachers tend to make more because of the high demand. That is assuming he enjoys teaching SE, I'm not saying he should do it simply for the money or high demand factor. Though I wouldn't say it would hurt him at all to continue with the other few classes for the extra credential.


  2. I think you need to be supportive of your husbands decision. Remind him he needs to do what is best for him. And figure out why he is doing it. Weigh the pros and the cons.

    You are right you have to have a special calling into that field.

    I understand you not wanting to see him do it and fail...or be miserable.

    But right now I think you just need to play the supportive role with whatever decision he makes.

    It might be a lesson he has to learn.

    Who knows maybe it will turn out to be perfect for him!

  3. Too many teacher have taken special education classes only so they can get their 'foot in the door' in a school. Let me offer this thought - if you are not a good special education teacher - no district will keep you long enough for you to switch to regular education.  Interviewers know when someone is superficial in their interest.

    So the key is does he have any skills in working with students with behavioral difficulties?  If so - taking some special education classes to strengthen that area could be helpful even for history teachers.  HE might want to try an Intro class and see what he thinks - or shadow someone who teaches EBD or DCD or some of the other alphabet soup of special ed to see if he's interested in it.


  4. personally, I say that if he wants to do it then let him. but with that I leave a warning, only if his heart is in it should he do it because it is an amazing experience and he will be changed, but it isn't just a job it is so much more, personally I know that after volunteering once, I was hooked and am now going to become a special education teacher. so as long as he's doing it for the right reasons, it shouldn't worry you. if he's just doing it to be guaranteed a job, let him know that he could be messing with kids futures and their life.

  5. I don't think it's up to you to decide what another human being is called to do.

    This is his decision.

    All the best.

  6. If it's only a couple of classes, he should go for it.  One day, that extra credenial could open doors that he's not even aware of today.

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