Special Education teachers?

Question

This is a question for people who are in the field or were in the past. I have many years of experience working with special needs children and adults. My last job in this field was at a group home for autistic adolescents where I started as a coordinator (building their programming, and basically overseeing all of their daily needs as well as coordinating events and contacts.)

I've had about a year of college but I never majored in a related field. I was planning on going into editing/publishing but now I'm not so sure. I know that working with special needs people is what I'm best at and where my heart is. So, any people with experience out there, could you please tell me a little about your experiences, such as work days, education, salaries, obstacles, etc?

Thanks.

Answer 1

if your heart is in it then thats all that counts. i know several in the field and they are in it strictly for the money and dont care about the kids. and the kids are the most important. i work as a para (aide in Sp Ed class) and i love it! the salary not so great but i am not the main bread winner. obstacles: there are many, parents who dont care or care so much they interfere with your job, and making sure whatever is on that IEP is followed to a tee! experience: live and leaern from the mistakes and believe me you will make them and then figure out the best move next... i work 5 days a week m-f i have some college but started with just a GED

Answer 2

Well go to your Department of Education website and see what it takes for certification.

I was in it6 years and left. Not because I was burned out but because that is not what I wantedto do for the rest of my life. I think it is a mistake. Go to desktop publishing though.

Answer 3

Hi I'm a business developer for special need adults age 23 and up. I work Mon-Fri 8am-4pm most weeks -some over time when  a job site needs me. my main job is to find work for my special need consumers. its not easy ,but i love my job i wont get rich about 45k a yr (plus bonus another 10-15k) but my heart is so full of joy. i have been in this field for 5 yrs (i was a flight attendant before)

Answer 4

I was a high school special education teacher for 7 years and loved it (I am staying home with baby now, but plan to go back to it).  It is going to be a really different experience based on where you work...some schools are more accepting and supportive of special ed. than others, what grade level, and what types of disabilities you work with.  I worked grades 9-12, primarily with students with emotional disabilities or learning disabilities...I taught a few content area classes, which generally consisted of a small number (5-15) of students who were, in general, lower functioning and could not make it in general ed. even with support.  The reast of the day I worked in a resource room study hall...most of our students were assigned to study hall with us, we had smaller numbers than a regular ed study hall and several aides...this allowed us to give more one-on-one assistance and monitor their grades in their gen. ed. classes.  Students also drop-in to these study halls from other classes for help on tests, homework, etc.  In general, there is no "routine" day...there is always going to be a student having a "meltdown" for you to take care of, there are always going to be gen. ed. teachers who don't follow the IEPor give the kids a hard time and you'll have to intervene.  You spend a lot of time advocating for your students or teaching them how to do it for themselves.  It really is such a great job.  We had about 200 kids in our program, but it is nice because you have them all 4 years (in some cases longer) and you get to know them and their parents better than you would otherwise...okay so sometimes that isn't a good thing, but most of the time it is.  I miss it!!!

Answer 5

i no a really nice s.e. teacher and i no a mean 1 but i want to be a teacher when i get older

Answer 6

I have 7 years and still going strong. Very rewarding.

System is simple + is a positive - is a negative let's begin.

-

under IDEA the amount of paperwork is ridiculous but needed to track student progress and shortcomings. Progress Reports, Behavior Mod sheets, classlists and various other federally or district mandated paperwork!

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If working with ED's they can be a handful if you are not prepared with behavior mods and intervention strategies to deescalate certain situations!

But it seems to me that you've had experience in this field and it won't be a difficult transition for you.

+ (In most areas of the country)

Days of Work ! Where should I begin ?! All major holidays off! A week for Christmas that normally takes you from December 24 to Jan. 2. Thanksgiving, Easter a week off. After all said and done you work a total of 180 days in public schools. Or 10 months out of the year. Which also includes 2 months of July and August depending on where you are teaching.

+ (in some areas of the country)

Pay: On a sad note the pay scales vary in different regions of the country. For the most part they are paltry. So I'll give you Jersey City, NJ. Starting pay is 48k your first year. You don't move much until you begin your 10th year where you receive about 10 k every year until your max which is about 88k after 13 years.  

+

Another plus is that you're not limited to the classroom setting. Many people burnout and leave education altogether. But some move on into other areas of Special Ed. where they present workshops to other teachers or work in the district office under varying capacities.

Hope this helps!

ps might have missed some things but these topics are what stand out for me.

Answer 7

My daughter was diagnosed as having ADHD, ODD and Dyslexia, and I became her advocate and support person, often teaching her teachers about dyslexia and how best to support her when in class.

I am frustrated that the education system does not support people with learning disabilities, and many students are slipping through the system, having gained no qualifications. Admittedly it is getting better, thanks to a few very dedicated teachers.

Despite having dyslexia myself and a disability too, I decided to go back to university to gain qualifications as a Youth & Disability support worker, because I feel so strongly about supporting people with disabilities.

I have a keen interest in dyslexia and learning disabilities, and have recently applied for a job as a teacher, teaching students in an alternative way, to main stream education.  If I am lucky enough to gain the job I hope to utilize my teaching strategies I use as sessional teacher with these students.

I currently work as a Youth & Disability carer for physically and cognitively impaired children and adults. As well as a sessional teacher.

I have been lucky that my employers are supportive, and my clients are just as supportive, especially when I am having a bad day.

I have found over the years, the general community are more accepting of the disabled, and have only had to deal with objectionable people a few times, who see fit to push in, be rude or ignore the disabled person.

The wages/salaries are not all that good, but I am rewarded by the smiles of my clients and their family, and even better is the success of the clients meeting their goals and aims, which can be a slow process.

If I don't get the job as a alternative teacher, I may go back and gain a certificate in Welfare.