Working with special ed?

Question

I already have a master's degree in social work. My background is working with special needs - both children and adults. I want to work in a preschool or elementary school setting with special needs and / or at risk kids. My questions are:

since I already have a master's degree in education, do I need a second master's or just a credential? If so, what is the credential I need?

what can a special ed teacher expect to earn in their first year (I'm in California)

Are their jobs in a school setting working with special needs other than teaching? If so, what are they?

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.

Answer 1

Wow, where were you when I was growing up?  If you have your state "green card" (yes people, if you want to work in certain professions in CA, you have to have a green card--it's just the silly color they use here) as an educator, you CAN go into Special education, but if i remembe right, you have to have a second degree in SE fo full accreditation.  Check out the state license requirements at the sacramento  web site, since that is wwhere all the rules and regs are for a great majority of professional services.  You might also consider working at getting an MFCC diploma as well, as it will definitely assist you when working with damaged kids like me (24 y/o kid that is)  Since my BF, who is an autistic with AS as a secondary axis just gradualted witha two-year degree and who is buying his own home and had his job lined up and signed in concrete 6 months before he gradded, I have been inspired to start looking at different possibilities of me going back to school an finishing up my degree in working with damaged/disabled/special needs kids.  Since my hospital is a teaching hospital, and I have been volunteering there regualarly, AND the kids ans staff like me and my work, I checked out what it would take for meto finish up my degree.  I have been offered the chance to 'star test' or 'clep out' of many of the classes I would require due to my hving been volunteer working in the pediatrics unit at my hospital a long time.  They told me that since I have already done more than the equivalent in externship, and I have been perfoming the duties that I would be required to learn for completing the courses I need, they would take into consideration all the work I have already done in pediatrics plus the  reccomendations of the staff that supervised me, and possibly 'skip' or 'clep the classes in those areas.  My BF and i hve been talking aboutthis, and he is willing to wait on me joining him in Illinois to share his last name and his life until I complete my studies.  Is that sweet or what?  Oh, and BTW, I'm an autistic 'kid' too.  I wan to be able to give back to the world some of the special care an needs I had growin up, and working with damaged kids like i was.  It  has meant so much to me already to hav ben able to work withthese kids already, and how much more it would mean if I could get licensed for it.  Sorry I got off the beaten track and jumped on my soap box.

Good luck

Answer 2

Wow you're awesome. You're living my dream. I want the same degree you have and do the same thing you are so close to doing. But I gave up. But good luck!!!!

Answer 3

You'd probably have to do a second masters to become a teacher as you need something to do with Education or Special Education (preferably the 2nd one) - you can ask your state education board or a local special school about this though. You may be able to be a counsellor or welfare officer at a special school for that age group

Not sure about the pay though

There are jobs working in a school setting other than teaching these include:

counselling

welfare officer

teacher's assistant

you could also work with older students to assist them with transition from school to the next phase of their life,

be an advocate