Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
Career Snapshot
Special education teachers provide a healthy learning environment for students with special needs by being patient, inventive, and having great communication skills. Students with learning, mental, emotional, and physical challenges are served by special education teachers. They teach reading, writing, and math, as well as communication and basic life skills to kids with significant disabilities. A special education teacher begins by creating an Individualized Education Program for each student, which is then implemented and tracked. Communicating with parents, counsellors, other teachers, and administrators helps them meet the needs of their kids. Teachers may prepare flashcards for a student with hearing loss, facilitate a small group to encourage collaboration for a project, or provide a quiet nook for students with autism. Many teachers employ assistive technology to communicate with their students. The majority of special education teachers work in public schools, with students ranging from kindergarten to high school. They usually work throughout the school day, according to the customary 10-month school year schedule. The labour can be extremely rewarding, but it can also be emotionally and physically taxing. A bachelor's degree in special education or in an education-related subject, or a content area, such as math or science with a minor in special education, is required for special education instructors. To teach in public schools, you must have a teaching licence. States may provide a general special education licence or disability-specific credentials, such as autism or behavioural disorders.