Special Education Career Info
Special education focuses on teaching children with disabilities or developmental delays, but it also includes gifted students who possess exceptionally high intelligence or talent. The field engages child development; therapeutic rehabilitation; learning disability support; and educational psychology in toddlers, elementary school children or high school students. From elementary school teachers to speech therapists, a wide variety of special education careers exist, including:
- Individualized education program (IEP) trainers – sets goals for children and outlines a transition plan to prepare the student for the next level of education
- Speech therapy – helps children learn how to speak for the first time or work to overcome an accent, lisp, stuttering or other speech defect
- Teaching assistant -- assists teachers with lessons, monitoring and tutoring in the classroom
Education & Training in Special Education
While an associate degree in education could help get your foot in the door as a teacher's aide, full-time special education teaching positions require at least a bachelor's degree in special education (usually paired as a double major with elementary education) and state-required credentials. Necessities for public school teachers include passing state credential exams, processing security checks and meeting student teaching requirements. Additional courses in child development, educational psychology, rehabilitation and social work could prove beneficial.
Special Education Salaries
In May 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, special education teachers earned roughly between $40,580 and $65,000. Some teachers earn extra money during the summer.
Related Special Education Careers
If you love working with children but becoming a special education school teacher doesn't feel like an exact match, other options exist. Check out related accounting careers that could spark your interest, including: teacher's aide, special needs kindergarten teacher and resource room teacher.
