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Special educators are in high demand. There is particular demand for men and individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse groups. Demographic changes require teachers to work with students and families of differing backgrounds. These changes are expected to continue over the next several decades.
Special educators find their careers to be challenging and rewarding, providing an opportunity to profoundly impact the lives of students with disabilities and their families. Special educators work with students from birth to 21 who have a wide range of learning, mental, emotional and physical disabilities, along with special health care needs.
Special educators should have great communication and critical thinking skills. They are expected to be creative, patient and enjoy working with children and adults. Special educators not only modify lessons and teaching strategies to meet the needs of students with mild to moderate disabilities, but they also teach independent living skills and basic literacy to students with more severe disabilities.
The 2010 median pay for special educators was $53,220 and the job outlook through 2020 is projecting 17% growth in jobs. This expected growth is based on increasing enrollment and continued demand for special educational services (US Bureau of Labor Statistics). A career in special education offers decent pay, benefits and geographic mobility.
A state teaching license is required to be a special educator. Websites like gradschool.com and peterson.com are helpful sites to look for teacher preparation programs. Some programs also offer pathways to English Language Learners (ELL) endorsements as well.
Applicants to teacher preparation programs should consider those that recognize the importance of addressing cultural and linguistic diversity, both in the field and in the preparation program. Candidates should have student teaching opportunities and clinical experiences in a variety of settings, both rural and urban, to allow them to master culturally responsive instructional strategies before being assigned to their own classroom.
If you have an undergraduate degree in arts and science and would like to switch careers, or if you are an already licensed general education teacher who would like to be an effective collaborative educator in an inclusive setting, a career in special education is waiting for you. You can make a profound difference in so many lives with a career in special education!
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Source: http://www.thehealthjournals.com/2013/03/the-rewards-of-teaching-special-education/
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