Special Education Teachers

By Vanessa Rasmussen, © 2004, All rights reserved.
Website: http://www.startingadaycarecenter.com

Special education teachers work with students-from toddlers to those in their early 20s-who have a variety of disabilities. Most special education teacher are found at the elementary, middle, and secondary school level. Special education teachers design and modify instruction to meet a student's special needs. Teachers also work with students who have other special instructional needs, including those who are gifted and talented.

Generally, colleges offer degrees in special education. However, it is not mandatory to obtain such a degree to work as a special education teacher. However, there are certain skills that childcare centers would look at while selecting a special education teacher. These are:

• Compassion
• Understanding
• Ability to plan
• Help students develop emotionally
• Interact with faculty, staff, and parents
• Patience
• Accepting of differences
• Variety of teaching techniques
• Creativity
• Work with students individually
• Knowledge of legal issues
• Well organized
• Adaptable and flexible
• Technology skills
• Enjoy challenges
  

Although, there are no specific cases indicating the need for a special education teacher, such teacher are however, hired to teach children with the following disabilities:

• ADD/ADHD
• Autism
• Brain Injury
• Emotional/Behavioral Disorders
• Hearing Impaired
• LD
• MDD
• Visually Impaired
• Academically Gifted
  

Note that the last category does not indicate a disability. It in fact suggests that special education teachers are also needed to teach children who are extraordinarily intelligent.

Copyright 2001, 2004. All rights reserved. Any reproduction of this article in whole or in part without written or verbal permission is strictly prohibited. For information about reprinting this article, contact the copyright owner: Vanessa Rasmussen, Ph.D, Starting a Day Care Center, http://www.startingadaycarecenter.com.

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