A special education teacher is someone who works with students who have disabilities. This may include physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. They often work in a school setting and teach children with special needs how to interact with other children and adults in their environment.
What Does a Special Education Teacher Do?
A special education teacher is a person who helps students with disabilities, such as learning disabilities and mental health disorders. Special education teachers teach students with special needs in the classroom or provide support for them outside of it.
Special education teachers may also be called “resource teachers” or “resource specialists.” They work with students who have physical disabilities like cerebral palsy or Down syndrome; developmental delays like autism spectrum disorder (ASD); cognitive impairments like intellectual disability; behavioral problems such as ADHD or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD); language difficulties caused by hearing loss; vision problems resulting from cataracts; speech impediments resulting from cleft palate surgery; speech disorders caused by stuttering or apraxia of speech–and many other conditions that affect children’s ability to learn effectively in mainstream classes.
Get Your Special Education Teacher Ed Certification
You’ll need to go to a university or college and earn a degree in special education teacher. You can find a list of accredited schools at the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
After you’ve earned your degree, it’s time for the Praxis Exam: The Praxis exam is required for anyone who wants to become certified as an educator in any state. It’s also used as part of the hiring process by many school districts across America, so taking this test early on will give you an advantage when it comes time for interviews! Once again, we recommend checking out our guide here if this sounds like something up your alley!
Special Education Teacher Top Certification Programs
If you’re interested in becoming a special education teacher, it’s imperative to have your certification. The following are some of the top programs for obtaining your certification:
- University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX) – This school offers an online Master’s in Special Education that can be completed in as little as two years. The program includes courses such as assessment methods and interventions; professional development strategies; working with culturally diverse populations; individualized educational planning; and legal issues related to special education. There are also electives available so that you can customize your classwork based on your interests or career goals.
- University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA) – This school offers both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in special education with an emphasis on teaching English learners who have learning disabilities or ADHD/ADD diagnoses
Special Education Teacher Top-Paying
As you are probably aware, the cost of living varies greatly depending on where you live. This is especially true for teachers who want to earn their certification in special education and become a teacher with good certification lessons.
Special Education Teachers in the Top-Paying Metropolitan Areas:
- San Jose, CA (median salary $102k)
- San Francisco, CA ($95k)
- WashingSpecial$89k) *Seattle WA ($88k) Boston MA ($72k)
Benefits of Becoming a Special Education Teacher
There are many benefits to becoming a Special Education teacher. You will be able to help children with disabilities, who may not have had the same opportunities as other kids in your classroom. This can give them confidence and self-esteem, which will help them succeed in life.
Conclusion
We hope this article has given you a better understanding of what it takes to become a special education teacher and the benefits of doing so. If you’re interested in learning more about becoming an educator, check out our other articles on this topic!