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Careers / Special Education Teachers, Secondary School |
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| Happiness Index |
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| Users in this Career Group |
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| There are 2028 users in this career group. They represent 16 different countries. You can see the list of users in this career group by clicking on one of the links below. You can also join this career group simply by selecting your current status and clicking "Add Me." |
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652 users are currently in this career. |
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29 users are considering this career. |
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33 users left or retired from this career. |
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1314 users have hidden memberships. |
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| (Hidden users have added this career to their portfolios, but have not indicated a publicly visible status.) |
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| Reviews |
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are 4 reviews of this career. The most recent 3 reviews are listed below. You can see more reviews by clicking on "Read all reviews..." at the bottom of this page. |
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| Write an online review and share your thoughts about this career with others! |
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| Write an online review and share your thoughts about this career with others! |
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Author: |
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Anonymous |
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Date: |
April 07, 2008 |
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I would divide my job into two categories: the kids and "the other stuff." I went into teaching for the kids. No one ever told me about the "other stuff." If they had, I may have chosen a different career. I go to work every day for the kids, but I didn't bargain for broken bones, head lice, spending 1/4 of my own salary on my classroom. I have twice the paperwork as other teachers, work physically twice as hard, twice as long and yet do not having the same basic rights as the General Ed. teacher in the classroom next door! She has the right to hazard free work conditions, but I do not. She has her materials provided for her, but I have $100 in materials money per year.
I have petitioned my administration for basic working conditions, and was told that "I knew what it was when I went into it." "Special Education is bound by different laws that general ed." And while all of that is true, and I really love my kids, I really think about the advice that I would give to a new teacher who is thinking of going into the field: go into it with your eyes wide open!! It is a myth that you get paid more for having to know more, and having to do more. It is a myth that you will have job security, and you will be protected under safe working conditions laws.
You will change adult diapers. You will change adult sanitary napkins. You will feed them, and wipe their noses. You will do more paperwork than you ever thought possible. And you will probably have a LOT of injuries. But you will love them. A lot. It depends on whether you can find a balance in there someplace, and a harbor to flee to when the going gets tough.
But those are all things that no one will ever tell you when you are an undergraduate and things look rosy. Principals are nuts. Other teachers can be nuts. And your kids are the anchor that keeps you from floating away.. |
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| Write an online review and share your thoughts about this career with others! |
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Author: |
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Anonymous |
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Date: |
February 23, 2007 |
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Special Education is not for everyone - especially if you teach in high school level. The students I taught were considered "under IQ", "slow learners", "behavorially impaired", or "uncooperative". I had a class of 12 in a 9th grade setting and none of them were younger than 16. These were the rejects, the don't-wants, the I-give-ups of "normal" classrooms. Challenge? You bet. They all looked at me as if I came from the moon and I to them. After the pledge of alligence which most didnt know but hummed along - if they stood at all, I took role and then the fun began. One voice kept calling out "here" every other name. I followed it and from my stare he ceased. The rest seemed to follow his lead ... the ringmaster.
Lessons began and the books looked way far ahead for them. I pushed mine aside in mid-reading which sparked some interest, even the "uncooperative" kid sleeping on his desk looked up. We're not going to use these, I announced, which turned more heads. I asked for all the books. I went to my breifcase and extracted a file with some tactile work on it I developed during my internship. All looked at them suspiciously. A test? No, follow the directions and turn it in. Even sleeping beauty looked at it and then raised his head and smiled. The other kids nudged their friends at that and began.
You have to be creative, patient and clever. That day opened a door, but it was a struggle to keep them motivated the rest of the year. There are times when you want to go screaming from the room and tear your hair out. Then there are times when you reached somebody and they begin to learn and you are filled with wonder. Did I do that? What did I have the former educators' didn't?
A modern day philosopher once said: "Its a thankless job, but someone has to do it.". I agree, you have to be determined, yet patient. Firm, and then again gentle at the same time. Critical, then complimentry. Ruthless, then prayerful.
Then comes the day some leave you and you are sorry they have to go into the "normal" classroom. Isn't that what its all about? One of my "graduates" comes running back and asks if she needed extra help, could she ask me to help her? Sure I reply, but remember to try on your own and your teacher first. Grinning she runs back out. You nod and turn to the new arrivals and the ones still needing help from last semester.
Isn't that what being a Special Ed teacher is all about? I wouldn't trade it for the world.
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| Interesting Fact |
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| Thomas Edison not only invented electric light, he also invented wax paper, the phonograph (and record), the radio vacuum tube, the motion picture camera, an electronic voting machine and dozens more! |
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| Did you know... |
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| With the Undergraduate Query Tool you can search our college profile database by setting specific criteria, such as location, admissions test scores, cost, type and size! |
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