By Markus Torrance

In this economy, people are often finding themselves in situations which prompt them to rethink their career path. Many energetic and motivated people, who enjoy working with children and take satisfaction in seeing them meet educational goals, are drawn to jobs in special education. Often, people considering a career in special education are unsure of the job requirements or how to enter this field. If you are contemplating making your career in special education or school psychology, a review of general information regarding special education requirements may assist you in determining whether special ed jobs or school psychology jobs provide a good fit.

The first educational requirement for those seeking employment as teachers is that they must hold a bachelor’s degree (which is often, although not required to be, in the field of education) and a general teacher’s certificate (typically obtained through the state board of education). To receive a general education certificate in most states, teachers are required to pass a teaching board exam, as well as complete a required number of hours as a student teacher. Because the Federal Law governing special education, known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), requires that special education teachers must be ‘highly qualified’, most states also have requirements that special education teachers take additional coursework in areas specific to special education, such as making accommodations, adapting general education curriculum, writing Individual Education Plans, and learning teaching methods for special education students with a large variety of disabilities.

School psychologists may work with general education students as well as special education students. When children are identified as having a possible learning disability, as well as in cases when children are identified as being exceptional learners, school psychologists are often called upon to administer academic, cognitive, and psychological testing in order to determine the child’s eligibility for special education services or gifted student resources. The school psychologist then presents and interprets the test results, which helps to determine a child’s current level of functioning or ability relative to same age or same grade peers, with the aim of designing educational programming to serve the individual child’s needs. School psychology jobs require a bachelor’s degree, a master’s or doctoral degree in psychology, as well as a practice certificate from the governing professional board in psychology.

Other employment positions available to qualified personnel to work for school districts as special education team staff includes Speech Therapists, Audiologists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants. As school district employees, they are required to have a degree and/or a valid license from the state board governing their area of expertise. For people seeking special ed jobs who are completing their education and do not yet possess a bachelor’s degree, there are multiple other job positions working with children. Many school districts have positions for educational aides, teaching assistants, reading specialists, and other staff members who need not hold teaching certificates.

Once hired as a special education employee, special education teachers, school psychologists and other employees who work with special education students are required to maintain active licenses, as well as complete continuing education credit hours to keep abreast of the current practices in their respective fields. Special educators from all fields are needed to combine their efforts to help their students with special education needs.

About the Author: Agency specializing in placing compassionate educational therapists with

special education jobs

, with branches in Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Boston and Los Angeles.

Source:

isnare.com

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