5 Reasons You Should Teach Special Education
Thinking about becoming a special education teacher? Read this.
Author: Brooke Selg
- Special Education
- Explore the Profession
Thinking about becoming a special education teacher? Read this.
Author: Brooke Selg
You might hear a few different ways to describe these students. Sometimes called exceptional students, students with disabilities, and special needs students, they are just kids who need extra support to be successful. Here's where you come in!
The world of special education is vast. There are many choices about the age of students you work with, your area of focus, and what that teaching looks like.
Some special education teachers work in a classroom of their own. Others work in general education (sometimes called the regular classroom) to support students as they learn alongside their peers. Other times, teachers work one-on-one with students for part of the day or even help a student with a specific subject.
Let's talk about a few examples. As a special education teacher, you can help a child with limited mobility participate in PE with their classmates when they wouldn't be able to otherwise. You can support students with ADHD by teaching them strategies to focus in the regular classroom. You may want to help exceptional students process their emotions so they can build friendships.
You can teach students from pre-K to high school and even beyond. Whatever you're interested in, there's a pathway for you to make it happen and help the students you feel most passionate about helping. With so many pathways, there's one for you.
Students need special education services for a few reasons. They might have an intellectual disability, visual or hearing impairment, mobility challenges or other needs.
Special education teachers are essential to every school. Every exceptional student deserves to have a teacher trained with the right skills to help them succeed.
The demand for special education teachers is high and growing every year. In 2022, there were 7.3 million students in special education nationwide, accounting for 15 percent of all students. In North Carolina, there were almost 200,000 students in special education, accounting for about 13 percent of students statewide. (1) What an excellent opportunity for you to be that teacher so many students greatly need!
Teaching special education is a rewarding career.
As a special education teacher, you'll also form a close relationship with your students' families. There is a lot of communication back and forth from school to home. You'll get to know families better than teaching in a regular classroom. Keeping families updated on their child's progress is one of the best parts of a career in special education.
You can make a profound impact on your students' lives. Imagine being the teacher who was able to help a student love math after they've been struggling to understand the concepts. That student may grow up to be an engineer or an astronaut. The sky's the limit when students have the support they need.
You get to celebrate small victories and make a lifelong impact.
Special education teachers work closely with general education teachers to support students.
Research shows that students who qualify for special education spend about 80 percent of their time in their general education classroom. For these kids, a sense of belonging comes from participating in classroom lessons and activities.
When teachers welcome all students, it benefits everyone, not just those with unique needs. Their classmates become more understanding and accepting of differences, leading to stronger and more compassionate friendships. (2) School is for everyone, and with the support of special education teachers, students can spend more time with their peers while still getting the help they need to be successful.
Let's be honest. Nobody becomes a teacher to get rich. You become a teacher because you care and want to help people. But you can boost your pay!
Special education is a shortage area subject across the country. That means a degree in special education will set you apart from other teaching candidates. Some states and districts even give special education teachers bonuses and other financial incentives. You might start at a higher salary or even get a signing bonus.
Nationally, the average annual salary for all teachers is $66,450. For special education teachers it’s $74,310. Plus, teaching in a shortage area like special education qualifies you for loan forgiveness options—meaning you won’t have to pay back your student loans! (3)
And don't forget about the healthcare plans, retirement benefits, and summers and school vacations!
You can enjoy job security and choose where to teach because schools everywhere need you. Special education is an excellent choice if you're looking for a career that provides stability and benefits.
You will need a degree or credential to teach special education in most states. The good news is that nearly every teacher prep program has a degree or certificate in special education.
With so many options for becoming a special education teacher, you can choose where to get your certificate or license and where you want to live.
Each state has different rules and policies about their special education requirements, but in general:
The teaching skills and methods you'll learn in your special education prep program will serve you as a teacher for life. Whether you teach special needs kids your whole career or transition to another role in education, you'll use the skills with any students you teach.