Special Education Teacher Job Description

It is fact that teaching students with any form of disability is extremely challenging and more demanding than any other type of teaching jobs but it is equally rewarding, especially when it comes to job satisfaction. In the last year, career opportunities for special education teachers saw a significant growth and variety of job openings were recorded for posts of special education teachers. Right from public and private schools to hospitals and NGOs, special education teachers have been in demand in variety of teaching jobs.

Job Description

It is obvious that a special education teacher will work with children who're either physically or mentally challenged. He will be teaching children with cerebral palsy or any type of sensory impairments. Some vital aspects of the job of a special education teacher include teaching children with speech and language related problems, dealing with kids having mental disability like autism, emotional disturbances, ADHD; behavioral problems and anxiety disorders.

Responsibilities

• Observe, understand and analyze a student's behavior. In cases of behavioral issues, work towards behavior management.
• Receiving adequate training by attending national and state level seminars related to teaching special children.
• Keep oneself abreast with latest developments and news about reforms, policies, laws, rules and regulations regarding teaching students with special needs.
• Maintain records of the student's progress based on weekly, quarterly and monthly basis.
• Work closely with parents, guardians and care takers to help students achieve goals and objectives.
• Actively participate in organizing camps, sports activities and outdoor activities for students and ensure their safety remains unchallenged.
• Assist students in medical care, diagnosis and tests.
• Look after administrative works, including management of students behavioral records and patterns of improvement in behavior.
• Collaborate with social workers, physiotherapists, psychologists, child counselors, speech and language therapists; to improve life of challenged children.
• Study the student carefully; about their short term and long term learning disabilities.
• Incorporate learning resources, prepare chapters, lessons creatively to teach students concepts and basic things.
• Mark assessment tests and maintain a track record of student's progress.
• Teach students with special techniques like Braille or helping students in learning lip reading and sign language in speech disorders.
• Work closely with class teachers or individual subject teachers in explaining concepts to special children.

Becoming a special education teacher requires you to obtain a bachelor's degree in subjects related to education or those related to teaching special children. Mostly, master's and research oriented degrees are preferred in many states. Teaching or intern experience is also a main criteria for getting hired in popular special education schools and colleges. The earning potential of teachers in this profession has shown promises of betterment in the coming years, so you can be ready to take a plunge in this profession. Remember, in this field, learning never stops! Every day is a new day because every child is special!

A special education teacher must make sustained efforts to create a learning environment that is safe, secure, supportive and conducive for children with special needs. He must focus with extreme care and concern on individual needs and learning of a child. The success of a special child in learning is no less than a lifetime reward for the teacher. If you have that care, love and practicality to deal with numerous aspects of this profession, you should move ahead to become a great special education teacher. If teaching special children becomes your love, then every task entailed in special education teacher job description will be a pathway for you to productively, creatively and blissfully utilize every waking hour of the day.