Students with physical, mental, and psychological disabilities must be given the opportunity to learn by being taught by professionals who have been trained to help students with special needs. As mandated by state and federal law, all students, regardless of their disability, are entitled to an education suitable to their needs.
The concept of special education began with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – a federal law enacted in 1974 – which set forth requirements for special education with which states had to comply. This law has consistently framed the role of the special education teachers in this country.
If you have an interest in becoming a special education teacher, you must complete a degree program that will prepare you to work with children who have special needs. This will include specialized coursework, classroom training, and completing your teacher certification. The Department of Education in each state governs the requirements for university course content, in-class training, and certification.
Teaching
Special education encompasses all academic subjects and almost any given life skill, thus a special education teacher must become well educated in a wide variety of subjects. All special needs students are different and the setting in which the educator serves them constantly changes. Most degree programs will, then, include coursework in general education in addition to the specialized classes that deal with various disabling conditions.
Law
According to federal and state law, every student is entitled to be educated in the “least restrictive” environment possible. This could mean that some special needs children will be able to spend some, if not all, of their school day in a typical classroom, as stated by the IDEA , “To the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities [should be] educated with children who are not disabled.”
Some students’ needs will be too great for integration into a regular classroom, however, so special education teachers must be exposed to a wide range of the environments in which they might find themselves teaching.
Education
Most degrees in special education are at the master’s level, though some bachelor’s degree programs with specialization in this area are available. Online master’s degrees in special ed are increasing in popularity allowing working teachers to earn their advanced degrees without needing to forfeit their tenure to attend school.
Undergraduate degrees in this field will typically begin with courses in general education and/or psychology with child development classes added during the second year. Third-year students will begin specialized training that will allow them to acquire their degree with a focus on special education. During the final year, students prepare for certification and do a semester of student teaching.
Many states do require special ed teachers to obtain a master’s degree as well as specialized training in order to achieve licensing Those who choose to teach special education will usually undergo longer and more intensive training periods.
If you complete your bachelor’s and master’s degrees, you may consider earning your PhD as well. A doctorate degree will open doors for those who want to transition into an administrative position or would like to pursue a role in academic research. PhD programs prepare individuals for leadership positions, so if you are interested in eliciting policy changes at a higher level, you should consider pursuing a doctorate degree.
Fri, Apr 30, 2010
Degrees, Education, Higher Education, Teachers