Special Education job market?

[tonysam]

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

Personally, I see SpEd being eliminated from public schools. At least on a large scale. The current attitude is FULL INCLUSION no matter what. This means SpEd teachers will probably become behavior managers or highly paid para-pros in the gen ed classroom.
I have been in a SpEd classroom for nearly 20 years--primarily in residental and lock down facilities.
IF you are determined to do SpEd I would look at an endorsement in autism or cognitive impairment.

Baloney. You know as well as I do a para-pro CANNOT do case management, and regular classroom teachers do not have the training or the time to write up IEPs.

You are allegedly a sped teacher, yet you see CO-TEACHERS in the classrooms as merely aides? Give me a break.

I don't see "full inclusion" happening on a larger scale than is already happening. Most students in sped are LD, so they can spend most if not all of their days in the classroom, but students needing more individual attention cannot.

BTW, the goal of RTI was to ultimately get rid of special education teachers, but it hasn't happened.

[Everdeen]

Originally Posted by hellothisismyname

are the behavioral impairment people in the same class as the mentally disabled?

Often, behavioral issues are part and parcel with the disability. Severe behavior issues, and I mean really severe, have specialized programs. However, the regular sped classes have many students that have a behavior plan. You have to follow it and the plans don't work more often than they do. The students learn very quickly that they can get away with murder because of the protections afforded them in their IEP's.

To qualify for an IEP the student takes a test. I think they use other criteria, but I am not sure what. The thing is, if a student tests at a 2nd grade level for math, how do we know if that is because of a disability or because they are behind? We don't and, honestly, I don't think anyone cares. When I get an IEP on a student it almost always reads "Specific Learning Disability". When I ask what the disability is, no one will tell me. I have been told that they do not test for what the disability is. So, I don't know if it is dyslexia, low IQ, tourette's, or whatever. They almost always use universal modifications for every sped student (Extra time to complete assignments, have the student repeat the instructions, seated in the front of the class, etc)

also, when you are teaching a sped class, does everybody have the same curriculum? or are you giving customized lessons to each student?

I don't teach a sped class. I am a regular ed teacher with one class with enough students with IEP's to warrant a sped co-teacher. I teach the regular curriculum for Pre-Algebra 8. Together, we are trying to find our way as to what works best for the students. Currently, we are trying to incorporate more pull-outs for small group instruction.

She, on the other hand, does have more flexibility in her curriculum in her classes. She is basically teaching the same thing I do, but at a much slower pace. It still is very challenging as the ability of the students in her classes vary greatly. One of her students used to be in my class. I worked and worked with this girl. Just teaching the 4 steps for long division is arduous. She could not remember them from one problem to the next. Forget about the next day. On top of that, this teacher has to deal with some very challenging behavior issues.

Your original question was about the job market. To get back to that, the job market for sped teachers is very, very good. You can get a job anywhere. Just make sure you know what you are getting into.