Certificate in Special Education
What is Special Education?
Teaching is a highly rewarding and challenging profession, ideal for those who enjoy working with others and have excellent communication skills and good problem solving abilities. Teachers practice 3 of life’s most valuable virtues: kindness, patience and understanding everyday with their students and help the students discover their true potential. Today, almost every classroom deals with students who are battling with a physical, intellectual or emotional disability. Special education teachers deal with using various methods to effectively teach such students and help them learn successfully. Special education teachers are also responsible for designing special education programs at various schools around the country.
About the Degree
A certificate of special education is designed for professional teachers who want to dedicate themselves to educating children with disabilities and wish to refine and improve current the current educational system and teaching methods. In order to enroll in a certification program, applicants must have at least a bachelor’s degree in education or a related field, and have some work experience at an educational institution or other organization which allows interaction with special needs children. Some of the courses which students take include technology for differentiated instruction, students assessment and monitoring, and teaching students with learning disabilities.
Career Prospects
The number of students requiring special education has been increasing steadily during the recent years, mainly due to improvements in recognizing and diagnosing learning disabilities at a younger age. As a result, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an estimated 17% increase in employment opportunities, which is one of the highest growth rates among all fields. While junior special education teachers earn about $50,000 on average, the top ten percent make more $82,00 per year at various schools, special education institutes and educational research organizations.