Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
Teach academic, social, and life skills to secondary school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $41K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $49K
Median Salary: $62K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $80K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $101K
Demand
Core Tasks
Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification and positive reinforcement.
Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory.
Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.
Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and to determine priorities for their children and their resource needs.
Modify the general education curriculum for special-needs students, based upon a variety of instructional techniques and technologies.
Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.
Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
Teach personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, and self-advocacy.
Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, and professionals to develop individual educational plans designed to promote students' educational, physical, and social development.
Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students.
Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems, or special academic interests.
Monitor teachers and teacher assistants to ensure that they adhere to inclusive special education program requirements.
Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
Administer standardized ability and achievement tests and interpret results to determine students' strengths and areas of need.
Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.
Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.
Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, and food preparation.
Prepare for assigned classes and show written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate supervisors.
Prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states and schools.
Provide additional instruction in vocational areas.
Collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of secondary school programs.
Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
Meet with parents and guardians to provide guidance in using community resources and to teach skills for dealing with students' impairments.
Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
Provide interpretation and transcription of regular classroom materials through Braille and sign language.
Visit schools to tutor students with sensory impairments and to consult with teachers regarding students' special needs.
Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.
Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guest speakers, or other experiential activities, and guide students in learning from those activities.
Perform administrative duties, such as assisting in school libraries, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.
Sponsor extracurricular activities, such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.
Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
English Language
93%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education and Training
90%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Computers and Electronics
80%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Mathematics
78%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Customer and Personal Service
76%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Psychology
75%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Administration and Management
70%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Clerical
70%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Public Safety and Security
69%
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Therapy and Counseling
67%
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Top 10 Skills
Learning Strategies
83%
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Active Listening
80%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Instructing
80%
Teaching others how to do something.
Reading Comprehension
80%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Service Orientation
80%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness
80%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
80%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing
80%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Coordination
78%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Monitoring
78%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Top 10 Abilities
Speech Clarity
83%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension
80%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
78%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Recognition
78%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Deductive Reasoning
75%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Fluency of Ideas
75%
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Inductive Reasoning
75%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Top 10 Work Activities
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
90%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
88%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Coaching and Developing Others
85%
Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Training and Teaching Others
84%
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
83%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
81%
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Getting Information
81%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Interacting With Computers
81%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
80%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
80%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Detailed Work Activities
Develop strategies or programs for students with special needs.
Monitor student performance.
Monitor student behavior, social development, or health.
Evaluate student work.
Establish rules or policies governing student behavior.
Teach life skills.
Maintain student records.
Prepare reports detailing student activities or performance.
Apply multiple teaching methods.
Discuss problems or issues with supervisors.
Discuss student progress with parents or guardians.
Modify teaching methods or materials to accommodate student needs.
Set up classroom materials or equipment.
Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs.
Plan educational activities.
Develop instructional objectives.
Direct activities of subordinates.
Encourage students.
Advise students on academic or career matters.
Administer tests to assess educational needs or progress.
Prepare tests.
Document lesson plans.
Teach vocational courses.
Teach others to use technology or equipment.
Create technology-based learning materials.
Assist students with special educational needs.
Attend training sessions or professional meetings to develop or maintain professional knowledge.
Plan experiential learning activities.
Serve on institutional or departmental committees.
Supervise school or student activities.
Coordinate student extracurricular activities.
Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
Distribute instructional or library materials.
Order instructional or library materials or equipment.
Tutor students who need extra assistance.
Work Context
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Coordinate or Lead Others
How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
Public Speaking
How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Education
Interests
Social
100%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Investigative
62%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic
58%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising
53%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional
48%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic
24%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Top 10 Work Styles
Dependability
95%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Concern for Others
94%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Stress Tolerance
94%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Cooperation
93%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Integrity
92%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Adaptability/Flexibility
91%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Self Control
91%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Persistence
90%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Achievement/Effort
88%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Attention to Detail
88%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Work Values
Relationships
100%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Achievement
81%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Support
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
