Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Overview
SaveJob Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, physician assistants, and veterinarians.
Teach academic, social, and life skills to preschool-aged 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.
Yearly Salary
| High: | $115K |
| Median: | $61K |
| Low: | $34K |
Demand
Core Tasks
- Employ special educational strategies or techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, or memory.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification or positive reinforcement.
- Communicate nonverbally with children to provide them with comfort, encouragement, or positive reinforcement.
- Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, or other professionals to develop individual education plans (IEPs).
- Develop individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students' educational, physical, or social development.
- Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, or social skills, to preschool students with special needs.
- Teach students personal development skills, such as goal setting, independence, or self-advocacy.
- Develop or implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of disabilities.
- Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
- Administer tests to help determine children's developmental levels, needs, or potential.
- Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment or materials to prevent injuries and damage.
- Attend to children's basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, or changing their diapers.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
- Prepare classrooms with a variety of materials or resources for children to explore, manipulate, or use in learning activities or imaginative play.
- Confer with parents, guardians, teachers, counselors, or administrators to resolve students' behavioral or academic problems.
- Encourage students to explore learning opportunities or persevere with challenging tasks to prepare them for later grades.
- Establish and communicate clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects to students, parents, or guardians.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, or administrative regulations.
- Meet with parents or guardians to discuss their children's progress, advise them on using community resources, or teach skills for dealing with students' impairments.
- Monitor teachers or teacher assistants to ensure adherence to special education program requirements.
- Modify the general preschool curriculum for students with disabilities.
- Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.
- Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, or teacher training workshops to maintain or improve professional competence.
- Organize and supervise games or other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, or social development.
- Prepare objectives, outlines, or other materials for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements.
- Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, or assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
- Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
- Arrange indoor or outdoor space to facilitate creative play, motor-skill activities, or safety.
- Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.
- Organize and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their perceptual skills.
- Present information in audio-visual or interactive formats, using computers, television, audio-visual aids, or other equipment, materials, or technologies.
- Collaborate with other teachers or administrators to develop, evaluate, or revise preschool programs.
- Serve meals or snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines.
- Plan and supervise experiential learning activities, such as class projects, field trips, or demonstrations.
- Prepare assignments for teacher assistants or volunteers.
- Control the inventory or distribution of classroom equipment, materials, or supplies.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
English Language
90%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Education and Training
85%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Psychology
77%
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.
Public Safety and Security
68%
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
66%
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Computers and Electronics
65%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Administrative
62%
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Customer and Personal Service
62%
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.
Sociology and Anthropology
60%
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Medicine and Dentistry
59%
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Top 10 Skills
Speaking
83%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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.
Critical Thinking
78%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
78%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Social Perceptiveness
78%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Learning Strategies
75%
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Monitoring
75%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Writing
75%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning
73%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Instructing
73%
Teaching others how to do something.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Expression
83%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Problem Sensitivity
80%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Speech Clarity
80%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Written Comprehension
80%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Deductive Reasoning
78%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
75%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Written Expression
75%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Speech Recognition
70%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Information Ordering
68%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Top 10 Work Activities
Getting Information
89%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Assisting and Caring for Others
87%
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
86%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Documenting/Recording Information
85%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
85%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Training and Teaching Others
83%
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
82%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Working with Computers
81%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Developing Objectives and Strategies
79%
Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
76%
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Detailed Work Activities
- Develop strategies or programs for students with special needs.
- Teach life skills.
- Encourage students.
- Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs.
- Monitor student performance.
- Monitor student behavior, social development, or health.
- Evaluate student work.
- Teach others to use technology or equipment.
- Administer tests to assess educational needs or progress.
- Establish rules or policies governing student behavior.
- Provide for basic needs of children.
- Set up classroom materials or equipment.
- Direct activities of subordinates.
- Discuss student progress with parents or guardians.
- Discuss problems or issues with supervisors.
- Maintain student records.
- Develop instructional objectives.
- Modify teaching methods or materials to accommodate student needs.
- Assist students with special educational needs.
- Plan educational activities.
- Develop instructional materials.
- Attend training sessions or professional meetings to develop or maintain professional knowledge.
- Read to students.
- Prepare reports detailing student activities or performance.
- Display student work.
- Create technology-based learning materials.
- Plan experiential learning activities.
- Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
- Distribute instructional or library materials.
Education
Interests
Social
100%
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Artistic
55%
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
Investigative
53%
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Conventional
47%
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Realistic
35%
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
Enterprising
25%
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
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
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
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.
Working Conditions
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Colleges
SAGE Scholars Member Schools that offer majors leading to this career.
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