Top Special Education Schools

Special Education Teacher Salary

The median special education teacher salary in 2008 was *$50,020. However, this can be more or less depending on a couple of factors. If you are in an area that pays higher and needs more special education teachers, you are likely to make more money.

One way that you can improve your special education teacher salary is by taking higher education courses. By continuing to improve your education you will show that you are dedicated and keeping up. If you are able to obtain your master’s you could also see an increase in salary. Another way to increase your special education teacher salary to to coach a sport or a club. Teachers get paid extra for any time they put in for after school activities, so if you play a sport or have a particular interest in a club at the school, get involved for some extra hours and extra money. In addition, special education teachers can work summers at summer school and camps to increase their income.

Special Education Teacher Job Requirements

In order to be a special education teacher you need to be certified in special education teaching and have a bachelor’s degree. This means that you will need to attend a college to get your bachelor’s degree and become certified through a teaching program. You can get certified in elementary education or secondary education first and then go back and take some classes to add on a special education certification, or you can go directly for special education certification if you know that is what you want to do.

Special Education Teacher Job Description

Being a special education teacher is an extremely important job that requires a lot of patience, caring, and understanding for children and students of all types. Working as a special education teacher means that you will be teaching and working with students with special needs, whether they are physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. Some special education teachers have their own classroom of students with special needs, and some special education teachers co-teach with a classroom teacher to assist students with special needs that have been placed in a mainstream classroom.