Special Education Teachers, Secondary School

Teach secondary school subjects to educationally and physically handicapped students. Includes teachers who specialize and work with audibly and visually handicapped students and those who teach basic academic and life processes skills to the mentally impaired.

Median Annual Wage: $57,810

Education: Bachelor's degree (68%); Post-baccalaureate certificate (19%); Master's degree (9%)

Projected Growth: Slower than average (3% to 7%)

Related Job Titles: Teacher; Special Education Teacher; Special Education Resource Teacher; Learning Support Teacher; Resource Teacher; Exceptional Student Education Teacher (ESE Teacher); High School Special Education Teacher; Learning Disabilities Special Education Teacher (LD Special Education Teacher); Career and Transition Teacher; Interrelated Special Education Teacher

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School.

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  • Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
  • Modify the general education curriculum for special-needs students, based upon a variety of instructional techniques and technologies.
  • Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.
  • Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
  • Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.
  • Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
  • Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.
  • Teach personal development skills such as goal setting, independence, and self-advocacy.
  • Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory.
  • Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems, or special academic interests.
  • Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
  • Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
  • Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, and professionals to develop individual educational plans designed to promote students' educational, physical, and social development.
  • Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
  • Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
  • Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students.
  • Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and to determine priorities for their children and their resource needs.
  • Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
  • Monitor teachers and teacher assistants to ensure that they adhere to inclusive special education program requirements.
  • Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.
  • Prepare for assigned classes and show written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate supervisors.
  • Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, and food preparation.
  • Meet with parents and guardians to provide guidance in using community resources and to teach skills for dealing with students' impairments.
  • Prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states and schools.
  • Provide additional instruction in vocational areas.
  • Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.
  • Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
  • Administer standardized ability and achievement tests and interpret results to determine students' strengths and areas of need.
  • Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
  • Collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of secondary school programs.
  • 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.
  • Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School.

  • Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Active Listening - 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.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Special Education Teachers, Secondary School.

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