What occupation options are there for someone with a degree in special education, mild/moderate?

Question

I am looking to see what is available other than teaching in a public school.

Answer 1

I actually have my graduate degree in special education and taught for 4 years and now am doing something else now (partly because of NCLB, of course.)

Other options for your degree include teaching special education in a prison environment (students with IEP's are eligible for services up to 21 so quite a few prisions must hire specifically special education teachers to be accordance with IDEA.

Private schools specifically for students with disabilities is also an option. Pay is usually pay less but offer a lot more flexibility like allowing you to actually teach the students what they need to know instead of teaching to a test.

There are day services prorams also that provide services to adults with disabilities that do many different things - some work to help them develop daily living skills, others help them find employment, etc. It will take some looking but you do have other options, mainly depending on where you live.

Good luck to you!

Answer 2

Hi. One good way to gain experience with children with special needs would be to consider working as an aide/shadow for a child in a school for children with special needs. Another would be to find out if your degree/certification would make you eligible to work as an early interventionist through an agency. This would give you experience with a variety of children of different levels. Consider working with children with moderate to profound deficits. It can be incredibly rewarding!

Answer 3

As my experience is all in the public schools, I may not be terribly helpful, but have you thought of working with parents of special need kids? (advocacy/consulting/private tutoring or something along those lines) There are also centers which specialize in offering educational and therapy programs for kids with various disabilities--for instance, centers which serve kids with autism, kids with Down syndrome, etc. Good luck!

Answer 4

Check out local non profit organizations. If you don't want to work in a school setting, how bout in a group home or community that teaches life skills? Good luck!