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Teaching is one of the most rewarding career paths you can jump into. Not only is it one that meets your basic needs in terms of compensation, but it’s the kind of career where you feel like you are serving society (which you are). For centuries, teachers have been considered some of the most respectable members of society and are still looked up to in many ways. However, more people are moving away from the career path and opting for other choices with the rise in diverse opportunities.

Now is the time to seek a career in teaching. Not only are there tons of options, but students today are more diverse than they have ever been. Differently abled students are now part of the mainstream education system and are thriving in the new environment. If you have a place in your heart for special education, this article is for you.

The newness of the job can take some people by surprise and make the experience overwhelming. This article aims to educate you on what to expect in your first year of teaching. Read till the end of the article for five tips you can use for your first year as a special educator.

Opt for an online degree if studying

For most people, teaching is rarely a full-time gig. The fact that schools end in the middle of the afternoon gives you the rest of the day free to pursue other ventures. Most people take up a master’s in the latter half of the day, and that’s one of the best things you can do for yourself. However, it might be tricky to traverse. A master’s degree is rarely a walk in the park, and teaching special needs children is challenging. You could pursue a masters in teaching online rather than visiting the campus every day/ several times a week.

With an online degree, you remove some of the stress attached to being on time. Moreover, you lose a fair degree of your day traveling to and from certain locations. With an online degree, you skip all that. Not to mention, a master’s in education can open doors within the teaching sector that you never imagined.

Understand the conditions

Every special learner in your class might be different. It would be wise to learn about their condition rather than trying to figure things out on the spot. You may be unable to pinpoint or understand where they are coming from unless you look at their diagnosis and read up on it. Moreover, when understanding the diagnosis, we don’t do a random google search. Rather search the condition In the DSM – V for a more holistic understanding of what you are dealing with.
Random google searches give you a summarized and watered-down version of the entire illness. Sometimes, when dealing with complex neurodevelopmental illnesses, it would be best to get into the nitty-gritty of things and understand it holistically.

The average diagnosis should take you about half an hour to understand if you read past the jargon. Once you truly understand what the child is going through, you can aid them better and work as a more well-rounded teacher for them.

Learn how to navigate IEPs

When starting a career in special education, the first thing that is likely to take up your time is the development and implementation of Improvised Educational Plans (IEP). Yes, it’s time-consuming, and you will have to do a bit of research and look at the child’s progress reports, but soon enough, it’ll become second nature. It’ll be hard the first few times, but once you get the hang of it, you will have gotten to know the student, and things will get considerably easier.
However, it would be best if you implemented the IEP throughout the year. If the child is not responding, amend it and bring it down to a level where they can sustain the plan throughout the year. Moreover, pay attention to their shortcomings and where they are lacking. This will help in the parent-teacher meetings where you can discuss the child’s holistic progress with the parents in relation to the IEP.

Ask for help when you need it

Teachers are a community that sticks out for one another. There will always be someone ready to lend a helping hand. All you need to do Is ask for it. Once you have identified a set of issues that bother you, ask a fellow senior teacher in the staffroom how they managed similar situations. For someone who has a fair degree of experience under their belt, they have probably heard something similar during their tenure.
Ask them what they think and how they navigated such issues. Besides giving you a way out of a seemingly complicated situation, it also gives you a chance to network and communicate with senior people.

You want to have all the experienced people on your side when working in an industry like this. Your first year might be very hard; stay close to the people who made it, and they will help you through it successfully.

Empathize and understand

One of the most important things about teaching is understanding your students and empathizing with them when they hit a roadblock. Besides not knowing what’s going on back home, you may not know how this child is getting along with their peers. Talk to the children who are having trouble and lend them an ear when they need one. You will be surprised to learn how many students are willing to talk to their teachers.
Regardless of whether they are differently abled or not, it would be best to extend the same courtesy to all children. They need to know that someone is looking out for them and willing to listen if they have something to say.

Conclusion

Special needs students will require an added level of patience which we hope you already have. It would be unfair to expect the same performance of them as students on the standard stream.
From making time for yourself to empathizing with all the students, these tips can go a long way in making your journey into teaching easier. With that said, we hope you take your time and research what the job entails.