What is it like to be a special education teacher?

[I love my furkids!]

I was invited to an interview to get my alternative teaching certification and I wanted to be a special education teacher since my background is in child development. Can anyone tell me what it is like and the pros and cons of it? I am not sure if I'm fit to be a teacher or not, but special ed may be different (I am not very aggressive or bossy, I see kids walking all over me).

[frank s]

You have to have an edge about you to be a special Ed. Teacher. (or just Crazy!)

I have 7 years in and have found it to be the most rewarding career ever.
The pros-
1. Some kids do learn!
2. Relationships that have developed over the years. (Yes they still come back!)
3. Decent pay after you've paid your dues. (In NJ after 13 years teacher makes about 93000)

Cons-
1. NCLB -just made it more difficult to teach in middle school or high school setting. ( Need to be Highly Qualified in the content area you teach regardless of Special Ed. certificates .)

2. The amount of paperwork involved. (IEPS, Progress reports, class lists for CST, etc.)

3. Most administrators think of S.E. as an after thought.

4. Sometimes kids don't learn!

Tip- When beginning as a new teacher always start off hard or tough and then ease up! Never, I mean NEVER, start off like a pansy because then there is no way back! And you'll be in for a long year.

[College Girl]

you MUST be a certain crazy-loving individual to do it.

It will also be the most rewarding job you've ever had.

[Derrekator]

its kind of like teaching a puppy tricks. You have to be patient. The kids teach you what is really important in life though, and you have a great feeling of helping others

[Moonwake]

Special education to me takes a very special type of person. You must have endless patience with the kids and you will be more of a baby sitter sometimes rather then teaching. This job can be real frustrating sometimes because the improvements that these kids make on a day to day basis will seem to move at a snail's pace sometimes. It all depends on what kind of mark you want to make. Do you want to know that you helped a real smart person to go on and make big changes in the world or would you be happy to just know for yourself that you were able to make a difference in a life that may not have a greater effect on society?