Travel Special Education Teacher Jobs

Special education teachers are specially trained educators who are dedicated to working with students with learning, mental, or physical disabilities. SPED teachers create appropriate curriculum specifically for each student’s individual needs and abilities. They may work with students from preschool through high school, helping with their academic, behavioral, and social development.

Special education teachers may work with students of varying ages with a wide array of special needs and disabilities. They adapt general education lessons to teach various subjects to students with mild to moderate disabilities and teach basic skills to those with severe disabilities. The specific duties of special education teachers can vary based on their work setting, specialties, and students’ disabilities, but tasks may include:

Special education teachers may work in various educational institutions based on the age group they work with. The largest employers of SPED teachers are local elementary and secondary schools, followed by private elementary and secondary schools. They also find employment in preschools and middle schools. Some special education teachers work in their own classrooms and only instruct students with disabilities while others work as special education resource teachers and provide individualized assistance to students in general education classrooms. A small number of SPED teachers work with students in residential facilities or tutor homebound or hospitalized students with disabilities.

Good special education teachers are highly organized and detail-oriented, which allows them to handle heavy workloads and manage substantial amounts of paperwork  that document their students’ progress. Because students have different learning styles, successful SPED teachers are adaptable and possess ample creativity to modify their lessons to mesh with the learning strengths of individual students. Communication skills are core attributes because they ensure SPED teachers can effectively explain concepts to learning disabled students in ways they can understand. SPED teachers also build positive working relationships with other educators and students’ parents through their stellar interpersonal skills. Patience, resourcefulness, and critical-thinking skills also top the list of desirable traits for an above-average special education teacher.

A bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement to become a teacher, but many special education teachers earn a master’s or doctoral degree. A master’s degree is required for board certification and by some employers. Some states require SPED teachers to earn a master’s degree in special education after obtaining a job to become fully certified. Teaching education programs must include a student-teaching program to gain experience in a classroom setting.