INDIVIDUAL CAREER MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO
Having a career is a need of each individuals for them to reach their goals. As part of day-to-day living, people like SPED (Special education) teachers reach office in time for them to teach their children. Employment of special education teachers is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through 2014. Although student enrollments are expected to grow only slowly, additional positions for these workers will be created by continued increases in the number of special education students needing services, by legislation emphasizing training and employment for individuals with disabilities, and by educational reforms requiring higher standards for graduation. In addition to job openings resulting from growth, a large number of openings will result from the need to replace special education teachers who switch to teaching general education, change careers altogether, or retire. At the same time, many school districts report difficulty finding sufficient numbers of qualified teachers. As a result, special education teachers should have excellent job prospects.
The job varies by geographic area and specialty. Although most areas of the country report difficulty finding qualified applicants, positions in inner cities and rural areas usually are more plentiful than job openings in suburban or wealthy urban areas. Student populations, in general, also are expected to increase more rapidly in certain parts of the country, such as the South and West, resulting in increased demand for special education teachers in those regions. In addition, job opportunities may be better in certain specialties such as teachers who work with children with multiple disabilities or severe disabilities like autism because of large increases in the enrollment of special education students classified under those categories. Legislation encouraging early intervention and special education for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers has created a need for early childhood special education teachers. Bilingual special education teachers and those with multicultural experience also are needed to work with an increasingly diverse student population.
The number of students requiring special education services has grown steadily in recent years as improvements in identification has allowed learning disabilities to be diagnosed at earlier ages. In addition, medical advances have resulted in more children surviving serious accidents or illnesses, but with impairments that require special accommodations. The percentage of foreign-born special education students also is expected to grow, as teachers become more adept in recognizing learning disabilities in that population. Finally, more parents are expected to seek special services for those of their children who have difficulty meeting the new, higher standards required of students.
As we all know, many students with exceptionalities such as mental retarded, autistic, hearing impaired, visual impaired, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, etc.. may receive more attention and affection in the classroom. According to the Magna Carta Chapter II SECTION 12. Access in Quality Education. The State shall ensure that disabled persons are provided with adequate access to quality education and ample opportunities to develop their skills. It shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all disabled persons. It shall be unlawful for any learning institution to deny a disabled person admission to any course it offers by reason of handicap or disability.
The State shall take into consideration the special requirements of disabled persons in the formulation of educational policies and programs. It shall encourage learning institutions to take into account the special needs of disabled persons with respect to the use of school facilities, class schedules, physical education requirements, and other pertinent considerations.
The State shall also promote the provision by learning institutions, especially higher learning institutions, of auxiliary services that will facilitate the learning process for disabled persons.
Education is now becoming increasingly critical to career success. Therefore, the emphasis on life-long learning and personal development, whether formal through organized seminars, or informal through reading and self-learning, is vital to promote a learning attitude that will continually develop new skills and acquire new knowledge. The (NCLB) No Child Left Behind was signed by George W. Bush on January 8, 2002. Whether a child is normal or has disabilities, he/she should be sent to school by his/her parents. This paper focuses its discussion on the career management of SPED (Special Education) Teachers. This paper attempts to analyze the relationship between the SPED Special Education) Teachers and Special students in the classroom and identifying their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats they face in pursue of their careers. Included also is a sample of an IEP (Individualized Education Program) and a Teaching priorities of a student who has disabilities.
Special Education teachers are exposed to different characteristics of individuals with special needs as well as instructional modifications and behavioral management techniques that assist individuals in the regular education environment. They help to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each special education student. The IEP sets personalized goals for each student and is tailored to the student individual needs and ability. When appropriate, the program includes a transition plan outlining specific steps to prepare students with disabilities for middle school or high school or, in the case of older students, a job or postsecondary study. They review the IEP with the student parents, school administrators, and the students general education teacher. Teachers work closely with parents to inform them of their child’s progress and suggest techniques to promote learning at home. As schools become more inclusive, special education teachers and general education teachers are increasingly working together in general education classrooms. They help general educators adapt curriculum materials and teaching techniques to meet the needs of students with disabilities. They coordinate the work of teachers, teacher assistants, and related personnel, such as therapists and social workers, to meet the individualized needs of the student within inclusive special education programs. A large part of a special education teachers job involves interacting with others. They communicate frequently with parents, social workers, school psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, school administrators, and other teachers.
Special education teachers work in a variety of settings. Some have their own classrooms and teach only special education students; others work as special education resource teachers and offer individualized help to students in general education classrooms; still others teach together with general education teachers in classes composed of both general and special education students. Some of these work with special education students for several hours a day in a resource room, separate from their general education classroom. Considerably fewer special education teachers work in residential facilities or tutor students in homebound or hospital environments.
Teacher quality research is on the forefront of policy makers minds that teachers can make a difference in student achievement growth value added assessment (Ross, Stringfield, Sanders and Wright, 2003). Exemplary teacher studies (Pressley and Allington, 1998; Wengllingsky, 2002). Policy studies employing teaching characteristics (Darling-Hammond, 1999; Rice, 2003). Classroom observation research (Haager, Gersten, Baker and Graves
