QUESTION: I’m currently taking up nursing but I want to pursue SPED. Do I have to get another undergrad course? How do I become a SPED teacher?

Teacher Tess says:

Special education or SPED is the systematic and structured educational programs and services designed to meet the unique needs of children with special needs, to develop their potential to the maximum and make them become fully-participative and empowered member of the society.

In pursuing a career in SPED, a teacher must have a range of characteristics. There are several questions to ask yourself in order to determine if special education is right for you.

QUESTIONS

According to the UNICEF, these are the questions to ask if you what to know what makes a good teacher:

• CAN I HANDLE THE STRESS OF WORKING WITH SPED STUDENTS. You will have to design and implement an individualized educational program, create instructional materials suitable to the learning styles, and modify the curriculum to meet the unique needs of these children.

• DO I HAVE THE PATIENCE TO WORK WITH SPED STUDENTS? Being a SPED teacher requires a great amount of patience as children with special needs have different characteristics and varied temperaments. Instructional teaching models must be created to guide your in teaching a concept. Working with your co-teachers, administrators and conducting parent’s training children also requires a lot of talent, perseverance, patience, and collaboration.

• AM I PREPARED TO WORK WITH PARENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS? You will be talking to parents during PTA meetings and report the performance of their child. You will also be required to do home visitations and interact with parents on a regular basis. Sometimes parents are too demanding that they come to the school unannounced so get ready to handle parents who are prone to complaining.

• AM I READY TO SERVE AS AN ADVOCATE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS? As a SPED teacher, you become an advocate of the rights of children. Our teachers support and sign a petition/manifesto written by parents asking Congress to enact laws for special children. Are you willing to serve as an advocate for your students and fulfill this role in the best way possible?

• AM I WILLING TO LEARN ABOUT THE INTRICACIES OF SPED LAW? Sped teachers must understand legislations on special education and use them to help achieve the best education possible for the students.

QUALITIES

The task of teaching SPED requires teachers to have a set of qualities. Compare your own personality traits with ones listed below to see if SPED teaching is for you.

• GOOD-HUMORED. A good SPED teacher has her own well-tuned sense of humor to lighten your days and invigorates your teaching. Special children are so unique that you find them enjoyable to work with and they can feel and observe if you are happy teaching them.

• ORGANIZED. Classroom management is a skill which is very important in teaching. Making your classroom a conducive environment for learning, and providing accommodations to your students, they become familiar with the structured physical arrangement leading them to become familiar and confident with their surroundings and to follow the flow of activities.

• ACCEPTING. Teaching SPED is an opportunity to love and to be appreciative of others, regardless of their capabilities and behavior. In accepting and understanding your students, both of you will triumph and will surely make a difference in both your lives.

• CREATIVE. Children with special needs like to see the creativity of teachers in their style of teaching, preparing instructional materials, and how they conduct themselves while teaching. They go to school regularly looking forward to see a classroom filled with enriching materials and a teacher who is well-prepared in teaching a new concept or topic.

• EVEN-TEMPERED. Teaching special education is not a job for the faint of heart. Students with intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance or autism can lose it when teachers are not direct, firm, kind and helpful, even in difficult situations. Watch yourself closely next time a crisis or emergency comes up and see how you respond. Do you keep your wits about you and deal calmly with the situation? If so, you have a great temperament for special education teaching.

• SELF-ASSURED. SPED teachers must be confident in making decisions and leave no room for self-doubt. Know every child in your classroom, what are her/his needs and lead them to become leaders in the classroom for self-determination and self-efficacy.

• INTUITIVE. Some auditory learning disabilities, injuries and other handicaps make SPED students awkward communicators. When working with these students daily, you will need to be watchful and involved so you can foresee their needs and address their concerns when they lack the ability to tell you about them.

• THICK-SKINNED. Teaching SPED can be frustrating at times and, to make matters worse, your students may not have the maturity to suffer quietly along. Their thoughtless words can topple a well-meaning teacher who is overly sensitive to negative comments or personal quips. Having — or even developing — a thick skin will protect you from burning out over thoughtless comments.

• OPTIMISTIC. Teaching SPED means celebrating any and all victories, whether for long-awaited successes or simple attempts.

• DEDICATED. Regularity and dependability are important qualities to have. Think about your dedication and whether it can go the distance in meeting the needs of these exceptional students.

QUALIFICATIONS

As the awareness, acceptance, and recognition of the contribution of individuals with special needs in our society steadily increases, more students/professionals are drawn to enroll in special education. For you to qualify to special education teaching:

• You need to get a bachelor’s degree in education (BCED, BEE, BEEd). At the Philippine Normal University, second year college students start enrolling in SPED as their specialization.

• If you will finish your BS in Nursing, you may take up required units in teaching, Certificate in Teaching Program (CTP), and then enroll in Special Education
• A master’s degree in Special Education is for professional students who already hold bachelor’s degrees.

Pursue your dream and equip yourself with the required degree and teach children with special needs with passion and your natural and acquired qualities of a good, happy and effective SPED teacher. Further ask yourself, would like you like to become a ‘’Florence Nightingale’’ or a SPED teacher who is like an angel in disguise? God bless!

Teresita de Mesa is registered professional educator with 35 years of teaching profession as a SPED and as regular classroom teacher. She is a full-time professor, teaching special education courses in the Special Education Department of the College of Education, Philippine Normal University and the Directress/Principal of St. John Ma. Vianney Special Education Learning And Resource Center. For questions on SPED, send e-mail to youth@mb.com.ph