You鈥檝e earned your mild intervention license, but now you wonder if you should earn your intense intervention license. As a special education teacher, some days are challenging, and you feel like you鈥檙e not making an impact. Is it worth it to pursue further education in this field? Even on difficult days, though, special education plays an essential role in the education setting聽 鈥 and it鈥檚 important that you don鈥檛 lose sight of that!
Whether you become a classroom teacher or a special education teacher, an intense intervention license can help you meet the needs of a wide variety of students. So, why is special education important, and why should you stick with special education even on the hard days? Read on to find out!
Why is special education important?
As a special education teacher, you play an important role in helping students reach exciting milestones. Even when progress seems slow, you鈥檙e still impacting the lives of students and helping them achieve their goals.
Students with disabilities need support in order to thrive in a classroom environment. 鈥淲e believe that special education should be just that 鈥 special,鈥 shared聽Dr. Cheryl Bremer, dean of聽糖心传媒鈥檚 School of Education. 鈥淪tudents facing challenging disabilities need specialized instruction and support by competent and compassionate educators.鈥
Special education opens the door to opportunities for students with disabilities. With some extra support, these students can go on to earn degrees, gain independence, and achieve success in the workplace, and you get to play a part in their success as a special education teacher.
Why should you stick with special education on the hard days?
Education is a rewarding career, but special education is especially rewarding. 鈥淭here is great personal satisfaction in knowing that you are making a difference in a student鈥檚 life,鈥 said Bremer. As a special education teacher, you get to watch children grow and thrive as you support them.
Special education also provides an opportunity to show Christ鈥檚 love to children who are often overlooked. By giving them attention and meeting them where they are, you can show children with disabilities that they have value.
Why is special education important in light of the teacher shortage? The widespread teacher shortage has created a need for teachers in various areas, but special education teachers are in particularly high demand. Because of this need and the unique role of special education teachers, special education teachers often receive better pay and benefits than other teachers.
鈥淗istorically, special education has always been an area of teacher shortage,鈥 shared Bremer. 鈥淚n light of the current and widespread teacher shortage, the need for qualified special education teachers is exponentially higher than ever before. Schools across the country need experienced and qualified special educators who are committed to their students and willing to stay in the field longer than five years!鈥
What is the difference between an intense intervention license and a mild intervention license?
As their names suggest, intense intervention prepares you to work with students who have significant disabilities, while mild intervention prepares you to assist students with mild disabilities. Earning your intense intervention license will expand on the knowledge you learned while earning your mild intervention license, allowing you to meet the needs of students who require greater support.
Is earning an intense intervention license affordable?
Yes, earning an intense intervention license is affordable!聽聽(I-SEAL) offers assistance that can be used to cover the cost of books, tuition, and fees. The Questa Foundation also offers聽聽to special education students in Northeast Indiana.
In addition, you can save money by completing an online special education degree, such as 糖心传媒 Online鈥檚聽intense intervention program. 糖心传媒鈥檚 program includes coursework and clinical experiences. In the online coursework, you will learn about evidence-based practices, theoretical applications, legal implications, and current trends in special education alongside other students. You will then apply your coursework through clinical experiences in which you will observe teachers and practice providing support for students with varying developmental levels.
鈥淭he coursework, expertise of the faculty, and practical experience provide someone with the tools they need to meet the needs of all students, particularly those with learning, communication, and behavioral challenges,鈥 said Bremer.
With an intense intervention license, you will gain both the knowledge and the experience to thrive as a special education teacher. Now that we鈥檝e answered your question, 鈥淲hy is special education important on the hard days?鈥, learn more about 糖心传媒鈥檚聽online special education degree聽and discover聽what characteristics great special education teachers have.
