As the name implies, special education teachers deal with special needs children, i.e., those with mental, emotional, physical, and learning disabilities. This special group of teachers works in several settings, including schools and childcare centers. If you are a special education teacher looking for a new job or a chance to advance your career, you need something critical- a good resume.
A good resume sells you, informing the employer why they should consider you for the job position. It should clearly outline your education, skills, competencies, and work experience. Since we are interested in giving you the upper hand over all applicants, our article aims to help you understand your role and guide you through drafting the best resume. Walk with us.
Position Description
Special education teachers are a reward to society since they handle a population in need of specialized care. These teachers are in charge of educating children with physical, mental, emotional, and learning disabilities who can’t definitely learn or fit into standard class settings. They understand these students’ educational requirements and research resources that can be used to foster their learning.
Some common working places for special education teachers are child care centers and special schools. However, they also work in normal school settings, collaborating with other teachers, school counselors, and psychologists.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Assessing the skills and learning requirements of children in need of special care
- Working closely with parents and general staff of the school to track performance and students’ progress.
- Carefully researching and drafting individualized educational plans, commonly known as IEPS.
- Assessing every student’s abilities and working on their utilization
- Finding the best learning materials that can adapt to the needs of the students
- Monitoring every student’s behavioral patterns and organizing for help where needed.
- Keeping track of every student’s performance and reflecting on them
- Researching and finding highly engaging activities to help students learn or improve on their existing skills
- Resolving any conflict in the classroom and managing crises that may arise.
- Ensuring that all students are ready to transition to the next grade
- Keeping parents informed about their student’s performance or any potential issues
- Collaborating with all the school’s support staff, such as speech therapists and counselors, to foster learning
- Preparing rich and engaging lesson plans that benefit all the students
- Reporting to the management on students’ performance or any potential issues they are facing
- Creating holistic intervention plans in coordination with other stakeholders that can benefit the students
Knowledge and Skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Active listening skills
- Ability to monitor behavioral patterns
- Ability to work in stressful environments
- Excellent teaching skills
- In-depth knowledge of Individualized Education Plans
- High degrees of patience
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- In-depth knowledge of relevant special educational topics and methodologies
- Conflict resolution and management skills
- Collaboration skills
- Ability to work and thrive in team settings
Experience and Education
- Bachelor of Science in Education, specifically Special Education
- A valid special education certificate or license (varies from state to state)
- Experience working with children having different disabilities
- Proven experience as a Special Education teacher or a similar role
- Experience working in team settings
- Experience in different teaching methodologies
Salary
Special Education teachers make more than their teaching counterparts, given that they have a lot on their plate compared to the latter. Glassdoor estimates that the average pay of a special education teacher in the United States is nearly $ 83,000, showing just how lucrative this teaching career is. Junior special education teachers earn close to $78,000 a year, while lead special education teachers make close to $ 92,000 a year. Senior special education teachers make upward of $93,000, which is definitely lucrative.
Special Education Teacher CV Example 1
Randy Atogo
Address: 500E 77th, Los Angeles, CA 80002- 2151
Email address: atogorandy78@gmail.com
Phone number: (456) 567-8234
Personal Profile
Passionate and professional special education teacher with 10+ years of experience teaching students with different special conditions. A certified educator with excellent teaching, organizational, and class management skills. Avid team worker with outstanding communication skills and in-depth knowledge of Individualized Education Plans. A self-motivated go-getter with vast experience in different teaching methodologies.
Work Experience
06/2019- 07/2021, Special Education Teacher, Beverley Group of Schools, LA
- Taught classes of 25+ special needs children
- Prepared engaging and inclusive lesson plans that kept student participation at 100%
- Organized and conducted remedial lessons for ten students with autism and ADHD
- Collaborated with 12 other special needs educators to ensure that the education needs of all students were catered for.
- Worked closely with five other professionals, including counselors and school psychologist, to ensure the mental well-being of students
- Regularly assessed students through monthly assessment tests, weekly graded assignments, and exams at the end of the term
- Increased parent-teacher collaboration by 70% through consistent communication and pushing for teacher-parent seminars for the benefit of learners
- Supervised students during examinations to ensure 100% accurate assessments
- Interacted with students to determine their needs and interests and incorporated them into my lesson plans, improving student engagement by 40%
- Ensured proper arrangement of furniture and classroom equipment at all times for an accident-free learning environment
04/2016- 03/ 2019, Junior Special Education Teacher, Lambda Special Education School, LA
- Taught classes made up of 20+ special needs students
- Carefully drafted and reviewed weekly lesson plans, taking into account the student’s abilities and interests
- Created individualized education plans for six children with autism and ADHD, ensuring they were at par with the others by the end of the year
- Came up with proper research-based teaching strategies that improved student participation by 30%
- Worked closely with parents to discuss their children’s behavioral issues, reducing disciplinary incidents by 15%
- Closely monitored students ruing their free time to ensure zero accidents or injuries
- Understood every student’s special needs and ensured that they had all their necessities
- Uses 10+ teaching techniques, including demonstrations to teach different skills such as dancing and sports
- Collaborated with ten teachers and other staff members to take care of both the special and academic needs of children
- Conducted regular and necessary testing at least twice a month to evaluate performance and identify students’ weak areas
- Participated in 10+ professional development opportunities to improve my special needs education knowledge and skills and find better ways of dealing with special children
- Monitored both the social and academic progress of students, ensuring that they met at least 90% of their individual goals
- Communicated regularly and effectively with 5+ stakeholders, including administrators, parents, and special needs agencies, to build the right rapport for easier teaching of special needs students
O8/12- 11/2015, Special Education Teacher’s Aide, Buckely Group of Schools, LA
- Assisted in the teaching of preschool children and preparing them for elementary school by incorporating an effective inclusion model
- Worked on strengthening the pupils’ 5+ core social skills such as listening, communication, and sharing, which they need in their early life
- Worked closely with the lead teacher to create engaging and inclusive lesson plans for 25+ students
- Collaborated with a teaching team of seven members for the successful completion of daily activities
- Interacted and played with all the 25+ children, making learning enjoyable for them
Education
- 03/2008- 05/2012, Bachelor of Education( Special Needs Education), Loyola Marymount University, LA
- 03/2005- 07/2007, Bright College Prep School, LA
Skills
- Language
- English
- Spanish
- Portuguese
Technical Skills
- MS Excel
- MS Word
- MS PowerPoint
- MS Outlook
- Reporting skills
- Excellent teaching skills
Soft Skills
- Communication
- Interpersonal
- Ability to work well under pressure
- High levels of patience
- Excellent listening skills
- Empathy
- Ability to monitor behavioral patterns
- Excellent collaboration skills
Certificates
11/12, The Special Education (SPED) Certification
Special Education Teacher CV Example 2
Beryl Opondo
Address: 70 Depot Geyserville, California, 95221
Email address: opondoberyl67@gmail.com
Phone number: (890) 767- 8767
Personal Profile
Certified special education teacher with nine years of experience in public and private schools. A passionate and dedicated team worker with excellent organization and teaching skills. A self-motivated go-getter with an in-depth understanding of different special education teaching techniques and procedures.
Work Experience
06/2019- 07/22, Woodbury High School, Geyserville, CA
- Taught classes of 30+ students five times a week
- Worked closely with 10+ staff members to educate emotionally impaired students and ensured their progression on campus
- Developed and taught weekly interactive lesson plans to 30+ students throughout the week
- Managed to create and maintain a disciplined learning environment for students by formulating and implementing 20+ rules of behavior together with the students
- Maintained consistent communication with 30+ parents, ensuring that they were involved in their children’s learning
- Accompanied students in 25+ regional events and competitions, ensuring that their needs were catered for while at the events
- Developed and taught 15+ behavioral strategies to help students with their self-control
- Created individualized education programs for all 30+ students that accommodated and responded to their needs
- Developed 5+ techniques for active learning, including problem-solving assignments and individualized instructions
- Evaluated the performance of 30+ students, noting down their weak areas and helping them work on them
- Gave students daily homework exercises touching on the materials taught during the day
- Attended two staff meetings daily, where we discussed the student’s performances and issues of the day
- Attended 20+ special needs education seminars sponsored by the school
- Mentored ten new special needs education teachers, helping them improve on their content delivery and dealing with students
- Worked closely with the school’s top management, issuing regular reports on the five classes that I taught
- Awarded the best special needs teacher of the year in 2021 for the exceptional work I was doing with the students
04/2016- 05/19, Special Education Teacher, La Mirada Public Schools
- Taught classes of 25+ special education students
- Planned and delivered two 45+ minutes lessons daily, asking questions at the end of the class to ensure that the students understood
- Increases student engagement by 30% through implementing new research-based teaching strategies
- Work closely with a school staff made up of 25+ members, ensuring that the school’s 250+ student population was well taught and prepped for future progress
- Developed and taught student-centered lesson plans that improved the student’s Maths and English test scores by 30%
- Mentored five special education teachers on the best ways of content delivery and how to create an engaging class environment
- Created and maintained a training class environment through a series of games and personalized teaching strategies, improving student satisfaction by 30%
- Saves time spent on paperwork weekly by 7 hours by incorporating technology in the classroom
- Accompanied students in 30+ special education events and contests, coaching them in advance
- Awarded the best performing teacher in 2017
01/2013- 03/2016, Special Education Teacher Assistant La Mirada Group of Schools, California
- Worked closely with the lead teacher to handle classes of 30+ students
- Collaborated with the lead teacher to create 40+ engaging and content-rich lesson plans yearly
- Accompanied students in 40+ sporting and external events, ensuring that they were safe and disciplined
- Created and maintained a disciplined class environment by coming up with 15 important rules of engagement that the students received well
- Mentored 12 special education teacher assistants, improving their productivity by 15% in the first two quarters
- Instilled a sense of responsibility in the classroom by organizing three cleaning sessions, i.e., in the morning, after lunch, and before breaking for home
- Created and taught remedial classes to 10 students, improving their test scores by 30%
Education
- 01/2008- 07/2012, Bachelor of Education (Special Needs Education), Biola University, La Mirada, CA
- 01/2005- 12/2017, High School Diploma, Raspberry Senior High School, La Mirada
Skills
- Languages
- English
- French
- Spanish
Technical Skills
- Microsoft Office Suite skills
- Teaching
- Reporting skills
- Data entry skills
Soft Skills
- Interpersonal
- Active listening
- Organizational
- Verbal and written communication
- Ability to work well under pressure
- Ability to remain calm in stressful situations
Special Education Teacher Resume Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What Skills Should I Include in My Special Education Teacher Resume?
You should include both hard and soft skills to get the perfect resume. In case you are wondering, hard skills include student assessment, excellent monitoring of student progress, Microsoft office skills, ability to create and maintain a positive classroom environment, education technology proficiency and skills, and any other technical skills you possess.
The soft skills to include in a special education teacher’s resume include attention to detail, dependability, presentation skills, excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and superb collaboration skills. Ensure you touch on whatever is required in a complete education teacher’s resume.
2. How Can I Make My Special Education Teacher Resume Readable?
You can do several things to improve the readability of your special education teacher’s resume. First, break down your resume into necessary sections such as profile, work experience, education, skills, certificates, and volunteer programs to give your resume a smooth and easy flow. Next, ensure that you properly edit your resume by first highlighting only what is important, and in this case, the section headings. Also, properly align it and use the right fonts and font size. Readable and widely used fonts such as Calibri and Times New Roman will come in handy in such a case.
3. How Can I Become a Special Education Teacher?
There are five known ways of becoming a special education teacher around the globe. Since this is a professional and highly revered job, you first have to earn an approved bachelor’s degree in special education from an accredited university or college, after which you will be subjected to a teaching internship in a special education classroom, which varies in duration. If you are in the US, expect to sit for your particular state tests meant for special education teachers. You can then apply for your teaching license and apply for special education positions in schools or institutions.
4. What are Some of the Must-Have Qualities for a Special Education Teacher?
Special education teachers must be empathetic, patient, calm, and organized when performing their duties, given their teaching population. They must also be accommodating, given that these special needs children come from different backgrounds and have varying requirements. Note that this job requires consistent interactions with students to understand their weaknesses and abilities. Other qualities include a passion for teaching, the ability to embrace diversity, the ability to thrive well in team settings, and a high degree of patience.
5. What is the Career Path of a Special Educations Teacher?
If you are wondering what lies ahead at the beginning of your career, know that there is plenty What, then, is your career projection? After gaining extensive experience in this field, you can choose to become a mentor or lead special needs teacher, charged with guiding other teachers in your specialty. You can also resort to management, where you can be mandated with running an institution.
6. Do I Need a Licence to Be a Special Education Teacher?
Yes. To build a special education teaching career, you must be licensed like other teachers. A good example is the United States which requires every teacher in a public school to have a license for the grade they teach. However, private school teachers are not required to have such a license or certification. Make a point to find out from the licensing board about the licensing requirements for special education educators. You will be glad that you did.