Special Education Teachers, Preschool, Kindergarten, and Elementary School Onet SOC Code 25-2041.00 Career Description: Teach elementary and preschool school subjects to educationally and physically handicapped students. Includes teachers who specialize and work with audibly and visually handicapped students and those who teach basic academic and life processes skills to the mentally impaired. Related Clusters: Programs of Study Special Education Teachers, Preschool, Kindergarten, and Elementary School

Career Summary:

• Experience- A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
• Education- Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
• Job Training- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
• Examples- Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, human resource managers, computer programmers, teachers, chemists, and police detectives.

• Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops in order to maintain and improve professional competence.
• Collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of preschool, kindergarten, or elementary school programs.
• Organize and label materials, and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their eye levels and perceptual skills.
• Organize and supervise games and other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, and social development.
• Attend staff meetings, and serve on committees as required.
• Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guest speakers, or other experiential activities, and guide students in learning from those activities.
• Perform administrative duties such as assisting in school libraries, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.
• Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.
• Provide assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities such as restrooms.
• Provide interpretation and transcription of regular classroom materials through Braille and sign language.
• Visit schools to tutor students with sensory impairments, and to consult with teachers regarding students' special needs.
• Instruct students in academic subjects, using a variety of techniques such as phonetics, multisensory learning, and repetition, in order to reinforce learning and to meet students' varying needs and interests.
• Employ special educational strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory.
• Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification and positive reinforcement.
• Modify the general education curriculum for special-needs students based upon a variety of instructional techniques and technologies.
• Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress, and to determine their priorities for their children and their resource needs.
• Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
• Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among the students for whom they are responsible.
• Confer with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, and professionals to develop individual educational plans designed to promote students' educational, physical, and social development.
• Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
• Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students.
• Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.
• Prepare classrooms for class activities and provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and imaginative play.
• Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, counselors, and administrators in order to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
• Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
• Teach students personal development skills such as goal setting, independence, and self-advocacy.
• Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.
• Coordinate placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes.
• Guide and counsel students with adjustment and/or academic problems, or special academic interests.
• Prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states and schools.
• Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
• Prepare for assigned classes, and show written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate supervisors.
• Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials, in order to prevent injuries and damage.
• Supervise, evaluate, and plan assignments for teacher assistants and volunteers.
• Instruct students in daily living skills required for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency, such as hygiene, safety, and food preparation.
• Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.
• Administer standardized ability and achievement tests, and interpret results to determine students' strengths and areas of need.
• Monitor teachers and teacher assistants to ensure that they adhere to inclusive special education program requirements.
• Use computers, audiovisual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
• Meet with parents to provide guidance in using community resources, and to teach skills for dealing with students' impairments.

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

• Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

• Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Artistic - Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

• Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
• Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
• Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
• Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
• Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
• Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
• Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
• Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
• Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
• Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
• Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
• Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
• Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
• Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
• Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
• Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

• Achievement - Workers on this job get a feeling of accomplishment.
• Social Service - Workers on this job have work where they do things for other people.
• Achievement-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
• Authority - Workers on this job give directions and instructions to others.
• Ability Utilization - Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.
• Responsibility - Workers on this job make decisions on their own.
• Activity - Workers on this job are busy all the time.
• Creativity - Workers on this job try out their own ideas.
• Independence-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
• Relationships-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
• Security - Workers on this job have steady employment.
• Autonomy - Workers on this job plan their work with little supervision.
• Working Conditions - Workers on this job have good working conditions.
• Co-workers - Workers on this job have co-workers who are easy to get along with.
• Company Policies and Practices - Workers on this job are treated fairly by the company.
• Variety - Workers on this job have something different to do every day.
• Moral Values - Workers on this job are never pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
• Social Status - Workers on this job are looked up to by others in their company and their community.
• Supervision, Human Relations - Workers on this job have supervisors who back up their workers with management.
• Working Conditions-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
• Recognition-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
• Support-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Wage and salary data provided by:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tennessee Department of Labor website
• TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development website
• Bureau of Economic Analysis website