How Does One Make The Career Tansition From Being An Attorney To Being An Elementary Special Education Teacher?

[victorio83]

I am considering the transition to teaching and I am an attorney. What are the pros and cons of teaching especially in the special education arena?

[Wiellaford]

prettyface, regarding your answer "Why are you trying to transition from being an attorney to being a special education teacher?": I have a child with special needs. He is mildly autistic. I was already considering the teaching profession for a possible career change from the field of law and decided that, if I did go into teaching, I'd like to work with kids who have learning disabilities.

[Bardrick]

Go for it! My wife is an elementary school teacher and made a similar career transition a few years ago. It's different for everyone, of course, but she's been thrilled with her decision and never looked back.There's really just one main pro to teaching, and it applies even more so to special education: you'll be doing one of the most needed jobs in the most noble profession, and it will FEEL GREAT! You'll really be making a difference in people's lives(not that that's not possible to do as an attorney, of course). You'll get to mold and shape young minds, help them grow and develop, and add genuine substance to their knowledge and character. It's an old cliche, but it's true: you will make a difference.The cons? The cons depend entirely on your personality and particular situation. Some would say that there are major financial cons, but if money isn't a problem for you then that won't really apply. Working with children can be extremely tiring, and, at times, frustrating. The No Child Left Behind laws have tightened up on student accountability, on all levels(even special ed), causing teachers to be forced into situations where they need to teach totally unnecessary things to students who have no grasp of them. An example of this is a student who, say, can't tie his shoes or make change for a dollar, yet due to NCLB and state accountability requirements, you'd have to spend significant amounts of time teaching the Civil War and plant cell structure instead of basic skills that could actually be useful to the student. If that rubs you the wrong way to the point where you don't think you'd be able to do the job, then you might want to proceed with caution. Keep in mind that the pendulum might swing come election time, though, and NCLB might become a thing of the past.As for the transition, the only potential obstacle is education. Obviously, as an attorney, you're highly educated(and most school districts provide salary bonuses to teachers with higher-level degrees, like your juris doctorate). You'll probably need to become certified to teach special ed in your school district, though, which will typically require anywhere from 12 - 18 credit hours depending on the university's program and your school district's requirements. Some schools will let you teach while you're seeking your certification, others won't.I wish you the best of luck on your potential career change! Sources: This is my opinion. uncarved 82 months ago Please sign in to give a compliment. Please verify your account to give a compliment. Please sign in to send a message. Please verify your account to send a message.

[Erryl]

As the Mom of a child with Autism, you have a very good idea of what it takes to care for a child with a disability. I'm not trying to talk you out of it, I just want to be sure that you have a very real idea of what you're getting yourself into. I know you already have an idea of why you want to be a Special Education teacher, I wanted to give you a few reasons that people eventually leave the profession.How soon were you looking to switch fields?Good Luck, and keep me posted!

[Yuuto]

My wife is an elementary school teacher and made a similar career transition a few years ago. It's different for everyone, of course, but she's been thrilled with her decision and never looked back.There's really just one main pro to teaching, and it applies even more so to special education: you'll be doing one of the most needed jobs in the most noble profession, and it will FEEL GREAT! You'll really be making a difference in people's lives(not that that's not possible to do as an attorney, of course). You'll get to mold and shape young minds, help them grow and develop, and add genuine substance to their knowledge and character. It's an old cliche, but it's true: you will make a difference.The cons? The cons depend entirely on your personality and particular situation. Some would say that there are major financial cons, but if money isn't a problem for you then that won't really apply. Working with children can be extremely tiring, and, at times, frustrating. The No Child Left Behind laws have tightened up on student accountability, on all levels(even special ed), causing teachers to be forced into situations where they need to teach totally unnecessary things to students who have no grasp of them. An example of this is a student who, say, can't tie his shoes or make change for a dollar, yet due to NCLB and state accountability requirements, you'd have to spend significant amounts of time teaching the Civil War and plant cell structure instead of basic skills that could actually be useful to the student. If that rubs you the wrong way to the point where you don't think you'd be able to do the job, then you might want to proceed with caution. Keep in mind that the pendulum might swing come election time, though, and NCLB might become a thing of the past.As for the transition, the only potential obstacle is education. Obviously, as an attorney, you're highly educated(and most school districts provide salary bonuses to teachers with higher-level degrees, like your juris doctorate). You'll probably need to become certified to teach special ed in your school district, though, which will typically require anywhere from 12 - 18 credit hours depending on the university's program and your school district's requirements. Some schools will let you teach while you're seeking your certification, others won't.I wish you the best of luck on your potential career change!

[Alfonzo]

newbie1561179, regarding your answer "Go for it!": You are SO RIGHT about NCLB and having to teach things that the students don't really need to know and have NO grasp of. Former colleagues of mine had to teach 11th grade literature to students who didn't read...or respond to their own names!It is interesting to see how politicians make new laws for educators to follow, yet seem to be totally ignorant of the needs of the children.

[coinleain]

Pros of being a special education teacher: 1.  Sweet Students who love and appreciate you. 2.  Sweet Parents who love and appreciate you. 3.  The reward of seeing your student learn something that you've taught them, and retain it! 4.  SUMMER VACATION!!!! 5.  Sweet colleagues and understanding administrators(if you're lucky). 6.  Kids who have special needs are funny and can be a lot of fun to work with.         Cons of being a special education teacher: 1. Students who have behavior disorders who bite, kick, scratch, throw tantrums, spit, vomit on you(on purpose), throw poo, smear poo on the walls and themselves, throw things, curse at you, and hit.(I've had all of these things happen in my classroom.  It depends on the severity of the disability, but I never had anyone with an IQ below 55 on my caseload.  All had moderate disabilities. 2.  Parents who are stressed and over extended, and take out their frustrations on you. 3.  The tedium of teaching the same thing over and over and over again, and sometimes your students still don't get it. 4.  Annoying behaviors...and some kids aren't very rational.  It is hard to reason with someone who has no concept or reality/make believe...especially when they have an intellectual disability AND mental illness. 5.  You will make less money, unless you have a Ph.D. and several years experience. 6.  Be prepared to feel unappreciated by your school district. (I have friends who get bonuses and incentive cruises.  Teachers get pens, pins, and keychains as "Thank Yous"...or a cheap and fattening meal.  Donuts and juice, or a gift cert. to the local all you can eat buffet....yeah, thanks.) 7.  PAPERWORK and deadlines.  In order to adhere to due process, you will have tons and tons of paperwork to do.  IEPs, IEP notifications, you will have to schedule the meeting within a certain amount of time, which means you will have to coordinate the schedules of 6 professionals along with the parent AND find a place for them to meet.  I can't describe the paperwork, if you've never done it, you'd never be able to understand.  On top of which, most states are doing Alternative Assessments now, which are basically portfolios and essays compiled by the teachers.  Hours and hours of thankless work. 8.  Every once in a while, you'll run against colleagues and administrators who have nasty attitudes. 9.  Special ed. teachers don't get to "coast."  You have to work in close proximity with very needy people even if you're not in the mood.  If you're sleepy, sick, tired, or hung over on any other job, you can close your office door and not be harrassed.  You can go into a cubicle and stare at your computer screen and pretend to work.  Not SpEd teachers.  That's the day someone will have a tantrum, throw up, have a seizure, or they will all just want your attention, "Teacher, teacher, teacher!!!!!!" 10. Illness - younger children with disabilities are less aware of the concept of "germs."  Be prepared to have people cough and sneeze in your face.  They will not attempt to cover their mouths.  You will have to teach them to do so.  You will be exposed to everything including strep throat and the flu.  Sorry. 11.  As a teacher, you are suddenly responsible for everyone else's belongings. (Kind of like being a mom).  Bookbags, lunch boxes, mittens, shoes, jackets and other articles of clothing are now your responsiblity.  12. Runny noses and potty training will become a part of your daily routine.     If you've read through this list and are still interested in switching careers, good!  You have to be sure that this is something that you want to do, it isn't the career choice for everyone.  If you haven't worked with kids who have special needs before, please volunteer with Special Olympics.  Don't just do it for a day, volunteer for an overnight trip.  That will tell you if you're cut out for it or not. :-)   If you still want to work with kids who have special needs, contact your local board of education.  They will probably hire you on a provisional teaching certificate(since you already have a law degree).  All you will have to do beyond that is pass the state certification tests and take a few special education courses.  The courses will be helpful in SpEd law, due process, policies and procedures, and characteristics of different disabilities. Good Luck!

[dearborn]

Why are you trying to transition from being an attorney to being a special education teacher? Pros of being a special education teacher: 1.  Sweet Students who love and appreciate you. 2.  Sweet Parents who love and appreciate you. 3.  The reward of seeing your student learn something that you've taught them, and retain it! 4.  SUMMER VACATION!!!! 5.  Sweet colleagues and understanding administrators(if you're lucky). 6.  Kids who have special needs are funny and can be a lot of fun to work with.         Cons of being a special education teacher: 1. Students who have behavior disorders who bite, kick, scratch, throw tantrums, spit, vomit on you(on purpose), throw poo, smear poo on the walls and themselves, throw things, curse at you, and hit.(I've had all of these things happen in my classroom.  It depends on the severity of the disability, but I never had anyone with an IQ below 55 on my caseload.  All had moderate disabilities. 2.  Parents who are stressed and over extended, and take out their frustrations on you. 3.  The tedium of teaching the same thing over and over and over again, and sometimes your students still don't get it. 4.  Annoying behaviors...and some kids aren't very rational.  It is hard to reason with someone who has no concept or reality/make believe...especially when they have an intellectual disability AND mental illness. 5.  You will make less money, unless you have a Ph.D. and several years experience. 6.  Be prepared to feel unappreciated by your school district. (I have friends who get bonuses and incentive cruises.  Teachers get pens, pins, and keychains as "Thank Yous"...or a cheap and fattening meal.  Donuts and juice, or a gift cert. to the local all you can eat buffet....yeah, thanks.) 7.  PAPERWORK and deadlines.  In order to adhere to due process, you will have tons and tons of paperwork to do.  IEPs, IEP notifications, you will have to schedule the meeting within a certain amount of time, which means you will have to coordinate the schedules of 6 professionals along with the parent AND find a place for them to meet.  I can't describe the paperwork, if you've never done it, you'd never be able to understand.  On top of which, most states are doing Alternative Assessments now, which are basically portfolios and essays compiled by the teachers.  Hours and hours of thankless work. 8.  Every once in a while, you'll run against colleagues and administrators who have nasty attitudes. 9.  Special ed. teachers don't get to "coast."  You have to work in close proximity with very needy people even if you're not in the mood.  If you're sleepy, sick, tired, or hung over on any other job, you can close your office door and not be harrassed.  You can go into a cubicle and stare at your computer screen and pretend to work.  Not SpEd teachers.  That's the day someone will have a tantrum, throw up, have a seizure, or they will all just want your attention, "Teacher, teacher, teacher!!!!!!" 10. Illness - younger children with disabilities are less aware of the concept of "germs."  Be prepared to have people cough and sneeze in your face.  They will not attempt to cover their mouths.  You will have to teach them to do so.  You will be exposed to everything including strep throat and the flu.  Sorry. 11.  As a teacher, you are suddenly responsible for everyone else's belongings. (Kind of like being a mom).  Bookbags, lunch boxes, mittens, shoes, jackets and other articles of clothing are now your responsiblity.  12. Runny noses and potty training will become a part of your daily routine.     If you've read through this list and are still interested in switching careers, good!  You have to be sure that this is something that you want to do, it isn't the career choice for everyone.  If you haven't worked with kids who have special needs before, please volunteer with Special Olympics.  Don't just do it for a day, volunteer for an overnight trip.  That will tell you if you're cut out for it or not. :-)   If you still want to work with kids who have special needs, contact your local board of education.  They will probably hire you on a provisional teaching certificate(since you already have a law degree).  All you will have to do beyond that is pass the state certification tests and take a few special education courses.  The courses will be helpful in SpEd law, due process, policies and procedures, and characteristics of different disabilities. Good Luck! Sources: experience prettyface 82 months ago Please sign in to give a compliment. Please verify your account to give a compliment. Please sign in to send a message. Please verify your account to send a message.

[AbOwen]

newbie1647274 said: 2 prettyface, regarding your answer "Why are you trying to transition from being an attorney to being a special education teacher?": I have a child with special needs. He is mildly autistic. I was already considering the teaching profession for a possible career change from the field of law and decided that, if I did go into teaching, I'd like to work with kids who have learning disabilities. 82 months ago

[Kalvin]

prettyface said: 3 As the Mom of a child with Autism, you have a very good idea of what it takes to care for a child with a disability. I'm not trying to talk you out of it, I just want to be sure that you have a very real idea of what you're getting yourself into. I know you already have an idea of why you want to be a Special Education teacher, I wanted to give you a few reasons that people eventually leave the profession.How soon were you looking to switch fields?Good Luck, and keep me posted! 82 months ago