10 Undeniable Signs That You Should Become a Special Education Teacher

As a special education teacher, one of the first things you understand is that people with disabilities are just people Image from Unsplash

Tim Villegas November 26, 2019

You're obsessed with velcro?

In this course, participants learn core principles, concepts, and methods of continuous improvement and explore the history of continuous improvement efforts. In a series of lectures, Master Black Belt in Six Sigma Shane Wentz, Ph.D., enables learners to enhance, optimize, and stabilize business processes and to augment quality control through varied methodologies. Participants gain the skills and knowledge to reimagine internal processes, engage in advanced problem-solving, and empower employees. The course covers high-level foundational principles of Lean, Six Sigma, and DMAIC processes before diving deep into Lean Six Sigma methods. Learners will analyze the tools of process mapping, Kaizen (a continuous improvement method/tool deemed a prerequisite for Lean transformation success), Lean (a continuous improvement philosophy that emphasizes streamlined workflows and reducing waste), and the process improvement methodology driving DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

Entrepreneurs fostering new ventures outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley face significant challenges. These markets are unlike Silicon Valley, and they will likely remain so. That doesn't mean they can't nurture and sustain new businesses. In transitioning markets that lack abundant private sector financing, creative approaches from government officials, donors, and business leaders can fill the void to support entrepreneurial activity. Northeast Ohio (where Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University are located) has become a laboratory for such innovative solutions. During our time together in this course, we will explore some of these creative approaches to promoting regional entrepreneurship. Northeast Ohio has seen a massive infusion of government and donor resources for over ten years. In that time, Northeast Ohio has promoted regional development (including job creation and follow-on funding) through alternative methods of financing startups. It has not been easy. The region has made progress, but it remains to be seen whether it has struck upon an enduring formula. A dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem takes many years, even decades, to develop. Government policymakers and donors typically seek quicker returns on their support programs, which makes long-term support for entrepreneurship challenging. This course includes case studies and first-person testimonials from entrepreneurs who have launched products and services ranging from medical devices to LED lights to whiskey. You will learn how these entrepreneurs discovered and procured resources from various programs and intermediary organizations. You will hear from business people still in the process of developing their companies as well as those whose ventures have flourished. Our focus will extend beyond Cleveland to selected markets around the world, including Greece, Vietnam, Tunisia, Argentina, Rwanda and China. You will learn about international incentives and other supports available to developing startups and small businesses across the globe. This course examines how different communities around the world approach implementing strategies and methods to support businesses. I will ask you to reflect on how to apply the principles we learn to growing entrepreneurship where you live. The social interactive features of the online platform will enable students from around the world to share ideas and learn from one another. Most MOOCs rebroadcast professors’ lectures; this course is different. Don’t expect to see me standing in front of the camera, talking and lecturing every module. Instead, the lectures will be relatively short in length. They have more of the feel of an engaging documentary than a static classroom setting. ## __What type of person takes the *Beyond Silicon Valley* course?__ - Active and aspiring businesspeople in communities looking to initiate new startup ecosystems or bolster existing ones - Current and prospective entrepreneurs who want to learn about funding sources, risk management, and the lifecycle of startups - Professionals who work in government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic institutions, and various private funds that fund startups - Anyone curious about how to create and grow startup ecosystems outside the major tech hubs - The principles Beyond Silicon Valley teaches have been drawn from and applied to startups worldwide, from small villages to megalopolises. You'll study success stories spanning the globe from Vietnam to Kosovo to Botswana. ## __What will you learn in *Beyond Silicon Valley*?__ - How and where startups can find funding to get their businesses off the ground - What role government can play in encouraging startups and a healthy startup ecosystem - How anchor institutions such as universities and healthcare systems participate in startup ecosystems - How nongovernmental organizations support startups - How to raise funds from venture capitalists, angel investors, and accelerators - How to navigate challenging periods in the startup lifecycle - The importance of mentoring in successful startups

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My mother likes to tell a story during family get-togethers about when I was in elementary school. My grandfather endured heart problems ever since I could remember, and we visited him in the hospital quite often. My mom would go to visit him in his room, and while I was old enough to be left alone in the waiting room, I was not old enough to visit him in the intensive care unit.

I'm dating myself here, but when I was 10 years old, there was no such thing as the internet or a handheld gaming device. My entertainment consisted of books (which I loved), Highlights magazines, and making the acquaintance of friendly people in the waiting room.

One day, a young girl with multiple disabilities sat beside me, in a wheelchair. The way my mom tells this story, when she returned from visiting her father, there I was laughing and carrying on with the girl. The parents of the girl took my mom aside and remarked how kind I was to their daughter.

I wasn't being kind to the girl because she was disabled; I just wanted a friend. If I were to observe my younger self now, I would recognize this interaction as a sign that becoming a special education teacher was my path. As a special education teacher, one of the first things you understand is that people with disabilities are just people.

Have you experienced something similar? Here are 10 more signs you should become a special education teacher.

Data gets you moving.

Does the very mention of growth percentages, task analysis, and assessments perk your interests? A significant portion of the job of a special education teacher is taking and analyzing data. If you secretly loved your statistics course, this might be the job for you.

The "R-word" gives you chills.

If you refuse to say the N-word, then you wouldn't say the R-word. It is surprising how many people still use this archaic word to insult someone's intelligence. Special education teachers don't put up with it and will shut anyone down who uses it.

Acronyms don't scare you.

If you already know what IDEA, IEP, FAPE, AT, AAC, BCBA, and FERPA stand for, you are ahead of the game. As a special education teacher, acronyms will become part of your vernacular. You'll also look for any way to be efficient with your words.

You take pride in documentation.

If there is no documentation, it was like it never happened. One of the first things I learned as a special education teacher was that making notes could be your best friend or worst enemy. If you excel at reporting the facts and leaving emotion out of it, this might be the perfect job for you.

You're obsessed with velcro?

Creating materials that are accessible to students with disabilities means you have to use velcro, that hard and soft sticky tape you've used to hang things on your walls. Special education teachers know that hours of their career will be spent cutting and assembling communication books and adapting assignments.

You explain things in a way everyone will understand.

A skill every special education teacher will need to learn is to simplify instructions. If you know how to make complex or abstract ideas easier to comprehend, you might be the perfect candidate.

You are organized (or at least committed to getting better at it).

I'm naturally a disorganized person, but early in my teaching career, I realized I needed a system, or I would drown in paperwork. If your strengths lie in time management, fantastic! If you are like the rest of us, then find a system that works for you know and keep at it. Having an organizational system to handle your work email, calendar, and personal life will only help you in the long run.

The lines between educator and advocate are blurred.

Sometimes you are going to feel like the only one who is advocating for your students. That is because sometimes you are. If you are passionate about social justice and want to see how that plays out in the lives of your students, you are going to be a fabulous special education teacher.

You live for dress-up days.

Like to dress up as a pirate, the president, or your favorite book character? Teaching is an excellent gig for dress-up days.

You love working with kids.

I could have listed this one first because it seems like the most obvious. Let me be clear if you don't like being around kids, find another profession. But, if your eyes light up when you see the smiles of young people or your heart swells with the sounds of a busy classroom, you've found the right job for you.

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