Special Education Teachers, Middle School
Teach academic, social, and life skills to middle school students with learning, emotional, or physical disabilities. Includes teachers who specialize and work with students who are blind or have visual impairments; students who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and students with intellectual disabilities.
What it pays
Special Education Teachers, Middle School earn a median of $31.19/hr — about $65,000 a year. (Annual figure is approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Special Education Teachers, Middle School earn a median of $31.19/hr — about $65,000 a year. (Annual figure is approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
- Modify the general education curriculum for students with disabilities, based upon a variety of instructional techniques and instructional technology.
- Develop or write Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
- Develop and implement strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicapping conditions.
- Teach socially acceptable behavior, employing techniques such as behavior modification and positive reinforcement.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
The feel of the work
You're around people constantly; time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0.3% of special education teachers, middle school are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are people-focused, analytical and creative.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Teachers and Instructors, All Other
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Special Education Teachers, All Other
Quick questions
- How much does a special education teachers, middle school make?
- The median pay is $31.19 per hour — roughly $65,000 a year. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a special education teachers, middle school?
- The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
- What does a special education teachers, middle school actually do all day?
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students. Modify the general education curriculum for students with disabilities, based upon a variety of instructional techniques and instructional technology. Develop or write Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.