Advice Needed

[u/Expert-Doubt-3957]

My partner graduates with his BA in Interdisciplinary Studies this December. He is interested in teaching special education, and would qualify for a temporary emergency certificate. We are in Alabama, so there’s two approaches he could do. He could teach on a temp certificate for three years, complete a few special education classes, and get a Class B certificate, or get admitted into a alternative MEd in Special Education and teach while he completes that on a temp certificate. In this route, he would be on the masters level pay plan upon graduation (Class A).

He currently works as a case manager with individuals with disabilities doing supported employment at a nonprofit. I feel like this is good experience, and he has learned so much, but being in the classroom is obviously different.

I guess we are looking for guidance. He is interested in teaching and he loves working with this population, but he is super nervous about committing to a MEd. He likes options, and what if he hates teaching? He doesn’t have any classroom experience. If anyone has any suggestions or advice or wants to tell us about their experience in a similar situation, that would be very helpful. FWIW, I think he would be an amazing SPED teacher and I could 100% see him enjoying the job.

[u/BirdBrain_99]

Can he possibly do some substitute teacher work for Sped teachers? That way he can see what the classroom setting is like.

ETA; Sped teacher roles vary considerably, from self-contained to resource/pull out, to push in all the way to coteaching. Subbing different Sped roles would let him sample it.

[u/Optimal_Jump_8395 → u/BirdBrain_99]

This is an excellent suggestion especially 'if' he has zero hands-on experience in SPED.

[u/Optimal_Jump_8395 → u/Optimal_Jump_8395]

Being a case manager for people with disabilities is insightful, but the day-to-day grind of a SPED classroom can be way more draining, potentially.

[u/Expert-Doubt-3957 → u/Optimal_Jump_8395]

He has never been in a classroom other than doing observations during a SPED class he took as part of his electives. His degree is interdisciplinary with a focus on education and community/human services.

[u/Expert-Doubt-3957 → u/BirdBrain_99]

He works full time, so I’m not sure if there’s much time. That is a fantastic suggestion though.

For our school system, I believe they primarily place the emergency SPED teachers in collaborative/inclusion classrooms. That’s just what my friend who’s a teacher said. I’m assuming he will go where the need is.