How to Write a Special Education Teacher Resume or CV Curriculum Vitae

As a resume writer for 16+ years, who has specialized helping education it is very apparent that special education teaching is a rapidly growing position in the field of education. With more recognizing the need for intervention and the acceptance of disabilities, an increasing number of students are being identified as challenged each year. As the special needs student population grows, school districts need to hire more teachers to provide services for these students.

Many individuals are drawn to the field of special education because of the promise of job openings, job security, and just a strong conviction to the rewards associated with helping students overcome mental and physical barriers. But even though there are more jobs in special education than in other areas, there is still strong competition for these positions. Keep your job search sanity in check by ensuring you start with excellent job search documents or you could be wasting your time.

Resume writing for special needs education teachers needs to communicate the individual has what it takes to be that special person to help students. When schools interview potential special education teachers, they look very carefully at the applications, credentials, knowledge, and skills to select the proper candidate. If you want to be the candidate who earns the job, you need to make sure that your qualifications are top notch. These qualifications, keywords, and accomplishments must be presented in a powerful resume and cover letter to ensure you receive a job interview.Click on this link to view an example of a special education teacher's resume and cover letter.

If you are ready to apply for special education teaching jobs, be sure to consider the steps you need to take to increase the likelihood of being selected. When districts are recruiting special education teachers, they are looking for certain characteristics. These attributes and accomplishments need to be concisely conveyed in your resume and cover letter. If you possess these traits, and are able to communicate and back them up in a visually-appealing resume, you will be a desirable candidate to interview, and ultimately increase your chance of landing a job offer.

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8 Characteristics School Districts Are Looking For in A Special Education Teacher

First of all, they are very special people themselves and need to have certain personality characteristics to want and be success in the position. Not everyone is able to take on the job with gusto and enthusiasm. Do you have what it takes to be a special education teacher or paraprofessional?

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10 Skills Administrators Will Look for In a Candidate

Like all other educators, special education teachers must possess strong instructional skills; however, their classroom management skills must be above reproach.

Top 10 Areas of Expertise as a Special Education Teacher

Now that we know what school districts and administrators are looking for, it's time to incorporate those things in your teacher resume and cover letter! When developing your job application documents, it is crucial to incorporate the appropriate jargon and keywords. Use these items in your profile to capture the reader's attention, and pepper them throughout your job responsibilities and related achievements.

Familiarize Yourself With the Keywords

Special education is full of acronyms and jargon that a qualified candidate should be familiar with. If you have to ask your interviewer to explain certain terms to you, you are not likely to succeed in the job hunt. Schools want to hire someone who is knowledgeable, so make sure you are up on the common technical terms. Terms may include: adaptive behavior, alexia, assistive technology device, or discrepancy formula.

Be Knowledgeable About Various Disabilities

You never know which types of disabilities students in your class will struggle with, so be sure you know basic information about a wide variety of disabilities before you go to the job interview. You want to be able to accurately and impressively answer questions they may pose regarding disability types. Remember, as a special education teacher, you are seen as the district's expert on disabilities. They want to hire someone who they can turn to if they have questions; not someone who needs to constantly consult a resource book.

Differentiated Instruction is Vital

Differentiation is critical to success in the classroom and is a very popular buzzword in education today. It is something that all teachers need to do in their classroom to ensure success for all types and levels of learners. However, as a special education teacher, you will be required to do more differentiation than any other type of teacher. Consider how you could modify lessons to meet students' individual needs, and be prepared to give specific examples in your interview where you have accomplished this huge responsibility.

Demonstrate Your Ability to Work Cooperatively

Special education teachers need to show they can work cooperatively with other teachers and resources specialists within the school community — making being a team player very important. Make sure the district knows you are willing to partner and collaborate with other educators to help students succeed. Emphasize this in both the resume and cover letter, and of course, during the job interview. Be prepared to give examples and accomplishment stories to back up this skill.

In addition to working with other professionals, you must be able to get along well with parents, and collaborate closely with them to ensure the success of their child. Parent communication and involvement is key in the world of special education; therefore, take the time to highlight it in your resume and cover letter.

Understand the Roles of Special Needs Support Staff

Depending on the nature of disabilities and the scope of your position, you may manage and allocate support staff, such as a teacher's assistant or paraprofessional. Be sure you are aware of the different support staff types that generally assist with special education programs. Your interviewer may ask you to explain how you would utilize different support structures, so before the interview, you may want to consider how to effectively use other staff to help students succeed.

If you require more information or have any questions - Contact Candace at A+ Resumes for Teachers by clicking here or call toll-free 1-877-738-8052.