Terrence Said:

Choosing a career...please help??

We Answered:

Do you have any contacts in a local elementary school? If you contact a guidance counselor there, he/she might be able to meet with you so that you can chat with them and experience some aspects of the day-to-day role he/she plays in the school. The counselor might also be able to help you set up a time to meet with some of the other roles you've mentioned, like a regular ed. teacher, a special ed. teacher, the school social worker, school psychologist, etc.

Obviously, any of these roles are going to require further schooling or some sort of "alternate route" coursework to become certified. If you do meet with some of these people to observe, be sure to ask them for any suggestions for local resources or good progams/universities for the training you'll need.

You may want to also look into volunteering with a local school or organization, or even find a job as an aide at an afterschool program if your schedule allows. This will give you more insight into the field--you might discover what you most enjoy or what aspects are different than you might have guessed.

Good luck as you persue your interests! :)

Edith Said:

Intermediate Units...master's degree in special ed/school psych?

We Answered:

A behavior specialist sounds like it would be a great match. In a school system, you could work as a consulting specialist to draw up behavior plans for specific students, do observations and intervention plans, conduct small group student sessions for behavior/social skills.

There are private practice behavior specialists who work with children and their families as well. Many students with special needs, usually those with milder forms of autism or those with ADHD, are seeing these behaviorists who in turn collaborate with the sped team in the school setting. Then there are those parents who have a hard time providing structure for their typically developing children and beed the expertise of a behavior specialist to guide them.

You have options if it is the behavior piece that you are most interested in and want some "hands-on" with children. Good Luck!!

Hector Said:

Should I Pursue My Dream? Adult/Mature People Only!?

We Answered:

become a porn star

Frederick Said:

Master's in special education, school psychology, etc?

We Answered:

I do not have the answer that you need but what I think you should do is some research. Talk to colleges and ask them what kinds of jobs you could pursue with either degree. After you get a list of the jobs, then you can do a search to discover what the pay scale would be for these positions, as well as, the availability of these positions in the area you choose to live. Then when you have educated yourself make an informed decision. Since this will affect the rest of your life, do not stress about how much time it might take to figure it out. You don't want to rush and make a decision that you will regret later.

Good Luck!