From SLP to Special Education?

[SLP2B2015]

Hi Everyone,

 

For those of us considering Plan B as the rejections trickle in, I was hoping some of you might have some advice for alternatives such as special education. For me specifically, I am looking at applying for a special education program that, within 18 months, qualifies you for a license in Cross Categorical Special Ed (age range 6-21). For those considering this option as well or already in this field, I have a few questions:

 

1) Is special ed worth it? What I mean by this question is that part of my interest in SPED is sparked by my love of SLP. My aim is (and it might change along the way) to gain experience in SPED and then re-apply for SLP grad school in a couple of years.

2) If yes to SPED, then which concentration is most in demand? 

• Emotional Behavior Disabilities
• Learning Disabilities
• Cognitive Disabilities

Personally, I am leaning towards LD since it would be most applicable for SLP, but thoughts?

 

3) Is being a special education teacher really as hard as people say it is? The intense workload, lack of appreciation, job insecurity, etc.?

 

Any other thoughts would be highly appreciated!

 

Best of luck to everyone!

[wishingwishing]

Being any kind of teacher can be hard - the paperwork, the class sizes, lesson planning, the kids, the parents, the lack of appreciation, you name it. Sometimes it's wonderful, sometimes it really stinks. You just have to love what you do, and no one can answer that question for you. There's a high turnover for teachers because in part it's one of those things you just don't know for sure until you are in the thick of it. (Those are some of the same complaints that SLPs have too.)

 

I'm not sure that being a special ed teacher will help you any when it comes to getting into a program, but I think it will help you find out if you like teaching (and SLP, because they are similar) and to better understand what it's like working in the schools.

[Guest lacrosse789]

I'm with school psych but I thought I'd chime in. IMO EBD is more in demand because it is a very difficult environment to work in and there's a lot of need for behavioral support in schools. I believe, like teaching in any subject, that your experience may be influenced by the school environment - are the staff supportive and communicative, and do you have the resources you need? You need to love the job for what it is and not just see it as a bridge to something else in order to not get burnt out, especially if you have a difficult case load. 

 

I know people who aim to work as speech pathologists who currently work as paraprofessionals. The pay isn't great, but you can gain a lot of experience working with different populations during the day and you don't need to deal with IEPs or the bureaucracy. 

[SLP2B2015]

Thank you for your responses NebbyK and wishingwishing. I agree with you that I should delve into this field if I truly feel for it, but I think right now with SLP rejections and the future appearing a little bleak, I am really confused about how I really feel. I did consider the paraprofessional route, but the pay is so low that arranging childcare for my kid (did I mention I am a mom??!?!) and working for so little would not suffice. At least with being a teacher, you can rely on having a steady income and some benefits. My husband's pay keeps us going, but I know he won't be able to afford for me working @ 13.50/hr and paying for childcare.

 

There is also the matter that I left my career as a data analyst to go for SLP, so I could always find *any* job, but I want to do something related with SLP since I feel like that is my calling and I want to go in a field where I can help. While I don't think SPED teachers and SLP's have a ton in common, I still think the aspect of working with the disabled population and having the patience to do so is a common factor. I also believe that as a SPED teacher you come in contact with individuals that are probably suffering from speech and language delays, so you are probably exposed to a lot more than a SLP (which is probably a good and a bad thing, since you can't necce. focus on one issue).

 

I don't know, this is more of an inner dialogue than a comment I suppose I don't think I've ever felt so lost in my life.

[Squeeze]

Hi Everyone,

 

For those of us considering Plan B as the rejections trickle in, I was hoping some of you might have some advice for alternatives such as special education. For me specifically, I am looking at applying for a special education program that, within 18 months, qualifies you for a license in Cross Categorical Special Ed (age range 6-21). For those considering this option as well or already in this field, I have a few questions:

 

1) Is special ed worth it? What I mean by this question is that part of my interest in SPED is sparked by my love of SLP. My aim is (and it might change along the way) to gain experience in SPED and then re-apply for SLP grad school in a couple of years.

2) If yes to SPED, then which concentration is most in demand? 

• Emotional Behavior Disabilities
• Learning Disabilities
• Cognitive Disabilities

Personally, I am leaning towards LD since it would be most applicable for SLP, but thoughts?

 

3) Is being a special education teacher really as hard as people say it is? The intense workload, lack of appreciation, job insecurity, etc.?

 

Any other thoughts would be highly appreciated!

 

Best of luck to everyone!

 

I finished my licensure in SPED a couple years ago (K-8). Let me say first I loved it (perhaps any teacher might say the same). I got into it working in NYC with kids with autism initially by teaching art. While I was in grad school, I found a wide discrepancy between the subject matter and the realities of daily work in SPED. For example, much of the best practices professed such as separating referral from assessment teams, walk to math/reading, having specific measurable goals, etc. were too often dismissed (or perhaps not feasible given the environment). It depends greatly on the district and administrative environment. Often SPED teachers were not supported or treated well in comparison to their colleagues, SLPs, Psychs etc. I might also suggest you look into the current state of high-stakes testing (ask a teacher), and its effect on teaching. But I would also not let this discourage you, it (seeing the kids succeed) can be incredibly rewarding.

 

1) Keep in mind SPED is a fairly different world. Certainly you work alongside SLPs. I worked with several writing IEPs, doing observations, behavioral assessments and a lot of other stuff. But you will likely have your own classroom, spending most of your time teaching subject matter. SLPs don't really have curriculum training as such, though perhaps de facto they learn to assimilate stuff from whatever classrooms they work with the most (when they're good). I often found myself teaching math and working on language and behavior goals simultaneously. This is tough. Good teachers can do it. SLPs often don't have to worry about subject matter (or it is often a tangential concern to their stated IEP goals).

 

2) Here's a decent link to a breakdown of eligibilities. As you can see, specific learning disability makes up the majority of IEP eligibility. IMO this means that we typically have very little idea what the etiology of a disability might be, or that it is so diverse in causes that we use LD as sort of a catchall. You'll be working with a lot of great kids. But keep in mind you might be working in a school with walk to read where some of your students simply have lower reading abilities, and may be mixed with other students that have IEP goals.

 

3) Being a teacher is very difficult and rewarding. I have met many really good teachers who put in a lot of hours. It matters very much what the administration is like at a particular school. It also matters a lot if the school has PBIS, funding, etc. Teachers are often expected to work over their hours, and I have observed SPED teachers told to use their own vacation time to write IEPs. Again, not best practice, not even legal, but the realities of the job. Please don't let me persuade you out of this. I recommend talking with a SPED teacher and observing a classroom in which you're interested. Best of luck.

[jlgpoint169]

This is a great thread, with some really interesting insights.  

I've seriously considered this route too - I'm in a similar situation to you WisconsinNite99:  I'm a mom too, but my son will be starting PreK in the fall so working as a paraprofessional if more of an option for me as the childcare will be mostly free.

But, with my age (37) I'm really keen to just get on with my career and not sure if want to wait around earning terrible money and try for SLP grad school next year.

Are there any other related school-based positions or routes to think about?  What about school literacy specialists?

I have a friend who worked for 10 years as a special Ed teacher in NYC, she does not recommend it from her personal experience.   But as Squeeze pointed out, it's a personal thing and very depended on the administration you're working in ...

[s1bailey]

Hello there! This is a great thread and I'd love to give some info about my experience. 

 

I was rejected from all of the grad schools I applied to right out of undergrad. This was really discouraging to me and I had a freak out moment. I did not have great undergraduate grades and was very negative about reapplying because I did not want to be rejected again. I decided to apply to a SPED program at a nearby university. I finished a year of the program part time while doing an internship at the local preschool. During my second semester I was having a lot of second guessing. I had two kids in the class I was working in who went to the SLP. Every time the SLP came in and did in class observations or in class sessions, I was obsessed. I wanted to hear what she was saying, what she thought about them, what she was going to do next with them, the activities she was doing, why she was doing it with them. I realized that my heart was with speech. I loved working in the school and I loved my SPED classes. But I loved speech more and I needed to pursue that. I stopped my program and decided to work towards that goal. I applied again. Got two rejections and one acceptance to Nova Southeastern's online program which wont start until the Winter of 2016 (this was last summer so I was going to be waiting a long time). In the meantime I found a job with a Birth-3 organization and worked as an Early Intervention Assistant and 5 months after that I found a SLP-A position as long as a Behavior Therapist position that I was hired for. Three part time positions that were all relevant to my path towards becoming an SLP. During this time I decided that I wanted to try for an on campus program that would start in the fall of 2015 instead of waiting all the way until winter 2016. I am currently applied to three schools. And although I will most likely get rejected I will still be able to go to Nova if that is the case. 

 

Long story short... I believe I would have been happy as a Special Educator! I loved the classes and working in the school. But I had the constant thought in the back of my mind that I was missing something. My heart was always with speech. 

 

If you do decide to do SPED, you can always try speech pathology again! Keep in mind that after doing that program you will have more classes on your transcript and experience with a similar population! It wont hurt your future application that is for sure. 

 

Sorry for the rambling! 

[CBG321]

Plan B's are a difficult choice when you already know what you really want to be doing.  That being said SPED is very emotionally and physically draining if it is not in your heart of hearts something you would genuinely be interested in pursuing if Comm Disorders was completely off the table.  

 

I think although it might be tough, it would work better if you found a 2nd choice you would do IF you never became an SLP.  Doing it as an in-between to gain experience is commendable on an aid level but if you are trying to teach, it would kind of stink for the kids if your heart wasn't 100% in it.   

 

That being said is that the ONLY population that got you interested in speech in the first place?  If not, maybe go work in a hospital if that is the population you're looking for or take some classes in sign language and become an interpreter.  I think it's more rare for people to go that route which might make you stand out better for future applications!  I hear a lot of people trying to get into SPED as a back up so I'm not sure (depending on each state) that doing so benefits future applications.  And you can volunteer with that population while working at a "desk" job which also shows how dedicated you are to getting into a program!

 

That being said if your heart is interested in that population, that is fantastic!  Good luck and hopefully you won't need that plan B to begin with!

[SLA]

Hi Everyone,

 

I too would like to share my experience. I am currently working as a Speech and Language Assistant in an inner city school district. I have been for the last five years. My dream has always been to be a SLP but like some of you have shared, I too was rejected upon initially applying grad school. I decided to go back to school for Special Ed because I wanted to obtain a master's degree one way or the other. In my district, having a master's degree also gives you a pay raise. So I received my master's in SPED in December 2013 and graduated with a 3.74 gpa. I do not want to be a teacher. I am in love with the speech and language field and I only obtained this degree to further my education (considering most of my students I currently work with are SPED students) and receive the pay raise. I have applied to go back to grad school for speech in the hope that already having a master's degree and proving I can complete master's level work with a decent gpa will help me get accepted. I don't know if this will help me or not but I am sure hoping it will! Either way I LOVE my job and I love the speech field. I can't imagine myself doing anything else. I say if your dream is speech than stick with it - maybe see if you can find a job working as an SLPA like me. I haven't gotten accepted to any schools yet and I'm not sure if I will either. Maybe obtaining a master's and reapplying will help! Who knows?! I'll keep you all posted!

[jordan2u]

Hi Everyone,

 

I too would like to share my experience. I am currently working as a Speech and Language Assistant in an inner city school district. I have been for the last five years. My dream has always been to be a SLP but like some of you have shared, I too was rejected upon initially applying grad school. I decided to go back to school for Special Ed because I wanted to obtain a master's degree one way or the other. In my district, having a master's degree also gives you a pay raise. So I received my master's in SPED in December 2013 and graduated with a 3.74 gpa. I do not want to be a teacher. I am in love with the speech and language field and I only obtained this degree to further my education (considering most of my students I currently work with are SPED students) and receive the pay raise. I have applied to go back to grad school for speech in the hope that already having a master's degree and proving I can complete master's level work with a decent gpa will help me get accepted. I don't know if this will help me or not but I am sure hoping it will! Either way I LOVE my job and I love the speech field. I can't imagine myself doing anything else. I say if your dream is speech than stick with it - maybe see if you can find a job working as an SLPA like me. I haven't gotten accepted to any schools yet and I'm not sure if I will either. Maybe obtaining a master's and reapplying will help! Who knows?! I'll keep you all posted!

Hi! I have a story very similar to yours where on m year after graduating with my BA in Linguistics, I decided to go into teaching while obtaining my MA in SPED. I am in limbo right now between finishing out my degree in SPED or leave the program and start taking pre-req programs in Speech. I am wondering, how did the SPED background (MA) work for you when you applied to Grad programs? Did you get in? Was SPED helpful in getting in or was it not as important? This would help me so much. Thanks.

[Crimson Wife]

Have you considered becoming an academic language therapist? I was actually in the middle of applying for a master's in educational therapy for this fall when we discovered my youngest daughter (previously diagnosed with autism and MERLD) had profound hearing loss. My plans switched to SLP with a concentration in auditory-verbal therapy for the deaf/hard-of-hearing but I am leaning towards still doing a grad certificate in ed therapy so that I can incorporate dyslexia remediation into my SLP practice.

 

To become fully certified as an academic language therapist you will need a master's in a related field (SLP counts) but to get started as an academic language practitioner you only need a bachelor's plus completion of a multisensory systematic reading intervention program like Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, Slingerland, etc. https://www.altaread.org/membership.asp

 

There is a real shortage of academic language therapists and the pay is good (in my neck of the woods it's $75+/hr).

 

I have a major admiration for SPED teachers but I know my skills are better suited for 1:1 or 1:2 work rather than trying to teach a whole classroom.

[Jolie717]

Have you considered becoming an academic language therapist? I was actually in the middle of applying for a master's in educational therapy for this fall when we discovered my youngest daughter (previously diagnosed with autism and MERLD) had profound hearing loss. My plans switched to SLP with a concentration in auditory-verbal therapy for the deaf/hard-of-hearing but I am leaning towards still doing a grad certificate in ed therapy so that I can incorporate dyslexia remediation into my SLP practice.

 

To become fully certified as an academic language therapist you will need a master's in a related field (SLP counts) but to get started as an academic language practitioner you only need a bachelor's plus completion of a multisensory systematic reading intervention program like Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, Slingerland, etc. https://www.altaread.org/membership.asp

 

There is a real shortage of academic language therapists and the pay is good (in my neck of the woods it's $75+/hr).

 

I have a major admiration for SPED teachers but I know my skills are better suited for 1:1 or 1:2 work rather than trying to teach a whole classroom.

That sounds really interesting but the ALTA site seems very vague with the MSLE classes. Where does one go to find these classes? I went to the IMSLE site and there are no programs in California. But I think I found some through USD using Slingerland, however they mention class hours of 133 but no mention of clinic hours etc... Seems confusing.

[Mommyof3slpa]

Hello all! I have been searching grad cafe relentlessly to find a post similar to my situation and I finally found this post! I know it has been almost 4 years and am wondering how your educational plans panned out. We’re you able to eventually get into an SLP program? Did your degree in SPED help?

 

I am a mom of 3 young kiddos and relocation is not possible for me so my options for SLP program are limited. Also due to unforeseen medical issues my undergrad GPA is a 2.94. I have been working as an SLPA for the past 2 years. 

 

Any updates will be truly appreciated!