All around the world, teachers are lauded for the jobs they do in the classroom — inspiring, encouraging and nurturing young minds. Those who teach students with learning and behavior disorders attain MVP status for the difference they make to society. If being an LBD teacher is your calling, an online master’s degree program in education can provide you with a solid foundation for a rewarding and successful career.
What LBD teachers Do
LBD teachers are like special education teachers. They both adapt the general curriculum to meet their students’ needs; create Individualized Education Programs for students; update IEPs throughout the year; and share feedback on each student’s progress with family members, teachers, counselors and administrators.
They teach Pre-K through 12th-grade students who have learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia, or behavioral/emotional disorders such as ADHD, cerebral palsy, anxiety, depression or schizophrenia. They may provide support to the general education teacher by co-teaching in the general education setting. In the resource room, they may work in small groups or one on one with students, focused on academics or behavior, to close the gap in skills.
According to the Collaborative on Health and the Environment, learning disabilities affect 5-10% of children in U.S. public schools. People with learning challenges may have a hard time persisting in school or keeping a job, so there’s definitely a need for teachers who wish to serve.
Becoming an LBD teacher
LBD teachers are required to have at least a bachelor’s degree, and they must also be certified to teach in their respective states. Some employers may even require certification or a bachelor’s degree in special education. You can build upon your bachelor’s degree with more specialized skills obtained through Northern Kentucky University’s online Master of Arts in Education – Teacher as Leader in Learning & Behavior Disorders.
The NKU online degree program offers a pathway to certification if needed, with courses focused on learning and behavior disorders; intellectual and orthopedic disabilities; behavioral analysis procedures as well as the theory and pedagogy needed to support all learners. You can finish NKU’s online MAEd – Teacher Leader – LBD in as few as 18 months.
If you want to know more about students with learning and behavior disorders but do not want to become certified, consider NKU’s online MAEd Teacher Leader – LBD. You’ll take just 10 courses (30 credit hours). With six start dates per year, you can enroll when it’s convenient for you. NKU also offers a flexible tuition plan that allows you to pay as you go.
In addition to the skills that you can obtain from NKU’s online master’s degree program in education, the following character traits are important for success in LBD teaching: compassion, patience, a calm demeanor, a good sense of humor, top-notch organizational skills, and dedication to students who may desperately need an advocate.
The Outlook for LBD Teachers
Salary-wise, the pay for LBD teachers depends on where you work. Based on 2020 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median yearly salary for special education teachers was $61,420. Preschool teachers had a median salary of $31,930; kindergarten and elementary school teachers earned $60,660; middle school teachers had a salary of $60,810; and secondary school special education teachers earned $62,320.
The BLS projects increased demand for special education teachers as disabilities are identified earlier, leading to the enrollment of younger and younger children with disabilities into special education/LBD programs. Because federal laws require every state to maintain the same level of financial support for special education every year, there’s a reduced threat of layoffs due to state or federal budget constraints.
If you’re ready to answer the call to teach students with learning and behavior disorders, consider an online MAEd – Teacher Leader – LBD at Northern Kentucky University.
Learn more about NKU’s online Master of Arts in Education – Teacher as Leader in Learning & Behavior Disorders.
Sources:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Special Education Teachers
