Sauk Valley students get first-hand look at special education careers

Serenity Palmer is a sophomore at Rock Falls High School.

“Ever since I’ve been young, I’ve been in a special education classroom,” she said.

Palmer’s challenge is reading — and after several years, things have started to finally fall into place. Her English skills have improved.

“I needed a teacher to believe in me,” she said.

Now, Palmer’s considering a career in education.

That’s why she took part in the Pathways Education Symposium on Friday at Sauk Valley Community College.

[ 2018 teacher of the year gives keynote address ]

Her desire is to help others with special needs. So, she was among 13 students who attended the second of three breakout sessions on special education, which was led by the very teacher who helped her.

That would be Amy Sigel, who had been at the high school and is now working at District 13.

The other educator conducting the session was Morgan Thomson of Forreston Grade School.

Together, they provided the students with a frank, yet informative, introduction on the challenges and rewards of teaching those with special needs.

One of the students volunteered that she was there because a family member had special needs.

Thomson nodded. For a lot of teachers in the field, there’s that “one single thing” that brings them in, she said.

Another breakout attendee was Elizabeth Clarida, a junior at Amboy. She plans to attend the University of Tennessee, and she’s also considering entering the special education field.

“I have epilepsy,” she said. “It’s what’s sometimes called a hidden disability. Everyone needs help, and I’m passionate about helping students with special needs.”

Both Thomson and Sigel seemed pleased their breakout sessions were so well-attended. They had 13 in the opener and had about 11 filtering in for the third.

It’s an encouraging sign given that positions requiring the special education licensure are among the most difficult for schools to fill.

The symposium, which is in its second year, is intended to promote and present education as a career option to students while they are still in high school. It’s just one of many facets that Regional Office of Education 47 for Lee, Ogle and Whiteside counties is taking to bolster the teaching ranks.

Entering this school year, there were 23 unfilled teaching positions in the schools served by the regional office. The Illinois State Board of Education reported 5,301 unfilled positions across the state. The Kelly Education Report showed the nation’s schools were short 240,000 teachers in 2022 and expects that number to double by 2025.

Sigel and Thomson provided a glimpse into the working day of special education teachers at different grade levels.

“If you want hugs, the grade school is the place to be,” Morgan said.

Conversely, students working toward their independence can be found in higher grade levels, said Sigel, who prefers working with older special needs students.

Both agreed that collaboration and the capacity to adapt to changing situations, be it the number of students served in a self-contained classroom or serving as a co-teacher in a classroom that mixes general ed with special needs, are essential.

They were up front about another factor: Turnover rate among special education teachers is high.

The job requires perseverance.

Morgan pointed out that special education settings require more than just teachers, however. There are other career options, she said. Among the related specialties are speech pathologists or physical or occupational therapists, that play a vital role in student development. Morgan said, for example, she has specialized training for those students with auditory impairment.

They also opened the window to the amount of paperwork required for special education. Writing individualized education plans, or IEPs, requires exactness and the ability to collaborate with all the stakeholders: student, parent, other teachers, interventionists, administrators, specialists and professional health care providers. A single document can require hours, Sigel said.

According to the regional office, the symposium attracted 90 high school students from a dozen area school districts. About 30 educational professionals, both in classroom instruction and administration, served as session leaders. Six colleges and universities had representatives there to explain their education degree offerings.

In closing, Sigel suggested if students wished to know more, they should contact their local school district and request a chance to shadow a special education teacher. She thinks most districts would be accommodating.