Do More than Teach with a Master's in Special Education

Most people who pursue a master’s in special education do so with the intent of becoming a special education teacher. After all, most states require such educators to have completed, at minimum, a special education training program if a master’s degree isn’t required. 

However, earning such a degree presents a number of opportunities outside the classroom as well. Law enforcement, health care, social services, and the media are all in need of experienced professionals with a background in special education. 

Not convinced? Check out some of the doors that your special education credential can open up.

Social Services Providers

When children are hospitalized due to illness or injury, their medical team relies upon social services coordinators to help the patient and his or her family access necessary programs and services, and to

help them provide the best possible care to their young patients. With your degree in special education, you can help determine patient eligibility for extra services, advocate for patients’ educational needs, and help coordinate treatment plans. A special education program also helps prepare you for certification as a Child Life Specialist, a health care professional who helps children and families as they deal with illness, injury, disability, and hospitalization. 

Depending on the agency or organization, a social services provider earns an average of around $40,000 per year, with those who earn the Certified Child Life Specialist credential among the top earners overall.

Writer and Tester

In order for children to receive special education services, in most cases they must undergo a series of diagnostic tests designed to pinpoint the issue and identify appropriate measures. The tests are usually administered by trained professionals with a background in special education who can effectively interpret the results and make appropriate recommendations.

Not only do special education professionals deliver exams, they also help create them. Using their in-depth knowledge and experience, they devise exams that are both effective and developmentally appropriate. Special education experts are also in demand as writers of textbooks, and training and informational materials. In most cases, these roles also require some degree of classroom experience in addition to a degree, but the earning potential is competitive. A full time writer, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, earns about $50,000 per year. However, many special education teachers provide writing, editing, and testing services on a freelance basis, earning a steady income in addition to their full time jobs.

Rehabilitation

For people with physical, emotional, and learning disabilities, a rehabilitation counselor can mean the difference between being able to care for themselves and relying on others for everything. If you hold a special education degree, you may be able to work as a rehab counselor, helping children and teens with disabilities develop strategies for managing everyday life or participate in certain activities. 

You might find these positions in schools, where you would work with a single student or a small group in a classroom, at a rehabilitation center, or in private practice. Private practice usually requires that you obtain a license, which may require additional education and training. Demand for rehabilitation counselors is expected to grow by 20 percent within the next decade, but salaries are still on the lower end of the spectrum, averaging in the low to mid $30s. Counselors in private practice tend to earn substantially more money each year.

Law Enforcement

It might seem strange that you can use your special education degree in the law enforcement field, but it’s true. Correctional facilities often hire people with a background in special education to teach or provide rehabilitation services to inmates. Studies show that more than a third of all inmates in juvenile correctional facilities received special education services at some point prior to incarceration, and the law requires that children with disabilities continue to receive those services while they are in detention. 

This is an extremely challenging, yet rewarding specialization, with above average earning potential. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average salaries for a corrections officer is about $48,000 per year, with the region, level of security, and level of education all factors in actual salaries.

Earning a special education master’s degree does not mean that you are limited to working in schools. From hospitals to jails to your own private practice, a special education degree is a versatile credential that offers a wealth of career opportunities.

 

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Change Your Major - Or Change Your School? How to Decide

We’re a few months into the new school year, and it’s official: You hate it. You would rather have dental surgery every day than spend one more minute on campus. The worst part? You have no idea what went wrong. On paper, everything seemed perfect.

At this point, you may be thinking about packing it in. Maybe you’ve thought about transferring to another school and starting over. But before you make a life-changing decision — and take on all of the stress and expense that goes with it — take a few moments to determine the real source of the issue.

The Problem Is Your Major

When you applied to college, you may or may not have had a clear vision of what you wanted to do with your life. Either way, you were most likely encouraged to choose a major, with the caveat that you could change it later on if you wanted.

Well, “later” has finally arrived, and you are miserable. You might be blaming your unhappiness on other factors, such as the other people on campus, your housing situation, the cafeteria food, but the fact is, if you hate what you are studying for 30-40 hours a week or more, it’s going to cloud your perception of everything else. Before you check out though, ask yourself these questions:

Why did I choose my major? If you only chose your major because you had to pick something, because you were pressured by your parents, or because you heard that you can earn a huge salary in that field, there’s a good chance that you will hate it. 

Do I like this subject? First things first: Every major is going to require coursework that you will find boring or pointless. It’s inevitable. But if you discover after a few classes that every class is dull, and that you just aren’t interested in learning more about the subject, a major change is in order. Consider this: Do you want to spend the rest of your life, or at least the next few decades, focused on that subject?

How are you performing? If your grades stink, you might be in the wrong place. Of course, poor performance could be due to lack of interest and effort, but if you are really trying and still can’t seem to catch up or grasp the information, you might be happier in another program. 

There is nothing wrong with changing your major; in fact, most college students change their program of study at least three times. If you’re truly unhappy, think about whether it’s due to your studies, and make the necessary change.

The Problem is Your School

Sometimes, the problem runs deeper than your coursework and you need to make a bigger change. Transferring to a new school is a big decision, but in some cases, it is the better one. If any of these apply to you, then a change of scenery may be in order.

You can’t study what you want. If you’ve decided that a change of major is in order, but your current school doesn’t offer what you want, you may need to transfer. Even if you have taken classes in a wide range of subjects without any clear focus, most colleges will allow you to transfer the credits you already have so you don’t have to start from scratch.

You can’t afford your school. Even if you love your school, if the bills are piling up and you are facing a mountain of debt after graduation, you might want to think about transferring somewhere more affordable. 

You’ve tried fixing issues and you’re still miserable. Sometimes, campus life just isn’t a good fit. If you’ve tried everything — and we mean everything — to be happy on campus, such as moving to a new dorm or off campus, joining different activities, and talking with your advisors and residence life staff, and it still hasn’t worked, transferring may be the right choice. There are times when you simply can’t fit a square peg into a round hole, and the sooner you acknowledge that, the better.

One of the best parts about going to college these days is that nothing is set in stone. It’s a time for exploration, experimentation, and self-discovery. So don’t avoid the hard questions when you are unhappy, and make all the changes you need to get where you want to be.

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5 Steps to Find Your First Job in Dubai

Finding your first job in Dubai can be roller coaster ride that you definitely want to avoid. These simple steps will help you finding the right job in Dubai.

Introduction

If you have just graduated college and are looking for job opportunities, then Dubai is definitely the place to be. The UAE is the economic hub of the Middle-East with Dubai and Abu Dhabi becoming the most preferred locations for expats. Finding a job in Dubai is surely not an easy task to do with so many people willing to work there. There are a few steps that can land you at your dream destination.

Before the steps, it is important to know about the economy of Dubai and what is the living standard there.

Getting to Know Dubai

Dubai is one the seven emirates of the UAE and is located on the southeast coast of Persian Gulf. The emirate has the largest population in the UAE and is the second largest emirate after Abu Dhabi. Dubai’s economy which was earlier highly dependent on the oil and natural gas sector has diversified itself to a number of other sectors. Today, the tourism and manufacturing sector comprises of the major part of the economy. The economy of Dubai is divided into seven parts as follows:

·       Tourism

·       Industry and Manufacturing

·       Financial Services

·       Construction

·       Other Professional and Government Services

Dubai has a diversified and a dynamic economy and enjoys a strategic location. Dubai serves as the major business hub of the Middle-East and is the biggest re-exporting center there. The emirate has a well-established trading links and a growing international trade business. It has an open and free economy that attracts a lot of investors and businesses from round the globe. Being a tax free zone, Dubai is one of the favorite cities where the expats are keen to work in.

The Quality of Life and Living Conditions in Dubai

Dubai has a high quality of life and excellent living conditions. The private sector has seen heavy investments in real estate developments such as luxurious hotels, many commercial and residential projects that have contributed to the better living conditions of Dubai. Living conditions in Dubai is excellent due to numerous factors such as infrastructural facilities, neat and clean environment, cultural diversity, cosmopolitan lifestyle and easy availability of consumer goods.

5 Steps to find your first job in Dubai

The vibrant city of Dubai has a lot to offer to the people who chose to work and live here. But finding and settling in Dubai is not an easy process and requires you to do an exhaustive search and research about different opportunities. Dubai creates a lot of job opportunities and to grab one of them you need to do some things right. Here is how to go about finding the right job in Dubai.

Step 1: Know what the employers are looking

You may have all the qualifications that suit the job profile but if you are not presenting it in a way that impresses the employer, your qualifications hold no importance. In Dubai employers test the candidates on some other parameters that judge their ability to survive in the city. Having a capability to survive in a varied culture and good communications are some skills that the employers readily look in a potential candidate.

Step 2: Make plans and short list the employers

The job portals list thousands of vacancies in Dubai, but you know your competencies can not match every job in Dubai. Therefore, the second step is to first short list the jobs you think you fit into and then short listing the employers. Just throwing away CV’s at every employer is not something you should do. In fact list a few, modify your CV according to needs of the employer and then send across it. The chances of getting a call increase if you modify your CV.

Step 3: Update your social media profiles

Update your social media profile like Facebook or LinkedIn, if you haven’t done it yet. Employers readily look for the online presence of a candidate. Not only the social media help the employers to know about the candidates but also help the candidate to know about the latest openings and happenings in the job market of Dubai.

Step 4: Find a professional recruiting agency

Most companies in Dubai seek professional help from recruiting agencies especially for fresher’s as they can trust them. Though these agencies charge you for the job they will provide you, but it is better to trust them as employers directly get in touch with them for the openings. One thing to keep in mind is that genuine agencies will never ask for a direct fee as that is illegal.

Step 5: Build Language skills

The employer may not put it in the job description, but having a little idea about the local language definitely gives you the edge over others. Learn basic Arabic before you make the decision of moving to Dubai. This skill will ease your job process and many recruiters will start short listing you.

 The Last Words

Moving to an entire new country can be scary at times. Even with the opportunities and growth options that you can find in your career sometimes it is difficult to survive in a new world alone. Before moving to Dubai, try building your network and try to find out people who are already settled there and belong to your community.

Dubai is a city with 90% expatriate population and finding one of your kinds will not be that difficult. The city has expatriate groups that have their presence on the social media and are readily available to help and welcome someone new into their community.

 The best way of finding a job in Dubai is to be proactive, suave and smart in your job search. Remain patient and stress free as the process can be lengthy and time consuming. Pen down your strategies and try adding new ones each time you look at them.

  Author Bio: Akansha Arora is a professional writer and blogger. She is happy to pen down her views for various topics that include career advice, job search and more that interest on behalf of naukrigulf.com. Follow her at akansha.arora2112@gmail.com

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Tips to Fix College Essay Writing Problems

There are some common problems that most students face while writing college essays. Students make errors in writing college admission essays all of the time. They should make sure that the hard work they put in for writing essays does not go waste, instead earning the highest score possible. At the outset let us look at some common errors which students commit while writing college essays and also the ways to correct them.

1. Repetition: This is a common stylistic error found in most college essays and also in college admission essays. Repetition is seen as redundancy which makes the essay dull and readers lose interest immediately. A college essay should not have the same structures being repeated. One sentence should convey one clear meaning. Ambiguous sentences and abstract constructions are to be avoided.

2. Use of Vague Words: An essay should not have vague words like things or stuff. Students must use precise words while writing essays. Do avoid words with more general meaning such as society, aspects, groups etc. Instead use words with specific meaning in college essays. Do talk about what you are referring to directly and do not use round about techniques.

Essay writing challenges. Flickr: prusakolep

3. Excessive Use of “I”: In an admission essay the use of “I” is necessary, but it should not be used in excess. It becomes repetitive to read frequent occurrences of “I”. In college essays also the use of first person pronoun beyond an extent makes the essay monotonous and boring for the readers. The use of “I” should, therefore, be limited to a moderate level.

4. Use of too many Adjectives and Adverbs: Adjectives and adverbs are the embellishments in an essay. But too many of them in a single essay would make the essay difficult and hard to digest. Hence an appropriate use of adjectives and adverbs is desirable in college essays.

5. Use of Weak Verbs: Verbs are bifurcated into strong and weak verbs. Essays look wonderful when strong verbs are employed at the right places. Strong verbs convey the action or state of being. Weak verbs appear vague in essays. Therefore, to the maximum extent possible employ strong verbs only in college essays. Strong verbs are often descriptive and indeed state the action or state of being.

6. Use of Clichés: Clichés are phrases that are used again and again. They should not be used in an essay. If employed, they most often lose the point for which they are used. Use of clichés shows that the writer is not creative enough to employ novel constructions. Therefore, it does not serve any purpose in an essay.

An essay should be interesting, informative and at the same time entertaining for the readers. A paragraph should focus on one main point and each sentence should convey one single meaning. Do not employ complex constructions unnecessarily in an essay. Ambiguity and abstract usages do not enrich an essay. Instead, the concept should be clearly mentioned to the readers. It is, in fact, the responsibility of the writer to say what he has to say in an intelligible manner.

Author Bio: James Smith is a dissertation mentor at Bestdissertationwriting.net, an online source to seek help from experts to write about popular dissertation topics

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How to Reach the Top with an Online Degree

The internet’s ability to penetrate our lives is utterly mind boggling.

Ever since the glint in Tim Berners-Lee’s eye evolved into the World Wide Web as we know it, folks have gone bananas for cats who “haz cheezeburgerz” and memes of an exasperated Jean-Luc Picard.

Add in catching up with friends via Facebook and Twitter, or buying Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles memorabilia from eBay, and it’s safe to say the modern online experience can be mesmerising.

However, it’s not just frivolous activities that have us smitten.

Hundreds of thousands of would-be students the world over are turning their backs on traditional bricks and mortar universities in favour of gaining a degree via distance learning.

In the UK alone, over 400,000 learners are studying for an online degree, boosting qualifications, increasing their earning power and dovetailing work and family commitments with their studies.

But what are the other benefits of an online degree as opposed to uprooting and opting for life on campus?

The Advantages of an Online Degree

Whether you’re just out of high school and considering your next step, or you’ve been away from education for a while, distance learning offers you the opportunity to study a vast range of subjects.

If you’re mad for marketing or eager to learn economics, this method of study won’t restrict your aspirations just because it’s conducted digitally rather than in a stuffy lecture theatre.  

flickr: usnavy

Additionally, given that you study in your own time and at your own pace, you avoid the mad rush to get to campus on time for a scheduled class.

Nevertheless, an online degree requires oodles of discipline.

After all, if you’re left to your own devices, the temptation to “take a quick look” at Amazon, catch up on Mad Men, or don your tinfoil hat to look at government conspiracies can quickly creep in.

It’s alright, we understand.

In order to get ahead, though, you have to put your crush on Christina Hendricks to one side and concentrate on supplementing your existing skills with an accredited university qualification.

Learn How to Realise Your Potential

Considering the competitiveness of the modern employment market, to get a foot on the career ladder you want to climb requires being armed with a strong educational background.

With around 50 graduates applying for every job, jostling free from the pack and persuading employers that you’re the man or woman for the role is increasingly important.

Quite simply, if a potential employer is comparing candidates, the one with the drive and commitment to have successfully completed a degree is likely to nose in front.

Not only that, but if you’ve gained a qualification while working full-time, it demonstrates to prospective organisations that you’re ambitious and have a real commitment to self development.

That’s not just corporate mumbo jumbo, it’s the truth.

But how do students undertaking an online degree actually learn – what assignment methods are employed and what interaction do they enjoy with the fellow students?

Trade the Campus Experience for Distance Learning

Learning on campus involves a mix of lectures, tutorials and hushed library sessions – and distance learning is not too dissimilar.

Although you’ll study online and interact with tutors via Skype or forums, the teaching methods and course materials are second to none.

If you feel like you need to chat about what you’re learning with students in the same boat, your institution will typically have a discussion group set aside for you to post any questions or fears.

Although an online degree may lack the immediate face-to-face feedback you’d receive from a tutor on campus, you’re never left in the dark.

A dedicated team of teachers will be on hand to ensure your online learning experience goes as smoothly as possible – and with not a pimply high school leaver in sight ...  

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