My True Color

When I first did the true color test, I got the color green but I was really close to being a gold. The characteristics that green had were valuing intelligence, insight, integrity, and justice. Also being a green meant that you’re more likely to work the best when you’re seeking knowledge and understanding.  When I looked more in depth into the occupations that the color green had, I felt that they caught my attention more than the occupations from the gold. The five occupations that stood out to me the most were mechanical engineer, psychologist, special education teacher, aerospace engineer, and sports medicine specialist. I was inquisitive to know more about the five occupations which led me to choose special education teacher. I chose to do special education teacher because when I was in middle school I was involved in a program that interacted with students who had a disability. From what I remember, I had a great experience having a connection with the students and it made me think about how it would be like to be a special education teacher. From what I attained from researching the occupation, special education teachers work with physically and mentally handicapped students to teach basic academic and living skills. They try to meet the individual needs of students and proliferate their potential. They adapt elementary and secondary school and college techniques and methods of instruction. They work in schools, community colleges and colleges, hospitals, correctional facilities, and even students' homes. Teachers can work with students with severe disabilities until the students are 21 years old. Employment of special education teachers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2012 to 2022 which is slower than the average for all occupations. The entry level to become a special education teacher is a bachelor’s degree with a teaching credential in special education and also a state-issued license or certification that will sanction the individual to teach at public schools.

            The counselor who I met with was Tri Le who helped me look at the pathway to become a special education teacher and special education assistant. He provided a list of classes available at El Camino that will help fulfill the requirements. He also gave me information regarding elementary school teaching if I were to change my mind about teaching special education. I was given copies of the transfer requirements of a liberal arts major which I found very helpful. Not only did he give me information about classes of special education but also guided me into an area focusing on teaching.

            Who I interviewed was a special education teacher named Cindy Bardales who works at Crenshaw High School. What I mainly got from the interview was that a special education teacher requires a great amount of work either from inside or outside the classroom. It takes a lot of time and effort to help children with disabilities but the outcome of helping them improve is truly rewarding. What I found very interesting is that she believed that special education teachers should get paid more as she stated, “special education teachers manage individual student cases and caseloads and co-teach in the general education classroom and should therefore get compensated more than we do now”.