Batch 4: Interview with My Supervisor

I met with my supervisor today and got to pick his brain on the pros and cons of working as a teacher.  I got some really good insite Enjoy!

My Interview with Teacher:

Me:  What are their main job responsibilities?

Teacher: My main responsibilities vary from day to day.  Managing a classroom is the main responsibility.  I manage 12 aids and am in charge of creating student programs.  I create the schedule and make sure all the students are receiving the 1:1 hours with their aids.  Students receive anywhere from 3 to 6.25 1:1 hours per day.  It is my job to create schedules to ensure we are appropriately being paid by the student’s school districts.  Every student has a quarterly IEP (Individualized Education Plan).  I collaborate with The Speech Language Pathologist and write student qaurtley and yearly goals individualized to meet each students need. 

Me:  How did you choose this career?  

Teacher:  I started working at the school my senior year at UCSC as an intern.  I really enjoyed the work and was hired on as an aid the following year.  Three years later I became teacher trainee and went back to school for my Master’s in Special Education.  After receiving my teaching credential I was promoted to full teacher.

Me:  What type of education or training is needed for this position?

Teacher:  I started out in this field my senior year of college.  After working in the field a few years I decided to go back and get my Master’s in Special Ed.  I continued moving up the lateral chain.  Two years into my Master’s I received my teaching credential and was promoted to full teacher.  I am currently still working on my Master’s with about a year to go!

Me: What advice would you give to someone interested in this field?

Teacher:  I would say make sure you’re committed to the field.  There is a high turnover rate for teacher’s especially special education.  The work is hard and a lot of us feel under paid for the work we do.  Continuing education can be costly.  My best advice is working in the field for a couple of years and make sure that it is something you’re going to stick with.

Me: Do they notice any new trends in the field?

Teacher: A new trend for teachers is technology.  Technology has changed the way we teach and has created lots of new opportunities for learning.  It is important to stay current and do research on how we can use technology as a tool for learning and understanding new ideas.

Me: Why would you be interested in this career or position?

Teacher:  Working with children with autism has been challenging at times but for me has no bigger reward that teaching to those who face moderate to severe challenges.  I enjoy what I do and that’s the best reason for me to continue.  I love going to work and feel passionate about my job.  I get to wear so many hats it’s hard to be bored but easy to get overwhelmed, but that’s part of the fun for me.


I hope you guys enjoyed my interview with Classroom Teacher Ben!  Thanks for reading!!