A recent report by the Government Accountability Office shows Special Education teachers have crossed the line from authority to abuse. It explains that discipline in the form of seclusion and restraint was used in harmful ways by special needs teachers against children throughout the country. One reason for the lapse in judgment by many teachers is the overwhelming flood of special needs students entering schools. There are not enough teachers with enough training to handle the flooding pool of students coming in. If you have an interest in making a positive and important impact on the lives of America’s children, now is the time to listen to opportunity’s knock.

The reason that the teachers had no way of gauging what crossed the line of abuse is that no federal law was in place to determine the levels of seclusion and restraint that were permissible. Not only were teachers unaware of the threshold for abuse, they were undermanned and outnumbered. This of course gives no excuse for the maltreatment of children, but it does provide the blueprint to right what’s wrong.

According to Examiner.com, “teachers have not been trained to handle the large influx of children with special needs. The United States is educating more than a half million more special needs students than it did just ten years ago.” Teachers are unable to effectively and prudently handle the number of children who need their guidance and instruction. Teachers have always been a valued commodity in America, and never more so than right now.

Leo Buscaglia, the motivational speaker, author, and Special Education professor, once said, “We can ask ourselves daily what we have done to make the world a better place, to make someone smile, to help someone to feel more secure, etc. It’s the simple things which have the greatest effect. We must never underestimate the strength of a smile or act of kindness.” Teachers are being recognized more and more as the fundamental front line for our children’s and country’s future. They are often with our kids more hours of the day than we are, and are the driving force behind their growth, and by implication, our country’s growth.

As America goes through a historic recession, the opportunity and availability to become a Special Needs teacher is awaiting the right candidate. The education industry is having a historic upsurge during this great recession. Education is one of two industries currently seeing job growth, with 40,000 new hires happening between December and January alone. The education unemployment rate is less than half that of the overall American unemployment rate, and the percentage is lowering. If you’ve ever had any interest in making a positive impact on the lives of children, now is the time to actualize that idea. Special students have a special need for more competent and caring teachers – maybe you’re the just the right person for the job.