Maybe you are doing fine, a few rungs up the ladder. One day BAM. Your company fires half it’s employees, and there you go… slipping back down the rungs you worked so very hard to climb.

So. You go back out in the job market and find nothing. It’s a nightmare… opening after opening, they don’t want you, because you have no degree.

Or even more disheartening… they don’t need you, because the degree you DO have is no longer relevant to the emerging job markets!

America, the USA… world leader? If so, how many Americans have the competitive advantage of higher education?

Here is a shocking stat… 150 million Americans (Over the age of 18) have no degree at all!

Without a degree, you will be left out of almost half of all employment openings in the next decade. This is a cold hard fact.

And if you DO have a degree that is no longer highly recruited, you’re even more conflicted. Because, with your degree, employers know you have high expectations— so they don’t even want to talk to you, if they consider you over-qualified (for a job you maybe haven’t even educated yourself to fill.)

With no degree, or with an obsolete degree, your best chance is through high education. This is true, even if you have no job, and diminishing savings.

But how can you afford a degree?

If you don’t have the money, you can still get help. Get help from where, you say?

Take a look at all the programs created just for you.

From the President to your local state officials, you have friends in high places!

For information on applying for Federal financial aid, visit the FAFSA Internet site: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.

A U.S. Department of Education publication describing Federal financial aid programs, called The Student Guide, is available at: http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html.

Information on Federal programs is available from: http://www.studentaid.ed.gov and http://www.students.gov.

Information on State programs is available from your State’s higher education agency. A list of these agencies is available at: http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/.

So now you see where money can come. But (you say) you have a family, a part-time job, a full-time job, no extra energy, and no extra time?

I can’t help you with the energy. Maybe you are tired already. It’s a tough sacrifice, to force your own limited energy, to make it work harder for you. You have to take energy away from something else. But if you don’t do it, you’ll always pay, with lower and lower life quality.

Believe me, millions of others will climb up that down ladder, somehow. They’ll find the energy somehow. And for the rest of your life, you’ll be competing with them in an increasing tough job market.

But you say, even if I find the energy, there’s only so much time. How do I make the time? I can’t travel to a college or university.

There are ways. If you don’t have the time, adjust your life— create the time through online learning programs.

Do it at home. Make that institution of higher learning come to you.

Use all the full array of GRAD2B resources, right here, Find the online learning program that suits you best.

Earn your first degree. Or re-educate yourself, with a new cutting-edge degree that gives you the competitive edge to keep moving up.

Keep fighting your way up the down ladder. Use your friends in high places, and your own guts, to get there.

Make your climb always upward!

You’re heading for the faculty lot when you see them.

At the far end of the student lot, the rear doors of a beat old white van are half open. The two students stand just inside them doing something. Standing in the rain in black raincoats, both of them. James half a foot shorter than Robert. James always has a nervous scared puppy smile. Robert never smiles, as if he’s staring far off, like seeing something nobody else can ever really see. They look at you that way now.

At the old rusty van they see you slowing your car. Robert pulls the van doors inward, to hide whatever they are doing.

You knew the taller student, James, throughout his tortured years in your school, a spindly shy boy, constantly bullied by the jocks. But the new student, Robert, his new best friend, refused counseling, and never came into your office. James has never seemed happier though, since he met Robert. Something happened one day behind the boy’s gym, you aren’t sure what. Nobody would talk, but Robert was messed up and a couple of the jocks had broken noses. And nobody ever bothered James after that, for the first time in his wretched young life.

Now, through your rain-beaded windshield, you see the shotgun.

Just the black buttstock, in James’ hands, and Robert glares at James and grabs it back, hides the shotgun under his own coat.

Your eyes blink, you feel that robot feeling. The feeling that something is happening too soon, to somebody else. Your foot is on the brake. You pull your car in beside the van.

But even as you start getting out, Robert is at your door, looking down at you. His rain-dripping eyes glitter. He’s smiling. Then James is there, with his puppy look, watching Robert, trying to please Robert.

Now you see, James is holding a pistol in each bony little hand. Rain runs down his raincoat sleeves, dripping off the muzzles. The boy makes no effort to hide them. He wants you to see the pistols, you realize. You think how James has never had control of anything before. Not even his own face. You remember all the sessions you had with him bawling, in your office after being taunted, bullied, abused, taking him out to a ball game that time. But that’s all gone now. Somehow, terribly, you know, today is his day.

But it’s not James you speak to. Robert’s presence in your open car door is almost demonic with some kind of hidden power.

Robert is looking right through you. Your windshield wipers keep slapping.

You hear yourself say, like a voice from another world: “Robert, are you all right?”

“Don’t go inside the school,” Robert says to you. James watches Robert and says nothing.

It’s like being hit with a fist, the way Robert’s eyes focus on your eyes. His lips slide open, tight, and then his yellow teeth show. It’s the first time you’ve ever seen him smile, and he looks completely different. Something long and bulky is under his black rain coat.

Robert pumps the slide of the shotgun, bringing it out in the open from inside his coat. It’s like a movie in slow mouton, a bad dream.

And Robert says, “You’re not a bad person. You don’t need to be in there, not this morning, okay?”

You are a Mental Health Counselor. Many lives hinge upon whatever you say and do next.

You weigh the world in its balances. You know you have credit with James. But Robert is the leader. An unknown. Your mind races through his files. Transfer. Four schools in three years. Possible abuse at home. Assault misdemeanors at every school. Brilliant in art and math, when he wants to be, indifferent straight F’s in everything else.

You open your car door wider. Just a bit, hoping… Robert lifts the black death-hole of the shotgun to your face, still smiling. His face looks so old, for a boy. What has he seen? His smile scares you more even than the shotgun, you realize, so oddly.

And he says, “Don’t you get out of that damn car. Did you hear me? I’m giving you your one chance.”

Everything you learned getting your master’s degree, everything you’ve learned from the hundreds of students you’ve known, it’s all on the line now. The lives of teachers and students in the school. Your life. The lives of these two boys. Maybe the lives of police officers, the security guard, and God knows who else…

And now, knowing you have to try, you move. OmyGod, help me help them.

With what you hope will work already forming in your mind, you face his lifted shotgun, and you step out of your car into the rain…

“Please,” Robert says, “you don’t need to be part of this.”

You hold his eye contact, you must. It’s who you are. It’s what you are. No one else is here.

And your compassion, your training, your professionalism, wells up inside you… you feel compassion, now, not fear.

You are a valuable person, and I care…

Counselors assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career problems. Their duties vary greatly depending on their occupational specialty, which is determined by the setting in which they work and the population they serve.

A master’s degree generally is required to become a licensed counselor.

Job opportunities for counselors should be very good because job openings are expected to exceed the number of graduates from counseling programs. The health care and social assistance industry employs about 47 percent of counselors, and state and local government employ about 11 percent.

Educational, vocational, and school counselors provide individuals and groups with career and educational counseling. School counselors assist students of all levels, from elementary school to postsecondary education. They advocate for students and work with other individuals and organizations to promote the academic, career, personal, and social development of children and youth. School counselors help students evaluate their abilities, interests, talents, and personalities to develop realistic academic and career goals.

Counselors use interviews, counseling sessions, interest and aptitude assessment tests, and other methods to evaluate and advise students. They also operate career information centers and career education programs. Often, counselors work with students who have academic and social development problems or other special needs.

Elementary school counselors observe children during classroom and play activities and confer with their teachers and parents to evaluate the children’s strengths, problems, or special needs. In conjunction with teachers and administrators, they make sure that the curriculum addresses both the academic and the developmental needs of students. Elementary school counselors do less vocational and academic counseling than high school counselors.

High school counselors advise students regarding college majors, admission requirements, entrance exams, financial aid, trade or technical schools, and apprenticeship programs. They help students develop job search skills, such as resume writing and interviewing techniques. College career planning and placement counselors assist alumni or students with career development and job-hunting techniques.

School counselors at all levels help students to understand and deal with social, behavioral, and personal problems. These counselors emphasize preventive and developmental counseling to provide students with the life skills needed to deal with problems before they worsen and to enhance students’ personal, social, and academic growth. Counselors provide special services, including alcohol and drug prevention programs and conflict resolution classes. They also try to identify cases of domestic abuse and other family problems that can affect a student’s development.

Counselors interact with students individually, in small groups, or as an entire class. They consult and collaborate with parents, teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, medical professionals, and social workers to develop and implement strategies to help students succeed.

Vocational counselors, also called employment or career counselors, provide mainly career counseling outside the school setting. Their chief focus is helping individuals with career decisions. Vocational counselors explore and evaluate the client’s education, training, work history, interests, skills, and personality traits. They may arrange for aptitude and achievement tests to help the client make career decisions. They also work with individuals to develop their job-search skills and assist clients in locating and applying for jobs. In addition, career counselors provide support to people experiencing job loss, job stress, or other career transition issues.

Rehabilitation counselors help people deal with the personal, social, and vocational effects of disabilities. They counsel people with disabilities resulting from birth defects, illness or disease, accidents, or other causes. They evaluate the strengths and limitations of individuals, provide personal and vocational counseling, and arrange for medical care, vocational training, and job placement. Rehabilitation counselors interview both individuals with disabilities and their families, evaluate school and medical reports, and confer with physicians, psychologists, occupational therapists, and employers to determine the capabilities and skills of the individual. They develop rehabilitation programs by conferring with clients; these programs often include training to help clients develop job skills. Rehabilitation counselors also work toward increasing the client’s capacity to live independently.

Mental health counselors work with individuals, families, and groups to address and treat mental and emotional disorders and to promote mental health. They are trained in a variety of therapeutic techniques used to address issues, including depression, addiction and substance abuse, suicidal impulses, stress, problems with self-esteem, and grief. They also help with job and career concerns, educational decisions, issues related to mental and emotional health, and family, parenting, marital, or other relationship problems.

Mental health counselors often work closely with other mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses, and school counselors.

Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors help people who have problems with alcohol, drugs, gambling, and eating disorders. They counsel individuals who are addicted to drugs, helping them to identify behaviors and problems related to their addiction. Counseling can be done on an individual basis, but is frequently done in a group setting. These counselors will often also work with family members who are affected by the addictions of their loved ones. Counselors also conduct programs aimed at preventing addictions.

Marriage and family therapists apply family systems theory, principals and techniques to individuals, families, and couples to resolve emotional conflicts. In doing so, they modify people’s perceptions and behaviors, enhance communication and understanding among family members, and help to prevent family and individual crises. Marriage and family therapists also may engage in psychotherapy of a non-medical nature, make appropriate referrals to psychiatric resources, perform research, and teach courses about human development and interpersonal relationships.

Other counseling specialties include gerontological, multicultural, and genetic counseling. A gerontological counselor provides services to elderly people and their families as they face changing lifestyles. Genetic counselors provide information and support to families who have members with birth defects or genetic disorders and to families who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions. These counselors identify families at risk, interpret information about the disorder, analyze inheritance patterns and risks of recurrence, and review available options with the family.

Work environment can vary greatly depending on occupational specialty. School counselors work predominantly in schools, where they usually have an office but also may work in classrooms. Other counselors may work in a private practice, community health organization, or hospital. Many counselors work in an office where they see clients throughout the day. Because privacy is essential for confidential and frank discussions with clients, counselors usually have private offices.

The work schedules of counselors depend on occupational specialty and work setting. Some school counselors work the traditional 9- to 10-month school year with a 2- to 3-month vacation, but increasing numbers, are employed on 11-month or full-year contracts, particularly those working in middle and high schools. They usually work the same hours as teachers, but they may travel more frequently to attend conferences and conventions. College career planning and placement counselors work long and irregular hours during student recruiting periods.

Rehabilitation counselors usually work a standard 40-hour week. Self-employed counselors and those working in mental health and community agencies, such as substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors, frequently work evenings to counsel clients who work during the day. Both mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists also often work flexible hours to accommodate families in crisis or working couples who must have evening or weekend appointments.

Education requirements vary based on occupational specialty and State licensure and certification requirements. A master’s degree is usually required to be licensed as a counselor. Some States require counselors in public employment to have a master’s degree; others accept a bachelor’s degree with appropriate counseling courses. Counselor education programs in colleges and universities are often found in departments of education or psychology.

Fields of study include college student affairs, elementary or secondary school counseling, education, gerontological counseling, marriage and family therapy, substance abuse counseling, rehabilitation counseling, agency or community counseling, clinical mental health counseling, career counseling, and related fields. Courses are often grouped into eight core areas: human growth and development, social and cultural diversity, relationships, group work, career development, assessment, research and program evaluation, and professional identity. In an accredited master’s degree program, 48 to 60 semester hours of graduate study, including a period of supervised clinical experience in counseling, are required.

Some employers provide training for newly hired counselors. Others may offer time off or tuition assistance to complete a graduate degree. Often counselors must participate in graduate studies, workshops, and personal studies to maintain their certificates and licenses.

Licensure requirements differ greatly by State, occupational specialty, and work setting. Many States require school counselors to hold a State school counseling certification and to have completed at least some graduate course work; most require the completion of a master’s degree. Some States require school counselors to be licensed, which generally requires continuing education credits. Some States require public school counselors to have both counseling and teaching certificates and to have had some teaching experience.

For counselors based outside of schools, 49 States and the District of Columbia have some form of counselor licensure that governs the practice of counseling. Requirements typically include the completion of a master’s degree in counseling, the accumulation of 2 years or 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience beyond the master’s degree level, the passage of a State-recognized exam, adherence to ethical codes and standards, and the completion of annual continuing education requirements. However, counselors working in certain settings or in a particular specialty may face different licensure requirements. For example, a career counselor working in private practice may need a license, but a counselor working for a college career center may not. In addition, substance abuse and behavior disorder counselors are generally governed by a different State agency or board than other counselors. The criteria for their licensure vary greatly and in some cases, these counselors may only need a high school diploma and certification. Those interested in entering the field must research State and specialty requirements to determine what qualifications they must have.

People interested in counseling should have a strong desire to help others and should be able to inspire respect, trust, and confidence. They should be able to work independently or as part of a team. Counselors must follow the code of ethics associated with their respective certifications and licenses.

Counselors must possess high physical and emotional energy to handle the array of problems that they address. Dealing daily with these problems can cause stress.

Certification and advancement. Some counselors elect to be certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc., which grants a general practice credential of National Certified Counselor.

To be certified, a counselor must hold a master’s degree with a concentration in counseling from a regionally accredited college or university; have at least 2 years of supervised field experience in a counseling setting (graduates from counselor education programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs are exempted); provide two professional endorsements, one of which must be from a recent supervisor; and must have a passing score on the board’s examination. This national certification is voluntary and is distinct from State licensing. However, in some States, those who pass the national exam are exempted from taking a State certification exam. The board also offers specialty certifications in school, clinical mental health, and addiction counseling. These specialty certifications require passage of a supplemental exam. To maintain their certifications, counselors retake and pass the exam or complete 100 credit hours of acceptable continuing education every 5 years.

The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification offers voluntary national certification for rehabilitation counselors. Many State and local governments and other employers require rehabilitation counselors to have this certification. To become certified, rehabilitation counselors usually must graduate from an accredited educational program, complete an internship, and pass a written examination. Certification requirements vary, however, according to an applicant’s educational history. Employment experience, for example, is required for those with a counseling degree in a specialty other than rehabilitation. To maintain their certification, counselors must successfully retake the certification exam or complete 100 credit hours of acceptable continuing education every 5 years.

Prospects for advancement vary by counseling field. School counselors can become directors or supervisors of counseling, guidance, or pupil personnel services; or, usually with further graduate education, become counselor educators, counseling psychologists, or school administrators. Some counselors choose to work for a State’s department of education.

Some marriage and family therapists, especially those with doctorates in family therapy, become supervisors, teachers, researchers, or advanced clinicians in the discipline. Counselors may also become supervisors or administrators in their agencies. Some counselors move into research, consulting, or college teaching or go into private or group practice. Some may choose to pursue a doctoral degree to improve their chances for advancement.

Educational, vocational, and school counselors work primarily in elementary and secondary schools and colleges and universities. Other types of counselors work in a wide variety of public and private establishments, including healthcare facilities; job training, career development, and vocational rehabilitation centers; social agencies; correctional institutions; and residential care facilities, such as halfway houses for criminal offenders and group homes for children, the elderly, and the disabled. Some substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors work in therapeutic communities where people with addictions live while undergoing treatment. Counselors also work in organizations engaged in community improvement and social change, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, and State and local government agencies.

A growing number of counselors are self-employed and work in group practices or private practice, due in part to new laws allowing counselors to be paid for their services by insurance companies and to the growing recognition that counselors are well-trained, effective professionals.

Employment for counselors is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2016. However, job growth will vary by location and occupational specialty. Job prospects should be good due to growth and the need to replace people leaving the field.

Employment of substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors is expected to grow 34 percent, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. As society becomes more knowledgeable about addiction, it is increasingly common for people to seek treatment. Furthermore, drug offenders are increasingly being sent to treatment programs rather than jail.

Employment for educational, vocational and school counselors is expected to grow 13 percent, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations. Demand for vocational or career counselors should grow as multiple job and career changes become common and as workers become increasingly aware of counseling services. In addition, State and local governments will employ growing numbers of counselors to assist beneficiaries of welfare programs who exhaust their eligibility and must find jobs. Other opportunities for employment of counselors will arise in private job-training centers that provide training and other services to laid-off workers and others seeking to acquire new skills or careers.

Demand for school counselors may increase due in large part to increases in student enrollments at postsecondary schools and colleges and as more States require elementary schools to employ counselors. Expansion of the responsibilities of school counselors should also lead to increases in their employment. For example, counselors are becoming more involved in crisis and preventive counseling, helping students deal with issues ranging from drug and alcohol abuse to death and suicide. Although schools and governments realize the value of counselors in helping their students to achieve academic success, budget constraints at every school level will dampen job growth of school counselors. Federal grants and subsidies may help to offset tight budgets and allow the reduction in student-to-counselor ratios to continue.

Employment of mental health counselors is expected to grow by 30 percent, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Mental health counselors will be needed to staff statewide networks that are being established to improve services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and for their families. Under managed care systems, insurance companies are increasingly providing for reimbursement of counselors as a less costly alternative to psychiatrists and psychologists.

Jobs for rehabilitation counselors are expected to grow by 23 percent, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. The number of people who will need rehabilitation counseling is expected to grow as advances in medical technology allow more people to survive injury or illness and live independently again. In addition, legislation requiring equal employment rights for people with disabilities will spur demand for counselors, who not only help these people make a transition to the workforce but also help companies to comply with the law.

Marriage and family therapists will experience growth of 30 percent, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This is due in part to an increased recognition of the field. It is more common for people to seek help for their marital and family problems than it was in the past.

Job prospects vary greatly based on the occupational specialty. Prospects for rehabilitation counselors are excellent because many people are leaving the field or retiring. Furthermore, opportunities are very good in substance abuse and behavioral disorder counseling because relatively low wages and long hours make recruiting new entrants difficult. For school counselors, job prospects should be good because many people are leaving the occupation to retire; however, opportunities may be more favorable in rural and urban areas, rather than the suburbs, because it is often difficult to recruit people to these areas.

Median annual earnings of wage and salary educational, vocational, and school counselors in May 2006 were $47,530. The middle 50 percent earned between $36,120 and $60,990. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,240, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $75,920. School counselors can earn additional income working summers in the school system or in other jobs.

Median annual earnings of wage and salary substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors in May 2006 were $34,040. The middle 50 percent earned between $27,330 and $42,650. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,600, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $52,340.

Median annual earnings of wage and salary mental health counselors in May 2006 were $34,380. The middle 50 percent earned between $26,780 and $45,610. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,890, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $59,700.

Median annual earnings of wage and salary rehabilitation counselors in May 2006 were $29,200. The middle 50 percent earned between $22,980 and $39,000. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $19,260, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $53,170.

For substance abuse, mental health, and rehabilitation counselors, government employers generally pay the highest wages, followed by hospitals and social service agencies. Residential care facilities often pay the lowest wages.

Median annual earnings of wage and salary marriage and family therapists in May 2006 were $43,210. The middle 50 percent earned between $32,950 and $54,150. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,280, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $69,050. Median annual earnings were $36,020 in individual and family social services, the industry employing the largest number of marriage and family therapists.

Self-employed counselors who have well-established practices, as well as counselors employed in group practices, usually have the highest earnings.

For a stunning number of people in our dehumanized industrial society, mental health counseling is their only lifeline to survival, both mentally and emotionally.

As our society struggles and our population expands, the need for mental health counseling is enormous, and growing rapidly.

If you feel strongly that you are the kind of person who would spend a life as a lifeline of sanity, to hundreds of desperate people, find the degree program near you, or online, that suits you best.

There are so many damaged lives, and no time to waste.

For general information about counseling, as well as information on specialties such as college, mental health, rehabilitation, multicultural, career, marriage and family, and gerontological counseling, contact:

• American Counseling Association, 5999 Stevenson Ave., Alexandria, VA 22304. http://www.counseling.org

For information on school counselors, contact:

• American School Counselors Association, 1101 King St., Suite 625, Alexandria, VA 22314. http://www.schoolcounselor.org

For information on mental health counselors, contact:

• American Mental Health Counselors Association, 801 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 304, Alexandria, VA 22314. http://www.amhca.org

For information on marriage and family therapists, contact:

• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, 112 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 http://www.aamft.org

For information on accredited counseling and related training programs, contact:

• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, American Counseling Association, 5999 Stevenson Ave., 4th floor, Alexandria, VA 22304. http://www.cacrep.org

For information on national certification requirements for counselors, contact:

• National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc, 3 Terrace Way, Suite D, Greensboro, NC 27403. http://www.nbcc.org

You know… you know you need to find the best college you can. It’s hell.

No sleep. Your future depends on where you go, in so many ways. A lifetime of earnings, low or high, ride on the degree you get, the degree from where.

Nothing, not even dating, has ever made you feel so weird and helpless and insanely insecure.

So you sit and slam energy drinks and sweat and you read the piles of university literature. So fine. Time to get serious. You jerk the I-pod buds out of your ears and confront the whole mess.

Suddenly, decisively, you flash on this brilliant idea. You put the brochures in different piles. The colleges sit in those slick colorful stacks of paper. Three big piles.

Over here, the colleges you love to go to but know you’d never get in.

Over there, the ones you know that would take you, (but please dear God I hope I can do better than those! What a loser, why didn’t I study more?)

In the middle… the ones you think are your sweet spot— they might take you, and they aren’t too bad, some of them pretty good, in fact.

So what should you do? Apply to the middle stack, right? Why embarrass yourself, right?

Why take the chance on crushing your pathetic little self-esteem, by risking getting rejection letters? Right?

WRONG!!!!! You have ZERO to lose and everything to gain, by shooting as high as you can.

The higher you aim, the higher you might score. Your shot will always fall short and hit something higher than you would score by aiming low. And then again, your high aim might hit high, you never know.

Grab that stack of colleges that you THINK you KNOW would never accept you. Those are the ones you really really want, right?

Now go through the stack and chose a half dozen you REALLY want. Focus on those.

Is your SAT score not what you think it could be? Take an SAT PREP and retake the test. Buy a study guide and do it instead of hanging out all day.

Go through the middle stack. Which schools are the best 3 or 4 there? Choose them for your backup schools.

Look carefully at each school. What are the schools known for? What are their primary majors? Apply to each school with majors that maximize your chances there.

You can always switch majors after you get in, and you may even love that major, if you try it.

Ace the essay. Be yourself. Write who you really are. Your individuality is what distinguishes you from all the other applicants, use it. Write it yourself. Your personal views are all you own, spend them now.

Don’t write what you think they will want to hear, the same old boring junk. Write from the heart. Expose yourself. You are all you own, all you have to spend.

Before you submit the essay, suck up your nerve and ask your English teach to proof-read it for you.

Start early. Don’t wait for senior year in high school. Spend your pre-senior summer on your future. Do all the applications, write the essay, do the SAT Prep, etc etc. Then rewrite the essay, until it’s really what you are, who you are.

Be careful and accurate and take your time with the admissions application.

Never submit a hurried-looking document. Make sure they can see how serious you are about their school, that you thought long and hard, you took the time.

Gamble on Early Decision, ONLY if you’re sure of the school you want the most. You need to know everything about the college, and you should ache to go there. Otherwise, play the field, open up your chances.

If you don’t get that Early decision, you should already have back-up applications filled out, ready to send ASAP.

Go there. Visit the college. Make sure it’s what you want. Those years could be very long ones if you make a mistake now.

Visit the institutions you like, then narrow them down, and visit again if you can. If you meet students already attending, that’s the best introduction of all. Keep your eyes and ears open. Do a tour, then go it alone.

Number One— DO IT!

You are your own worst enemy, in holding back, if you delay because you dread rejection.

Delaying is the most common form of denial and avoidance.

Fear can cost you a lifetime of lower earnings, lower job security, and lower self-esteem, a life of exponentially increasing fear (Irony 101, people.)

Start early, dive in, make the decisions, the choices, do the diligence, and JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN!

You know why. You teach standard mainstream fourth grade.

And your favorite student comes in without the homework again. “Actually,” he says, “I forgot. Really, I should be punished.” Prempting you.

You realize that his shirt is on inside-out. The other kids are mocking him. He’s hurt for a second, then his look changes to pride.

“Go ahead, laugh,” he says, and sears them with (an increasingly familiar) look of condescending pity. “The high probability of an asteroid strike would end all life on earth as we know it. Since we live in a world that might end instantly at any given moment, I wore my shirt this way on purpose. It’s a Dada thing. You know, Ubu Roi.”

You love this kid. And you fear for his future. You know he doesn’t belong here. But where?

His jokes are understood by you, but none of the kids in your class. He loves to tease you with plays on words and satire. He makes everyone laugh with his brilliant insights.

Sometimes, he can be incredibly sensitive to feelings of others, but other times he’s bossy and condescending to other kids. When the tough kids pick on him, he plays the class clown role, but you know he hates it. His defense mechanisms are elaborate.

What he doesn’t know he finds out as fast as he can. Google is his authority.

He would be the dream student, IF he were your only student!

In part one of EXCEPTIONALS, we explored a degree in teaching exceptional disabled students. We discussed the world of those students, and the kind of training and degree necessary to equip a future teacher for that world.

Today, I want to flip the mirror and view learning through its other side, the development of the gifted student— another unique type of person, with very exceptional learning needs and abilities.

School psychologists work with students in early childhood and elementary and secondary schools. They collaborate with teachers, parents, and school personnel to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students. School psychologists address students’ learning and behavioral problems, suggest improvements to classroom management strategies or parenting techniques, and evaluate students with disabilities and gifted and talented students to help determine the best way to educate them.

When the gifted student is evaluated, a suitable and appropriate teaching program should be developed for that student’s special needs.

Then the exceptional teaching begins. A host of positive and negative incidents will challenge both the student and the teacher. This is why a solid basis of knowledge, specific to teaching exceptional students, is essential for the teacher.

The challenges are many for both the teacher and the student. There are many classic examples…

The Gifted Student asks many questions and is very curious. Typically, he/she already possesses a surprising amount of information, often with amazing memory skills. However, the same student easily gets “off task” and “off topic”, impatient when not called on in class.

The Gifted Student can grasp ideas very quickly, getting it the first time. He/she retains information easily, masters reading skills earlier, quick in math, and completes assignments with startling quickness. This student may expect constant recognition. He/she is very easily bored, often disruptive when feeling ignored, and hates repetitive activities and memorization. Speed in thought means sloppy, hasty execution of class work, then more and deeper impatience.

The Gifted Student can become the worst of adults or the best of adults. The way he/she is taught— or NOT taught— means everything. Good or bad. Just as the gifted student can become bored and upset when ignored, the gifted adult can turn inward and dangerous when undeveloped and unrecognized.

In the first part of this two-parter, we covered the pathways of higher education for you, the teacher, of exceptional students.

This youth can become a great thinker, a great leader, a great innovator, as an adult.

With this person, original thoughts and indecent opinions are self-motivated. With higher level thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, he/she makes connections other students don’t see. Highly individual approaches to problem-solving bring amazing results.

Our world desperately needs minds of this quality, but minds that have been nurtured with skill, love, and insight.

So, this rare human potential is in your hands. Never let it be wasted. Or even much worse, distorted and twisted!

It’s up to YOU to go back to college— and gain the additional knowledge required to bring this gift into the world, and this little human being in to a fruitful life.

YOU are the doorway, the exceptional teacher of the Gifted Student!”

For information on professions related to early intervention and education for gifted children, listings of schools with special education training programs, information on teacher certification, and general information on related personnel issues, contact:

• The National Association of Gifted Children http://www.nagc.org/
• The Council for Exceptional Children, 1110 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201. http://www.cec.sped.org
• National Center for Special Education Personnel & Related Service Providers, National Association of State Directors of Special Education, 1800 Diagonal Rd., Suite 320, Alexandria, VA 22314. http://www.personnelcenter.org

To learn more about the special education teacher certification and licensing requirements in individual States, contact the State’s department of education.

You don’t feel like a hero. It’s what you do. Going into Hell is part of the job.

You’ve been fighting fires for a couple of years now, but nothing like this.

This fire was the kind the older firemen sometimes talk about, the low-keyed fire-scarred veterans, sitting around the station. You always wondered at the reluctant quiet way they remember that kind of fire, with awe. And still, until now, you thought they exaggerating.

So not. Way worse. Incredible. Terrifying. Then your training took over. Suddenly you were in your zone.

Your engine was first on the scene. The house already gushing fire.

Into that furnace you and your comrades went, the way you were trained— suited up, respirators on, helmets down, fighting your way through the black boiling hell of fire and smoke. The water crew’s big hose was jetting a waterfall over the roof, into the windows.

You forced your way in, swinging an axe. Inside that fire, it was hell on earth. It always surprised you a little, how fire is black, not red. Hell is a fierce darkness. Far worse than anyone could describe. Plowing through it, like struggling at the bottom of a black hot sea. As if you’d entered the belly of a raging beast.

Screams reached you faintly through the roar. Their tiny shrieks. Two little kids and a baby, trapped in the back bedroom, screaming for help.

And it was those screams that saved their lives. Those screams, and your training, and, some say, your courage. But it was training more than courage, you know that.

You found the door but wedged it open carefully, knowing they might be inside, knowing a flame front might leap in. Steam from the big hose fogged your shield.

Little arms grabbed your legs. In one arm you lifted a little girl holding a baby. Your other arm swept up a little boy curled at your feet. The ceiling looked like it might go.

You hauled the kids out of there, shielding them; in the smoke were the lights of your buddies, and then you were kicking your way through, into the yard outside.

You remember the EMT’s treating the kids, and how they didn’t want to let go of you. And you remember pulling off your helmet and respirators as your buddies knocked down that house fire.

And yet… more than anything, (more even than the bright stars in the night sky and the fresh air outside the blazing house), you remember the love of the father and mother as they sobbed and held those kids. You remember how those sooty-faced kids kept looking over at you, in big-eyed wonder, in pure love.

Three lives (not counting your own). Saved in critical seconds. Saved by instinct, by your training and courage.

And now, when you see the gold lettering on your fire engine, you read that motto with a deeper passion: “To Serve and Protect.”

You are a Fire Fighter.

Every year, fires and other emergencies take thousands of lives, and destroy property worth billions of dollars. Fire fighters help protect the public against these dangers by responding to fires and a variety of other emergencies. In addition to putting out fires, they are frequently the first emergency personnel at the scene of a traffic accident or medical emergency and may be called upon to treat injuries or perform other vital functions.

During duty hours, fire fighters must have powerful self-control. They must constantly be prepared to respond immediately to a fire or other emergency. Fighting fires is dangerous and complex, requiring excellent organization and teamwork.

At every emergency scene, fire fighters perform specific duties assigned by a superior officer. At fires, they connect hose lines to hydrants and operate a pump to send water to high-pressure hoses. Some carry hoses, climb ladders, and enter burning buildings—using systematic and careful procedures—to put out fires. At times, they may need to use tools, like an ax, to make their way through doors, walls, and debris, sometimes with the aid of information about a building’s floor plan.

Some find and rescue occupants who are unable to safely leave the building without assistance. They also provide emergency medical attention, ventilate smoke-filled areas, and attempt to salvage the contents of buildings. Fire fighters’ duties may change several times while the company is in action.

Sometimes they remain at the site of a disaster for days at a time, rescuing trapped survivors, and assisting with medical treatment.

Fire fighters work in a variety of settings, including metropolitan areas, rural areas with grasslands and forests, airports, chemical plants and other industrial sites. They have also assumed a range of responsibilities, including emergency medical services. In fact, most calls to which fire fighters respond involve medical emergencies. In addition, some fire fighters work in hazardous materials units that are specially trained for the control, prevention, and cleanup of hazardous materials, such as oil spills or accidents involving the transport of chemicals.

Workers specializing in forest fires utilize different methods and equipment than other fire fighters. In national forests and parks, forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists spot fires from watchtowers and report the fires to headquarters by telephone or radio.

Forest rangers also patrol to ensure that travelers and campers comply with fire regulations. When fires break out, crews of fire fighters are brought in to suppress the blaze with heavy equipment and water hoses.

Fighting forest fires, like fighting urban fires, is rigorous work. One of the most effective means of fighting a forest fire is creating fire lines—cutting down trees and digging out grass and all other combustible vegetation in the path of the fire—to deprive it of fuel.

Elite fire fighters called smoke jumpers parachute from airplanes to reach otherwise inaccessible areas. This can be extremely hazardous.

When they aren’t responding to fires and other emergencies, fire fighters clean and maintain equipment, study fire science and fire fighting techniques, conduct practice drills and fire inspections, and participate in physical fitness activities. They also prepare written reports on fire incidents and review fire science literature to stay informed about technological developments and changing administrative practices and policies.

Most fire departments have a fire prevention division, usually headed by a fire marshal and staffed by fire inspectors. Workers in this division conduct inspections of structures to prevent fires by ensuring compliance with fire codes. These inspectors also work with developers and planners to check and approve plans for new buildings and inspect buildings under construction.

Some fire fighters become fire investigators, who determine the causes of fires. They collect evidence, interview witnesses, and prepare reports on fires in cases where the cause may be arson or criminal negligence. They often are asked to testify in court. In some cities, these investigators work in police departments, and some are employed by insurance companies.

Fire fighters spend much of their time at fire stations, which are usually similar to dormitories.

When an alarm sounds, fire fighters respond, regardless of the weather or hour. Fire fighting involves the risk of death or injury from floors caving in, walls toppling, traffic accidents, and exposure to flames and smoke. Fire fighters also may come into contact with poisonous, flammable, or explosive gases and chemicals and radioactive materials, which may have immediate or long-term effects on their health. For these reasons, they must wear protective gear that can be very heavy and hot.

Work hours of fire fighters are longer and more varied than the hours of most other workers. Many fire fighters work more than 50 hours a week, and sometimes they may work longer. In some agencies, fire fighters are on duty for 24 hours, then off for 48 hours, and receive an extra day off at intervals. In others, they work a day shift of 10 hours for 3 or 4 days, a night shift of 14 hours for 3 or 4 nights, have 3 or 4 days off, and then repeat the cycle. In addition, fire fighters often work extra hours at fires and other emergencies and are regularly assigned to work on holidays.

Fire lieutenants and fire captains often work the same hours as the fire fighters they supervise.

Most municipal jobs require passing written and physical tests. All fire fighters receive extensive training after being hired.

The completion of community college courses, or an associate degree, in Fire Science improves an applicant’s chances for a job.

A number of colleges and universities offer courses leading to 2- or 4-year degrees in Fire Engineering or Fire Science. In recent years, an increasing proportion of new fire fighters have had some education after high school. Candidates with some education after high school are increasingly preferred.

As a rule, entry-level workers in large fire departments are trained for several weeks at the department’s training center or academy. Through classroom instruction and practical training, the recruits study fire fighting techniques, fire prevention, hazardous materials control, local building codes, and emergency medical procedures, including first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). They also learn how to use axes, chain saws, fire extinguishers, ladders, and other fire fighting and rescue equipment. After successfully completing this training, the recruits are assigned to a fire company, where they undergo a period of probation.

Many fire departments have accredited apprenticeship programs lasting up to 4 years. These programs combine formal instruction with on-the-job training under the supervision of experienced fire fighters.

Almost all departments require fire fighters to be certified as emergency medical technicians. Although most fire departments require the lowest level of certification, Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-Basic), larger departments in major metropolitan areas increasingly require paramedic certification. Some departments include this training in the fire academy, whereas others prefer that recruits earn EMT certification on their own but will give them up to 1 year to do it.

In addition to participating in training programs conducted by local fire departments, some fire fighters attend training sessions sponsored by the U.S. National Fire Academy. These training sessions cover topics such as executive development, anti-arson techniques, disaster preparedness, hazardous materials control, and public fire safety and education. Some States also have either voluntary or mandatory fire fighter training and certification programs. Many fire departments offer fire fighters incentives such as tuition reimbursement or higher pay for completing advanced training.

Applicants for municipal fire fighting jobs usually must pass a written exam; tests of strength, physical stamina, coordination, and agility; and a medical examination that includes a drug screening. Workers may be monitored on a random basis for drug use after accepting employment. Examinations are generally open to people who are at least 18 years of age and have a high school education or its equivalent.

Those who receive the highest scores in all phases of testing have the best chances of being hired. Higher education can provide the intellectual and informational edge that makes all the difference.

Among the personal qualities fire fighters need are mental alertness, self-discipline, courage, mechanical aptitude, endurance, strength, and a sense of public service. Initiative and good judgment also are extremely important because fire fighters make quick decisions in emergencies. Members of a crew live and work closely together under conditions of stress and danger for extended periods, so they must be dependable and able to get along well with others. Leadership qualities are necessary for officers, who must establish and maintain discipline and efficiency, as well as direct the activities of the fire fighters in their companies.

Most experienced fire fighters continue studying to improve their job performance and prepare for promotion examinations. To progress to higher level positions, they acquire expertise in advanced fire fighting equipment and techniques, building construction, emergency medical technology, writing, public speaking, management and budgeting procedures, and public relations.

Opportunities for promotion depend upon the results of written examinations, as well as job performance, interviews, and seniority. Hands-on tests that simulate real-world job situations are also used by some fire departments.

Usually, fire fighters are first promoted to engineer, then lieutenant, captain, battalion chief, assistant chief, deputy chief, and, finally, chief.

For promotion to positions higher than battalion chief, many fire departments now require a bachelor’s degree, preferably in fire science, public administration, or a related field.

An associate degree is required for executive fire officer certification from the National Fire Academy.

In 2006, total paid employment in firefighting occupations was about 361,000. Fire fighters held about 293,000 jobs, first-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers held about 52,000, and fire inspectors and investigators held about 14,000 jobs. These employment figures include only paid career fire fighters—they do not cover volunteer fire fighters, who perform the same duties and may constitute the majority of fire fighters in a residential area. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, about 71 percent of fire companies were staffed entirely by volunteer fire fighters in 2005.

About 9 out of 10 fire fighting workers were employed by local government. Some large cities have thousands of career fire fighters, while many small towns have only a few. Most of the remainder worked in fire departments on Federal and State installations, including airports. Private fire fighting companies employ a small number of fire fighters.

In response to the expanding role of fire fighters, some municipalities have combined fire prevention, public fire education, safety, and emergency medical services into a single organization commonly referred to as a public safety organization. Some local and regional fire departments are being consolidated into countywide establishments to reduce administrative staffs, cut costs, and establish consistent training standards and work procedures.

Although employment is expected to grow as fast as the average for all jobs, candidates for these positions are expected to face keen competition as these positions are highly attractive and sought after. Again, a degree can only help in such a competitive job market.

Employment of workers in fire fighting occupations is expected to grow by 12 percent over the 2006-2016 decade, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. Most job growth will stem from volunteer fire fighting positions being converted to paid positions.

Prospective fire fighters are expected to face keen competition for available job openings. Many people are attracted to fire fighting because, it is challenging and provides the opportunity to perform an essential public service; a high school education is usually sufficient for entry; and a pension is usually guaranteed after 25 years work. Consequently, the number of qualified applicants in most areas far exceeds the number of job openings.

The written examination and physical requirements eliminate many applicants. Those who have completed some fire fighter education at a community college, and have EMT or paramedic certification will have an additional advantage. A degree can make all the difference, as we’ve said, if all else is equal.

The pay is steady and upscale. Higher positions involving degrees and tenure can pay very handsomely.

Median annual earnings of fire fighters were $41,190 in May 2006.
The middle 50 percent earned between $29,550 and $54,120.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $20,660, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $66,140.
Median annual earnings were $41,600 in local government, $41,070 in the Federal Government, and $37,000 in State governments.

Median annual earnings of first-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers were $62,900 in May 2006.
The middle 50 percent earned between $50,180 and $79,060.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $36,820, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $97,820.

First-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers employed in local government earned a median of about $64,070 a year.

Median annual earnings of fire inspectors and investigators were $48,050 in May 2006.
The middle 50 percent earned between $36,960 and $61,160 a year.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,840, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $74,930.
Fire inspectors and investigators employed in local government earned a median of about $49,690 a year.

According to the International City-County Management Association, average salaries in 2006 for sworn full-time positions were as follows:

Fire fighters who average more than a certain number of work hours per week are required to be paid overtime. The hours threshold is determined by the department. Fire fighters often earn overtime for working extra shifts to maintain minimum staffing levels or during special emergencies.

Fire fighters receive benefits that usually include medical and liability insurance, vacation and sick leave, and some paid holidays. Almost all fire departments provide protective clothing (helmets, boots, and coats) and breathing apparatus, and many also provide dress uniforms.

Fire fighters generally are covered by pension plans, often providing retirement at half pay after 25 years of service or if the individual is disabled in the line of duty.

Like fire fighters, emergency medical technicians and paramedics and police and detectives respond to emergencies and save lives.

So now you know— fire fighting involves hazardous conditions and long, irregular hours.

But you still want it. It’s calling you home. It’s what you want to be.

Even as a kid, when a big engine went wailing down the street, with steely-eyed men in fire-suits hanging on, you felt a thrill that has still never gone away.

And you know that applicants for fire fighting jobs must pass written, physical, and medical examinations. You’ll be ready.

Most of all, you know this now— that although employment is expected to grow faster than the average, huge competition for jobs is expected.

Why? because fire-fighting attracts so many sincere and qualified candidates.

And because you now know all this, you are going to get into amazing physical condition, while you get that Fire Science degree.

Because you want all the knowledge and training possible to have your back, when you fight your way inside the burning belly of a beast— into a fire, a hell on earth!

Information about a career as a fire fighter may be obtained from local fire departments and from either of the following organizations:

• International Association of Fire Fighters, 1750 New York Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20006. http://www.iaff.org
• U.S. Fire Administration, 16825 South Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD 21727. http://www.usfa.dhs.gov

Information about professional qualifications and a list of colleges and universities offering 2- or 4-year degree programs in fire science or fire prevention may be obtained from:

• National Fire Academy, 16825 South Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD 21727. http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/nfa/index.htm

You were always drawn to that side, the disabled kids. There are so many more of them than the gifted. Their needs seem so desperate, their gratitude so overwhelming.

You’d always wanted to teach. You’d grown up working at a summer camp for kids with disabilities.

Maybe you yourself were a gifted kid, and hardly realized it. But you always had so much to share. You seemed to have a very special intuitive insight into others.

Somehow, disabled kids, (with their unusual ways of expressing themselves), didn’t sadden or scare you the way they did some of the other counselors— who often quit after a couple of hours, or the first trying day.

Camp for disabled kids was like going to another world. You loved their delight in small things. After summer vacation, you missed being with those kids, actually.

There was a way you learned to reach them, that made you feel so special yourself. They saw that way you had and loved you for it.

But for all that, you wanted to do more. You always knew there was so much more you should be able to do for them. To bring that light to their eyes. And their hugs aplenty.

Then you were asked to counsel at a camp for what they called the “emotionally disturbed.” You went online and googled the major diagnoses and symptoms. You prepared yourself with effective techniques for working with those kids. It was tougher, but you learned.

And now, you’re fully educated. You work in a public school for Students with Emotional Disturbance or Emotional Disabilities (ED). Their emotions are exaggerated or inappropriate for a situation. They can’t explain or control their actions or impulses. But you understand. Your education prepared you.

But still, it’s so hard. You are the last hope of these kids.

Before this, out of college, you taught in a Title One school. You still bear the fingernail and bite scars on both arms. But those are trivial, compared to the suffering of your students. Autistic, violent temper tantrums, screamers, thrashers.

Your heart aches for them, but so does your head, trying so many ways, over and over, to reach them, soothe and comfort and teach them.

Your family wonders how you can stand it. They have no idea how much inner satisfaction it brings you.

Teaching special education is the difficult teaching positions in the public school system. An incredible level of motivation and courage is needed, to not give up when the going gets tough.

Special education teachers work with children and youths who have a variety of disabilities. It requires a solid background degree in child development and education.

A small number of special education teachers work with students with severe cases of mental retardation or autism, primarily teaching them life skills and basic literacy.

However, the majority of special education teachers work with children with mild to moderate disabilities, using or modifying the general education curriculum to meet the child’s individual needs. Most special education teachers instruct students at the elementary, middle, and secondary school level, although some work with infants and toddlers.

The various types of disabilities that may qualify individuals for special education programs include specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, visual impairments, autism, combined deafness and blindness, traumatic brain injury, and other health impairments. Students are classified under one of the categories, and special education teachers are prepared to work with specific groups.

Early identification of a child with special needs is an important part of a special education teacher’s job, because early intervention is essential in educating children with disabilities.

Special education teachers use various techniques to promote learning. Depending on the disability, teaching methods can include individualized instruction, problem-solving assignments, and small-group work. When students need special accommodations to take a test, special education teachers see that appropriate ones are provided, such as having the questions read orally or lengthening the time allowed to take the test.

Special education teachers help to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each student. The IEP sets personalized goals for the student and is tailored to that student’s individual needs and ability. When appropriate, the program includes a transition plan outlining specific steps to prepare students with disabilities for middle school or high school or, in the case of older students, a job or postsecondary study. Teachers review the IEP with the student’s parents, school administrators, and the student’s general education teachers. Teachers work closely with parents to inform them of their child’s progress and suggest techniques to promote learning at home.

Special education teachers design and teach appropriate curricula, assign work geared toward each student’s needs and abilities, and grade papers and homework assignments. They are involved in the students’ behavioral, social, and academic development, helping them develop emotionally, feel comfortable in social situations, and be aware of socially acceptable behavior. Preparing special education students for daily life after graduation also is an important aspect of the job. Teachers provide students with career counseling or help them learn routine skills, such as balancing a checkbook.

As schools become more inclusive, special education teachers and general education teachers increasingly work together in general education classrooms.

Special education teachers help general educators adapt curriculum materials and teaching techniques to meet the needs of students with disabilities. They coordinate the work of teachers, teacher assistants, and related personnel, such as therapists and social workers, to meet the individualized needs of the student within inclusive special education programs. A large part of a special education teacher’s job involves communicating and coordinating with others involved in the child’s well being, including parents, social workers, school psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, school administrators, and other teachers.

Special education teachers work in a variety of settings. Some have their own classrooms and teach only special education students; others work as special education resource teachers and offer individualized help to students in general education classrooms; still others teach together with general education teachers in classes including both general and special education students.

Some teachers work with special education students for several hours a day in a resource room, separate from their general education classroom. Considerably fewer special education teachers work in residential facilities or tutor students in homebound or hospital environments.

Some special education teachers work with infants and usually travel to the child’s home to work with the parents. Many of these infants have medical problems that slow or preclude normal development. Special education teachers show parents techniques and activities designed to stimulate the infant and encourage the growth and development of the child’s skills. Toddlers usually receive their services at a preschool where special education teachers help them develop social, self-help, motor, language, and cognitive skills, often through the use of play.

Technology is becoming increasingly important in special education. Teachers use specialized equipment such as computers with synthesized speech, interactive educational software programs, and audiotapes to assist children.

Special education teachers enjoy the challenge of working with students with disabilities and the opportunity to establish meaningful relationships with them. Although helping these students can be highly rewarding, the work also can be emotionally and physically draining.

Some schools offer year-round education for special education students, but most special education teachers work only the traditional 10-month school year.

All States require special education teachers to be licensed, which typically requires at least a bachelor’s degree and completion of an approved training program in special education teaching.

Many States require a master’s degree. Most States have alternative methods for entry— for bachelor’s degree holders who do not have training in education.

Many colleges and universities across the United States offer programs in special education at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree levels. Special education teachers usually undergo longer periods of training than do general education teachers.

Most bachelor’s degree programs last years and include general and specialized courses in special education. However, an increasing number of institutions require a 5th year or other graduate-level preparation.

Among the courses offered are educational psychology, legal issues of special education, child growth and development, and strategies for teaching students with disabilities. Some programs require specialization, while others offer generalized special education degrees or a course of study in several specialized areas. The last year of the program usually is spent student teaching in a classroom supervised by a certified teacher.

All 50 States and the District of Columbia require special education teachers to be licensed. The State board of education or a licensure advisory committee usually grants licenses, and licensure varies by State. In some States, special education teachers receive a general education credential to teach kindergarten through grade 12. These teachers then train in a specialty, such as learning disabilities or behavioral disorders. Many States offer general special education licenses across a variety of disability categories, while others license several different specialties within special education.

For traditional licensing, all States require a bachelor’s degree and the completion of an approved teacher preparation program with a prescribed number of subject and education credits and supervised practice teaching. However, many States also require a master’s degree in special education, involving at least 1 year of additional course work, including a specialization, beyond the bachelor’s degree.

Special education teachers can advance to become supervisors or administrators. They may also earn advanced degrees and become instructors in colleges that prepare others to teach special education. In some school systems, highly experienced teachers can become mentors to less experienced ones, providing guidance to those teachers while maintaining a light teaching load.

The number of special education teachers is expected to increase by 15 percent from 2006 to 2016, faster than the average for all occupations.

The number of students requiring special education services has grown steadily in recent years due to improvements that have allowed learning disabilities to be diagnosed at earlier ages and medical advances that have resulted in more children surviving serious accidents or illnesses, but with impairments that require special accommodations. In addition, legislation emphasizing training and employment for individuals with disabilities and educational reforms requiring higher standards for graduation has increased demand for special education services.

The percentage of foreign-born special education students also is expected to grow, as teachers become more adept in recognizing disabilities in that population. Finally, more parents are expected to seek special services for their children who have difficulty meeting the new, higher standards required of students.

In addition to job openings resulting from growth, a large number of openings will result from the need to replace special education teachers who switch to teaching general education, change careers altogether, or retire. At the same time, many school districts report difficulty finding sufficient numbers of qualified teachers. As a result, special education teachers should have excellent job prospects.

The job outlook does vary by geographic area and specialty. Although most areas of the country report difficulty finding qualified applicants, positions in inner cities and rural areas usually are more plentiful than job openings in suburban or wealthy urban areas. Student populations also are expected to increase more rapidly in certain parts of the country, such as the South and West, resulting in increased demand for special education teachers in those regions.

Job opportunities may be better in certain specialties—such as teachers who work with children with multiple disabilities or severe disabilities like autism—because of large increases in the enrollment of special education students classified under those categories. Legislation encouraging early intervention and special education for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers has created a need for early childhood special education teachers.

Bilingual special education teachers and those with multicultural experience also are needed to work with an increasingly diverse student population.

Median annual earnings in May 2006 of wage-and-salary special education teachers who worked primarily in preschools, kindergartens, and elementary schools were $46,360. The middle 50 percent earned between $37,500 and $59,320. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $31,320, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $73,620.
Median annual earnings of wage-and-salary middle school special education teachers were $47,650. The middle 50 percent earned between $38,460 and $61,530. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,420, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $80,170.

Median annual earnings of wage-and-salary special education teachers who worked primarily in secondary schools were $48,330. The middle 50 percent earned between $38,910 and $62,640. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,760, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $78,020.

In 2006, about 58 percent of special education teachers belonged to unions—mainly the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association—that bargain with school systems over wages, hours, and the terms and conditions of employment.

In most schools, teachers receive extra pay for coaching sports and working with students in extracurricular activities. Some teachers earn extra income during the summer, working in the school system or in other jobs.

Other occupations involved with the identification, evaluation, and development of students with disabilities include psychologists, social workers, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, counselors, teacher assistants, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, and teachers—preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary.

All States require teachers to be licensed; traditional licensing requires the completion of a special education teacher training program and at least a bachelor’s degree.

Many States require a master’s degree. Also, a number of States offer alternative licensure programs to attract college graduates, who do not have training in education.

As a special ed teacher, you job prospects are excellent— enrollments of special education students (and shortages of qualified teachers) keep rising.

Your degree can be the gateway to a profession in increasingly high demand, and a deeply satisfying profession, and a very challenging one.

Special education can be exhausting, intense, delightful, depressing, wonderful… but never boring.

The pain your kids suffer, the delight of discovery in their eyes, their hugs, all make each of your teaching days a world unto itself— beyond merely special— unique!

NOTE: Tomorrow, in our second part of Exceptionals, we will explore the world of Gifted Children, the other side of teaching “Exceptional Students“.

For information on professions related to early intervention and education for children with disabilities, listings of schools with special education training programs, information on teacher certification, and general information on related personnel issues, contact:

• The Council for Exceptional Children, 1110 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201. http://www.cec.sped.org
• National Center for Special Education Personnel & Related Service Providers, National Association of State Directors of Special Education, 1800 Diagonal Rd., Suite 320, Alexandria, VA 22314. http://www.personnelcenter.org

To learn more about the special education teacher certification and licensing requirements in individual States, contact the State’s department of education.

Business is a profit-driven force that drives human affairs. Corporate executives are commanders of their company of officers and workers. They make the system work. They plan, they lead, they achieve. If they fail, everyone fails. When they succeed, everyone succeeds.

Corporate executives create a good environment or a bad one. They make daily decisions affecting millions. Their choices are the direction our world moves in. Their dreams often come true, because their resources are enormous. Their good will or bad will has tremendous import for everyone.

Corporate executives are the soldiers of our system. How did they become who they are?

Their education level is often very high. Their intellectual training is sometimes measured in depth, not in years but in decades.

Corporate share is their measure of achievement. But education is almost always their ticket inside the golden door of the big companies that shape world affairs.

Top executives are among the highest paid workers; however, long hours, considerable travel, and intense pressure to succeed are common. The formal education and experience of top executives vary as widely as the nature of their responsibilities.

All organizations have specific goals and objectives. Top executives devise strategies and formulate policies. They plan. They execute plans.

Chief executive officer, chief operating officer, board chair, president, vice president, school superintendent, county administrator, or tax commissioner—all formulate policies and direct the operations of businesses and corporations, public sector organizations, nonprofit institutions, and other organizations.

A corporation’s goals and policies are established by the chief executive officer in collaboration with other top executives, who are overseen by a board of directors. In a large corporation, the chief executive officer meets frequently with subordinate executives to ensure that operations are conducted in accordance with these policies. The chief executive officer of a corporation retains overall accountability; however, a chief operating officer may be delegated several responsibilities, including the authority to oversee executives who direct the activities of various departments and implement the organization’s policies on a day-to-day basis. In publicly held and nonprofit corporations, the board of directors ultimately is accountable for the success or failure of the enterprise, and the chief executive officer reports to the board.

In addition to being responsible for the operational success of a company, top executives also are increasingly being held accountable for the accuracy of their financial reporting, particularly among publicly traded companies. For example, recently enacted legislation contains provisions for corporate governance, internal control, and financial reporting.

In small organizations, such as independent retail stores or small manufacturers, a partner, owner, or general manager often is responsible for purchasing, hiring, training, quality control, and day-to-day supervisory duties.

In large organizations, the duties of executives are highly specialized. Some managers, for instance, are responsible for the overall performance of one aspect of the organization, such as manufacturing, marketing, sales, purchasing, finance, personnel, training, administrative services, computer and information systems, property management, transportation, or legal services.

Chief financial officers direct the organization’s financial goals, objectives, and budgets. They oversee the investment of funds and manage associated risks, supervise cash management activities, execute capital-raising strategies to support a firm’s expansion, and deal with mergers and acquisitions.

Chief information officers are responsible for the overall technological direction of their organizations. They are increasingly involved in the strategic business plan of a firm as part of the executive team. To perform effectively, they also need knowledge of administrative procedures, such as budgeting, hiring, and supervision. These managers propose budgets for projects and programs and make decisions on staff training and equipment purchases. They hire and assign computer specialists, information technology workers, and support personnel to carry out specific parts of the projects. They supervise the work of these employees, review their output, and establish administrative procedures and policies. Chief information officers also provide organizations with the vision to master information technology as a competitive tool.

Chief executives have overall responsibility for the operation of their organizations. Working with executive staff, they set goals and arrange programs to attain these goals. Executives also appoint department heads, who manage the employees who carry out programs. Chief executives also oversee budgets and ensure that resources are used properly and that programs are carried out as planned.

Chief executive officers carry out a number of other important functions, such as meeting with staff and board members to determine the level of support for proposed programs. Chief executive officers in government often nominate citizens to boards and commissions, encourage business investment, and promote economic development in their communities. To do all of these varied tasks effectively, chief executives rely on a staff of highly skilled personnel.

Substantial travel between international, national, regional, and local offices to monitor operations and meet with customers, staff, and other executives often is required of managers and executives. Many managers and executives also attend meetings and conferences sponsored by various associations. The conferences provide an opportunity to meet with prospective donors, customers, contractors, or government officials and allow managers and executives to keep abreast of technological and managerial innovations.

Many top executives have a bachelor’s or graduate degree in business administration, liberal arts, or a more specialized discipline.

The specific degree required often depends on the type of organization for which they work. College presidents, for example, typically have a doctorate in the field in which they originally taught, and school superintendents often have a master’s degree in education administration. A brokerage office manager needs a strong background in securities and finance, and department store executives generally have extensive experience in retail trade.

Some top executives in the public sector have a background in public administration or liberal arts. Others might have a more specific background related to their jobs. For example, a health commissioner might have a graduate degree in health services administration or business administration.

Many top executive positions are filled from within the organization by promoting experienced, lower-level managers when an opening occurs. In industries such as retail trade or transportation, for instance, it is possible for individuals without a college degree to work their way up within the company and become managers. However, many companies prefer that their top executives have extensive managerial experience and, therefore, hire individuals who have been managers in other organizations.

Top executives must have highly developed personal skills. An analytical mind able to quickly assess large amounts of information and data is very important, as is the ability to consider and evaluate the relationships between numerous factors. Top executives also must be able to communicate clearly and persuasively. For managers to succeed they need other important qualities as well, including leadership, self-confidence, motivation, decisiveness, flexibility, sound business judgment, and determination.

General managers may advance to a top executive position, such as executive vice president, in their own firm or they may take a corresponding position in another firm. They may even advance to peak corporate positions such as chief operating officer or chief executive officer.

Chief executive officers often become members of the board of directors of one or more firms, typically as a director of their own firm and often as chair of its board of directors. Some top executives establish their own firms or become independent consultants.

Top executives are found in every industry, but service-providing industries, including government, employed over 3 out of 4 top executives.

Employment of top executives—including chief executives, general and operations managers, and legislators—is expected to grow 2 percent from 2006 to 2016. Because top managers are essential to the success of any organization, their jobs are unlikely to be automated or off-shored to other countries. Projected employment growth of top executives varies by industry. For example, employment growth is expected to grow faster than average in professional, scientific, and technical services and about as fast as the average in administrative and support services. However, employment is projected to decline in some manufacturing industries.

Experienced managers whose accomplishments reflect strong leadership qualities and the ability to improve the efficiency or competitive position of an organization will have the best opportunities. In an increasingly global economy, experience in international economics, marketing, information systems, and knowledge of several languages also may be beneficial.

These are the true soldiers of the system. They earned their jobs through education followed by dedication. And they are among the highest paid workers in the U.S. economy.

Median annual earnings of wage and salary general and operations managers in May 2006 were $85,230. The middle 50 percent earned between $58,230 and $128,580. Because the specific responsibilities of general and operations managers vary significantly within industries, earnings also tend to vary considerably.

Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of general and operations managers were:

• Architectural, engineering, and related services • $113,280
• Management of companies and enterprises • $105,130
• Building equipment contractors • $85,270
• Depository credit intermediation • $85,050
• Local government • $74,950

Median annual earnings of wage and salary chief executives in May 2006 were greater than $145,600. Some chief executives of large companies earn hundreds of thousands to over a million dollars annually, and some are billionaires. In addition to salaries, total compensation often includes stock options and other performance bonuses.

Their tools are their degrees, many with MBA’s. Their strategies are measured in shares of our global economy. The future of the earth depends upon their vision, their good or bad will, their personal values.

Corporate executive. Soldier of the system. Educated, armed with deep data resources, trained in global strategies.

Does this sound like your dream? Do you want to shape the future of economies, of personal and global wealth?

Start now. The ladder is waiting! Virtually every university can help boost you onto that first rung!

For more information on top executives, including educational programs and job listings, contact:

• American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10019. http://www.amanet.org
• National Management Association, 2210 Arbor Blvd., Dayton, OH 45439. http://www.nma1.org

For more information on executive financial management careers, contact:

• Financial Executives International, 200 Campus Dr., P.O. Box 674, Florham Park, NJ 07932. http://www.financialexecutives.org
• Financial Management Association International, College of Business Administration, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Ave., BSN 3331, Tampa, FL 33620. http://www.fma.org

For information about management skills development, including the Certified Manager (CM) credential, contact:

• Institute for Certified Professional Managers, 1598 S. Main St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801. http://www.icpm.biz

GCU’s more than 25,000 online and traditional students enjoy the best of both worlds – a friendly, traditional campus featuring a rich 60-year-old community built on values-based academics, as well a dynamic online learning platform. With a generous academic-based scholarship program, the University is dedicated to helping students achieve scholastic excellence while defining their life’s purpose. GCU’s graduation coach teams are dedicated to ensuring that all students have the best experience possible, earning their degrees as efficiently and economically as possible.

GCU is located on a lush 95-acre campus in the “Valley of the Sun” – Phoenix, Arizona. Campus students enjoy the Olympic-sized pool year-round and a variety of events and activities both on campus and nearby, with an abundance of outdoor activities and entertainment venues easily accessible. The GCU Antelopes compete in 16 NCAA athletic programs – more than any other university in the state, including men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and softball, wrestling, cross country, volleyball, golf, swimming and tennis. Plans are under way to construct a 5,000-seat events center on campus aimed at supporting the University’s invigorated men’s basketball program, conferences, community events and Christian concerts.

Online students are encouraged to enjoy the virtual campus experience combined with the convenience of GCU’s academically challenging degree programs that fit their lifestyle, with the University’s online programs consistently ranked nationally in the top ten. GCU recently was selected from more than 50 schools with the prestigious 2009 ANGEL IMPACT Exemplary Course Award presented by a major online learning system provider. The award honored GCU’s creation and integration of a variety of visual enhancements within its College of Nursing and Health Sciences, which include 3D models and simulations, flash movies, and a fresh, new design.

Online students also benefit from GCU’s commitment to small classes and individual attention. GCU has bridged the gap between distance and learning with their cohort learning program, in which students advance together as they would on campus through a sequence of core courses in chosen areas. Lifelong connections and friendships often develop from these cohorts, which can include students from all over the country. Many online graduates enjoy visiting the campus and attending commencement activities when they graduate.

GCU also is recognized by GI Jobs Magazine as a “military-friendly” university, offering full-tuition scholarships and degree programs that appeal to retired and active-duty military personnel, their spouses and dependents. GCU participates in a program that enables GI benefits to be used for private school education, providing attractive options for those interested in expanding or changing careers.

With a stated mission of preparing learners to become global citizens, critical thinkers, effective communicators and responsible leaders, GCU emphasizes and offers opportunities to lead and serve through community outreach activities and mission trips that take students all over the world.

Whether students choose to earn a degree online or on campus, GCU’s unique, faith-based culture, combined with cutting edge academics, value and service, is a wise choice!

For more information about the University, call GCU’s Enrollment Department at: 800-486-9907 and ask to schedule a campus visit. Or, if you can’t come in person, you can call 1-800-486-7089 and speak directly with a GCU Enrollment Counselor. Learn More!

Worried about the security of the profession you are choosing, or may choose?

Today, let’s just talk about how a degree affects your future employability. Let’s look at trends projected for the coming years.

For 12 of the 20 fastest growing occupations, an associate degree or higher is the most significant level of postsecondary education or training.

Professional and related occupations will be one of the two fastest growing major occupational groups, and will add the most new jobs.

Over the 2006-2016 period, a 16.7-percent increase in the number of professional and related jobs is projected, which translates into nearly 5 million new jobs.

Almost three-quarters of the job growth will come from three groups of professional occupations—computer and mathematical occupations, healthcare practitioners and technical occupations, and education, training, and library occupations.

These professions will add 3.5 million jobs. Jobs almost always requiring a degree.

Let’s look at all this in much greater detail. The US-BLS has released it’s projections, related to professions and higher education.

So take a look— Jobs and Higher Education: the fastest-growing occupations (with largest employment increases), 2006 and 2016

Is this a trend you want to catch? Climb on, get the degree that suits you best.

It will cost money, but it will be the best investment you ever make.

Without a degree, your job market will only get tougher.

Prepare yourself with the knowledge, skill, and the depth to succeed in your chosen profession. Get that degree!