Early intervention special educators work with infants and toddlers (birth to age 3) who are experiencing developmental delays or disabilities. EISE professionals help to narrow a child's developmental gaps before they reach school age, so they're better equipped to thrive once they enter the school population.
Here are some of the most common EISE career opportunities:
- Home visitor. As the job title suggests, home visitors work with children and families in their own residences. "Many children respond best when they receive early intervention special education in a familiar environment," says Hix. "It's also a good setting for parents and siblings to participate and learn how to provide positive reinforcement." You may be employed through a Head Start program, social service agency, or educational service district if you work as a home visitor.
- Itinerant teacher. As an itinerant teacher, you'll travel to preschools, early learning centers, and other sites to work with individual students outside their regular classroom setting. In addition to providing one-on-one instruction, you'll coordinate EISE services with the child's regular teacher, parents, other caregivers, and (in some cases) specialists such as speech therapists or occupational therapists.
- Classroom teacher. EISE classroom teachers help children with special needs adjust to more formal school environments. "You need a wide range of skills in this role," says Lori Kellogg, principal of the Tualatin Early Childhood Center. "There's a lot of group supervision, but you're also frequently working with children individually and in small groups. If you lead a classroom you'll play a critical role in helping children learn to socialize, follow routines, and gain a sense of independence.
- Evaluation specialist. Program evaluators measure outcomes and provide feedback to EISE teachers and administrators. In this role, you'll conduct frequent testing to track children's progress, while gathering additional data through observations and interviews. Evaluators spend a good bit of their time working on databases, procedures manuals, and paperwork.
- Training instructor/researcher. As a relatively new field with a growing workforce, EISE offers broad opportunities for training and research. Most faculty of Portland State University's online EISE master's program engage in one or both of these pursuits, so you may find opportunities to sample these activities while you're enrolled in the program.
