Educating Students with Emotional and Behavioral Challenges

Educators specializing in emotional behavior disorders provide instruction for students whose disorder interferes with their acquisition of academic, vocational and social skills. These experts provide accommodations, strategies, and interventions while collaborating with families, teachers, and specialized service providers in designing and implementing individualized education programs for students.

Emotional behavioral disorder professionals need an appreciation of the theoretical and practical knowledge in the field. They also need to understand how the disorder affects the student's education, the legal responsibilities of the school and how to collaborate with other agencies who serve these youth.

St. Thomas prepares professional, effective teachers in special education with traditional coursework and a practicum in a real-world educational setting.

The St. Thomas Difference

Courses in the program are conveniently scheduled late afternoons or evenings, summer days and summer evenings. If you are interested in pursuing more than one licensure, the areas have some courses in common leading to ease in attaining multiple licensure.

Other licensure available at St. Thomas include: developmental disabilities, learning disabilities and early childhood special education.

The state of Minnesota approves license programs for special education personnel, and St. Thomas recommends qualified candidates for those licenses. Specific licensure programs have been submitted to and approved by the state. This places upon the department a responsibility for specific, high-quality special education programs.

Special education professionals are prepared to:

• Address current literature and issues in special education
• Implement appropriate identification and due-process standards
• Design, field test and evaluate appropriate instructional strategies and methodologies
• Provide direct service and consultation
• Collaborate with family agencies, community services and professional organizations
• Work as partners with families
• Collaborate with professionals across disciplines