DCES Special Education Paraprofessional

About the role

The Special Education Teacher Assistant position aims to support certified staff members in classrooms to achieve instructional goals and objectives, ensuring students are included in mainstream activities and receiving necessary health-related care.

Responsibilities

• Assists and guides students to reinforce academic skills, including reading, language arts, mathematics, and computer instruction.
• Works with students individually and in small groups to reinforce basic learning and implement assigned programs.
• Assists professional staff in the administration and correction of classroom exercises, tests, and assessments.
• Aids in classroom preparations and strategies for reinforcing instructional materials and skills according to individual student needs.
• Assists with record-keeping procedures to document student learning and performance.
• Affords classroom behavioral management to minimize disruptions, ensure a safe and orderly environment, and keep students on task.
• Assists students in non-instructional areas, such as supervising lunch programs, bus duty, playground duty, corridor, study hall, and other related areas.
• Accompanies students on field trips for the purpose of assisting with supervision.
• Constructs, copies, and distributes educational materials as needed.
• Affords guidance to parents through contact as requested to foster effective and participatory involvement in student education.
• Affords support to students with special needs in all aspects of classroom instruction to maximize inclusion, learning, achievement, and IEP objectives.
• Participates in the IEP process as needed and serves as a resource for the student personnel evaluation team.
• Affords assistance to students with physical or mental disabilities with activities of daily living to maximize their ability to participate in school or learning activities.
• Fulfills safety rules, procedures, and regulations governing the proper manner of assistance for all students, including those with disabilities or other special needs.

Additional Duties

• Assists guidance, pupil services staff, or building administration, as needed.
• Performs any other related duties as assigned.

Equipment

Uses standard office equipment, such as personal computers and copiers.

Travel Requirements

May be required to travel between schools or between schools and central offices for certain positions.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Ability to carry out instructions furnished in written or oral form.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, and perform arithmetic operations as needed to assist students.
• Ability to understand, apply, and use personal computers and software applications (e.g., Word, Excel).
• Ability to work with a diverse group of individuals.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information regarding students, employees, and others.
• Ability to establish a supportive and compassionate relationship with students with special needs.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with students, staff, and others contacted in the course of work.
• Ability to report work orally or in writing to supervisor as required.
• Effective writing and verbal communication skills.

Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards

Works in standard office and school building environments. Ability to work outdoors during outdoor student activities.

Qualifications Profile

Any combination of education and experience providing the required skill and knowledge for successful performance would be qualifying. Typical qualifications would be equivalent to:

• A high school diploma or equivalent.
• Possess the skills to effectively work with severely handicapped students as well as other professionals.
• Awareness of proper body mechanics for lifting students or heavy objects.
• Prior experience working with special needs children desirable.