Teacher Assistant, Special Education (Autism)

About the Role

This position provides instructional support, training, and personal assistance to teachers of students with physical or intellectual disabilities. The employee assists the teacher by performing instructional duties, preparing classroom materials, supervising student behavior, applying specific behavior management techniques, performing clerical duties, and providing assistance with personal hygiene and physical care as required. Work is performed under the guidance and supervision of the teacher.

Responsibilities

• Collects and records student data such as skill practice, seizure occurrences, and toileting.
• Provides discipline in the absence of the teacher and maintains consistency with procedures established by the teacher.
• Implements behavior modification plans.
• Practices individual speech sounds, vocabulary, and syntax objectives with students as directed by the speech therapist; reads to students and asks questions to stimulate language development; presents language activities involving expressive and receptive areas of development.
• Supervises learning centers during independent student work and assists students in manipulating materials.
• Participates in classroom activities such as discussions and games.
• Operates computer and audiovisual equipment such as DVD, data projector, or smartboards.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Experience as a teacher aide or experience working with children.
• Ability to work under the supervision of the teacher, including following lesson plans prepared by teachers.
• Ability to work effectively with individual children and small groups, meeting the instructional objectives as established by the teacher.
• Physical ability to lift, position, and assist students as required.
• Ability to accept and adapt to the wide differences in student characteristics and abilities.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment, learn to operate video equipment, and learn to perform individual medical procedures when necessary.
• Good human relations and communications skills; patience and flexibility.

Qualifications

Below are the minimum qualifications for this job. Equivalent combinations of education and experience are also acceptable.

• Complete two years of study at an institution of higher education; or
• Obtain an associate’s (or higher) degree; or
• Meet a rigorous standard of quality and be able to demonstrate, through a formal state or local academic assessment, knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics (or, as appropriate, reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness).

Physical Requirements

• Regularly talking, expressing, or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word, including conveying detailed or important spoken instructions accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Possess normal cognitive abilities, including the ability to learn, recall, and apply certain practices and policies.
• Frequently sitting and/or remaining in a stationary position for long periods of time.
• Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.

Pay

Hourly salary range: $22.47–$25.28.

Schedule

10 months / 187 days / 7 hours per day.