Teacher Assistant, Special Education (Self-Contained Autism)

Job Overview

Roles And 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.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• Experience as a teacher aide or experience working with children.
• No licenses or certifications required.
• 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.
• Acceptance and adaptation 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.

Physical Requirements

• Regularly talking, expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.
• 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.