Exceptional Children Teacher Assistant

Position Title: Exceptional Children Teacher Assistant

Term of Employment: Full-Time; 10 months

Reports To: Principal

Pay Information: Salary Grade 56

General Statement of Job

• An employee in this class provides support to the teacher in the instruction of students. A wide variety of tasks are performed to support the teacher in the teaching-learning process for students. The work is directed by specific instructions, precedents and established policy. Problems are solved through the exercise of judgment in selecting the best course of action to be taken. Errors are expected to be recognized promptly by the supervisor and corrected with little negative consequence. The work is performed under the limited supervision of the teacher and/or principal.

Essential Job Functions

• Assist teachers with planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating Instructional activities, developing classroom procedures and preparing necessary materials. 
• Constantly monitors the safety and well-being of students; monitors student attitudes and encourages self-esteem; assists students with becoming increasingly independent. 
• Monitors student behavior and helps maintain discipline in the classroom. 
• Assists students with learning; reinforces and clarifies instructions; conducts short sessions on improving study skills; provides one-on-one assistance as needed. 
• Maintains standardized records and documentation concerning the progress of students. 
• Performs general housekeeping duties in maintaining an orderly classroom; performs repair and maintenance tasks related to school equipment. 
• Performs various clerical duties as needed, maintains records of student progress; develops and files incident reports; grades student papers and scores tests; checks daily attendance; makes copies; develops classroom display and instructional materials; maintains and operates audiovisual equipment; orders supplies; maintains class files, etc. 
• Participates in staff development workshops. 
• Performs other duties as deemed appropriate and assigned by the supervisor

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Working knowledge of effective methods of dealing with children
• Working knowledge of the core subjects at the grade level to which employment assignment is made
• Some knowledge of the school organization and its community
• Some knowledge of expected behavior of children, that is, basic characteristics of ages and stages
• Skill necessary to operate classroom based technology and standard office equipment
• Skill to make learning aids which will strengthen lesson plans
• Ability to comprehend the purpose of teacher-designed strategies as a fulfillment of the instructional objective
• Ability to discern significant student behavior and refer this to the supervisor
• Ability to impart information to the child’s level of comprehension
• Ability to apply impartially and consistently proper methods of recognition, reward, and correction
• Ability to solve independently most minor problems
• Ability to follow minimally detailed written and oral instructions without constant supervision
• Ability to record and store data accurately
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of student information

Minimum Training and Experience

• Associates Degree (or higher) required; or a minimum of 48 semester hours college-level coursework
• Ability to be a substitute Bus Monitor required
• Prior experience in instruction and/or supervision of students

Minimum Qualifications or Standards Required to Perform Essential Job Functions

• Physical Requirements: The work regularly requires standing and walking around the classroom and school. It requires the ability to communicate effectively using speech, vision and hearing. The work requires the use of hands for simple grasping and fine manipulations. The work often requires bending, squatting, reaching, with the ability to lift, carry, push or pull light weights and rarely, the lifting of weights above 30 pounds. The work occasionally handles/works with biohazards and/or risks for potential job-related injury, such as those found in a laboratory or shop environment. The work requires activities occasionally involving driving automotive equipment. 
• Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items such as office equipment and hand tools. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
• Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with emergency situations.
• Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear.) Must be able to communicate via telephone.

Disclaimer

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to this job.