Description

Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center is seeking a Special Education Teacher at our Rosewood school-age (K-2) program located in Cheektowaga. This is a year round position that includes teaching a 6 week summer program. We are open to considering teacher candidates who are willing to obtain Students with Disabilities, Birth - 2 or 1-6 certification. Tuition assistance may be available.

The Special Education Teacher is responsible for designing and implementing group lessons comprised of speech, language and readiness skills to encourage development in these areas by severely speech-language impaired school-age children. The teacher works as a member of a multidisciplinary team in developing and implementing goals for each child's Individualized Education Plan.

Buffalo Hearing & Speech utilizes the Floortime/DIR Philosophy in our classrooms and provides training on this unique approach. We also incorporate the Pyramid model and Trauma-Informed Care approach to best meet the needs of our students.

Essential Functions: 

• Evaluates each child in each area of skill development using formal and informal measures upon entrance into program and provides updates on a quarterly basis, including compiling comprehensive reports regarding children's strengths and areas of need. Determine prognosis and appropriate treatment plan. Responsible for implementing site specific curriculum and plans classroom environment to encourage learning, independence and generalization of skills. Involvement in the design and implementation of goals and objectives toward development of age-appropriate skills for each child as indicated on each child's IEP.
• Implement appropriate therapeutic program designed to facilitate improved cognitive, social emotional, behavioral, fine and gross motor skills
• Meets with and shares information regarding educational strategies, techniques, and philosophies with classroom aides and/or personal / 1:1 aides. Responsible for facilitating weekly team meetings and classroom planning meetings (team leader) and acts as an active participant in CQI meetings, as schedule allows
• Assists and collaborates with the multidisciplinary team for the program design and implementation, the carryover of individual therapy goals to the classroom (e.g., speech, OT, PT, etc.), using specific teaching and/or behavior management strategies. Responsible for modeling appropriate speech and language. Make appropriate referrals as needed in order to affect positive therapeutic results.
• Maintains contact with the parent or guardian regarding their child's progress within the classroom
• Responsible, with other team members, for children's supervision and safety
• Attends CPSE and CSE meetings, when necessary
• Submits highest quality written reports in a timely manner in accordance with compliance standards including, but not limited to, evaluation reports, treatment plans, log notes, progress reports, and discharge summaries as required by site or assignment.
• Maintains patient records in accordance to compliance standards set by site or assignments

Required Skills:

• Special Education Teacher behavioral competencies
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing
• Ability to learn on the job and change quickly as situations require

Education and Certification Requirements:

• Minimum of a Bachelors degree in special education from an accredited university or college.
• New York State Certification as a permanent Special Education Teacher (prior to February 2004) or Teacher of Students with Disabilities, Birth-2 or 1-6 (or willing to obtain certification).

Physical Requirements:

• Physical actions may include, but are not limited to; bending, kneeling, standing, squatting, reaching, printing, crawling, and running.
• Vision, speech, tactical and hearing senses adequate to perform job requirements.
• Frequent sitting/ standing and when appropriate, floor sitting with pediatric patients.

Qualifications