Teacher Assistant

Teacher Assistant

Non-Exempt 10 Month Position

West Elementary

REPORTS TO: Principal

PURPOSE:  To provide support to teachers in instruction, general supervision and management of children.  Teacher Assistants may work one-on-one with special needs students, such assistants may be required to possess additional skills and training in providing for the specific physical needs of such students.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Works in classrooms at the direction of the teacher.
• Conducts small group lessons and/ or activities.
• Conducts clerical tasks as directed.
• Provides individualized instruction.
• Monitor work assigned by the teacher.
• Checks and corrects students' work.
• Keeps students on task.
• Praises and reinforces achievement of students.
• Reports student progress to the teacher.
• Attends workshops as assigned.
• Serves as proctor during testing.
• Demonstrates various instructional activities.
• Reconciles minor student conflict.
• Performs, under general supervision, a variety of technical and clerical tasks in assisting a teacher.
• Performs a wide range of tasks in order to support the efforts of the teacher, meet the needs of all students, and ensure the provision of quality instruction for all students.
• Provided one-on-one assistance with academics and behavioral problems and may lead small group activities.
• Stays abreast of the following:  methods of adapting instruction, equipment and tools for children with special needs; confidentiality regulations; principles of organization and administration of the school district; curriculum for the grade/age of the children with which assistant is assigned to work; child development disabilities.
• Constantly monitors the safety and wellbeing of students.
• For exceptional teacher assistant positions: assists with the delivery of special services for students in need of functional life skills; assists with daily living skills (includes but is not limited to tube feeding, catheterization, toileting, changing diapers, lifting, pushing wheelchairs, use of other adapted equipment and other necessary and appropriate medical procedures under the training and supervision of the school nurse).
• Attempts to incorporate fine motor skills, sensory stimulation, self-help skills, social skills and computer skills into classroom activities.
• Performs general housekeeping duties; sets up various equipment each morning; puts equipment away at the end of the day; washes mats, toys, equipment, etc. with appropriate cleaning supplies; performs simple repairs and maintenance related to student and school equipment. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Ability to walk, lift, reach, stoop, stand, grasp, kneel repetitively.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Ability to establish positive relationships with students & colleagues.
• Ability to perform under stress, deal with persons acting under stress and adapt when confronted with emergencies.
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and written.
• Proficient with basic computer operation and software.
• Ability to follow minimally detailed written and oral instructions without constant supervision.
• Effective methods of dealing with children.
• Ability to interact positively with students and colleagues.

PREFERRED CHARACTERISTICS

• Positive attitude

• Advocate for special needs students

• Reliability

• Dependable

• Demonstrate initiative

QUALIFICATIONS

• Associates degree or two years of college or 48 credit hours at an institution of higher education.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
 

Physical Requirements: Must be able to use a variety of equipment and classroom tools such as computers, copiers, typewriters, calculators, pencils, scissors, and equipment for children with special needs, etc. Must be able to exert a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Due to amount of time spent standing and/or walking, physical requirements are consistent with those for Light Work.

Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.

Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments and/or directions from superiors.

Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, handbooks, forms, lists, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, simple reports, forms, instructional materials, etc., using prescribed format.

Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and to deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in variety of technical or professional languages including medical, legal and counseling terminology.

Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; multiply and divide; utilize decimals and percentages; and to apply the principles of descriptive statistics, statistical inference and statistical theory.

Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.

Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using office 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.

Color Discrimination: Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.

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.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
 

Ability to constantly monitor the safety and well-being of students, particularly when student is participating in an inclusive activity.

Ability to motivate students.

Ability to maintain a clean and orderly environment. Ability to perform general clerical duties.

Ability to maintain order and discipline in a classroom. Ability to operate common office machines.

Ability to maintain basic files and records.

Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

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.