Teacher Aide

General Purpose of the Job

Assists the classroom teacher in developing, organizing, implementing, and carrying out daily instructional activities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assists classroom teacher in curriculum implementation by working with individuals or groups of students as assigned by classroom teacher.
• Assists in implementing strategies suggested by clinicians and the teacher.
• Performs frequent daily lifting of individuals with disabilities (ages 2-21). Students may weigh approximately twenty-five through one hundred pounds.
• Assists in developing individual education plans with the teacher. Responsible to review each students individualized education plan with the teacher.
• Assists teacher in the collection and the maintenance of data for each student in relation to goals or other important observations.
• Follows daily routine developed by the teacher, which includes but not limited to the basic care of students, maintains general order and cleanliness of the learning environment and the implementation of educational strategies and methodologies as directed by the teacher.
• Provide input of progress and specific concerns/problems of individual students.
• Observes universal precautions/practices proper infection control techniques.
• Assists classroom teacher in developing objectives to meet the needs of the student.
• Assists in oral and written communication.
• Confers with teacher regarding daily plans by assisting with preparation for activities and the readiness of equipment and supplies.
• Actively participates in appropriate education and agency in-service programs and follows agency/school policy and procedures.
• Attends team meetings when required
• Assists in escorting students throughout school environment, including to and from buses and classrooms.
• Participates in planning of student and school centered activities.
• Assists in creating and maintaining a nurturing environment conducive to learning and assisting in maintenance and hygiene routines.
• Maintains student confidentiality and uses discretion when discussing student related matters.
• Assists with learning activities and follow through on behavior management routines established by the classroom teacher and school psychologist.
• Performs all job responsibilities in a professional manner.
• May be assigned a 1:1 aide position.
• Performs other related classroom duties as may be assigned by the teacher.
• Performs duties as assigned by the Director of Educational Services/Principal or designee.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

High school diploma or general education degree (GED).

Language Skills

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to students and other employees within the school.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit and taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 100 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. May be required to intervene in emergency situations, which requires lifting, bending and/or stooping. May be required to transfer students from his/her wheelchair.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently moving mechanical parts; outside weather conditions; and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.

The employee will be exposed to human elements/ excretion and may have contact with blood borne pathogens (contagious and/or infectious diseases).

May come into contact with human blood or other potentially infectious materials, which may result in possible exposure to blood-borne pathogens (Category 1).