Instructional Assistant - Moderate/Severe

Summary

Salary Range: 100

Refer to salary schedule

Under the direction of the principal, assistant principal or designee, provides a range of cognitive, instructional, therapeutic, and/or medical support to severely and physically handicapped students. Assists teachers and staff by working with students with moderate to severe disabilities to reinforce functional curriculum and/or life skills.

The Instructional Assistant – Special Education, Moderate/Severe provides instructional support to teachers, and therapists in a moderate to severe special needs setting. Duties and responsibilities can be carried out by an incumbent who meets District requirements, namely, the passing of a rigorous competency exam and who demonstrates the ability to reinforce learning of the full range of secondary education curriculum or specialized functional and/or life skills curriculum. Instructional Assistants – Special Education, Moderate/Severe are typically assigned to areas such as, but not limited to, special day class where students are severely handicapped and where additional behavioral, therapeutic, and/or medical procedure training is required.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Under the direction of teachers and specialists, provides academic, therapeutic, medical and/or social instructional assistance to individuals or small groups of students with moderate to severe special needs.
• Works on an in-depth basis with individual or small groups of students to execute individual lesson plans and alternative strategies for maximizing learning experiences.
• Assists students during classroom activities, lunch, physical education, and other school activities. Feeds students and assists with personal hygiene. May perform specialized health care services to students, such as toileting and catheterization.
• Assists students with development and reinforcement of life skills such as, but not limited to, purchasing and preparing food, negotiating transportation between school and home, work, and community-based services.
• Assists teachers by setting up work areas, and preparing motivational and decorative materials. Prepares and may develop age-grade appropriate instructional aids and exercises to support the curriculum being taught.
• Confers with teachers and specialists to evaluate individual and group educational goals and objectives. Assist with implementation of special programs.
• Accompanies students going from one location to another. Observes, monitors, and controls behavior of students within approved procedures.
• Develops and uses incentives as positive reinforcement. Maintains constant supervision of students. Assesses the need for, and uses appropriate discipline in accordance with grade level and student's ability to understand discipline.
• Reports student academic and behavior progress and performance to teachers. Documents student progress by correcting assignments, collecting data and recording and charting functional curriculum based measurements.
• Confers, as needed, with teachers, resource staff, and other school personnel concerning programs and materials to meet student needs. Alerts teacher to any special problems or information concerning students in assigned program.
• Assists students with developing independent travel and mobility skills, community-based vocational training, and preparation for on-going employment.
• Assures student safety. Places students in wheelchairs, standers, wedges and other equipment or devices that enhance mobility. Loads students onto buses, therapeutic tables, and toilets.
• Assists students by offering proper examples, emotional support, patience, and friendly attitude, without becoming emotionally attached.
• Prepares and maintains a variety of files and records for classroom or assigned program.
• Performs other duties as assigned that support the overall objective of the position.
  
  

Knowledge And Skills

• Working knowledge of the principles and practices of age appropriate student development and guidance applicable to special education setting dealing with severe emotional, physical, and/or learning challenges.
• Working knowledge of the subjects taught in the District schools, including math, grammar, spelling, language, reading and functional curriculum with sufficient competency to assist students with individual or group studies.
• Behavior modification techniques and strategies.
• Basic knowledge of teaching and instruction methods.
• Basic clerical and record keeping processes.
• Special education programs.
• Well-developed human relation skills to work productively and cooperatively with teachers, students, and parents in formal and informal settings, to exercise patience when conveying information to students having difficulty with verbal and written communications, and demonstrate sensitivity to the special needs of students.
• May require basic knowledge of using personal computers, audiovisual, and other equipment to support learning, record information, and send communications
  
  

Abilities

• Assist teaching staff with implementation of instructional goals and activities, and special needs of severely handicapped students.
• Under the direction of teaching staff, assess the needs of individual students and develop instructional support techniques and materials to meet those needs.
• Interact with teachers and specialists in order to carry out assigned duties.
• Lift and move handicapped students.
• Assist handicapped students with personal care needs and activities.
• Upon receiving appropriate training, safely and skillfully operate pieces of equipment related to medical needs of students and perform specialized health care services.
• Assist students with developing independence and self help skills.
• Oversee students and perform general clerical tasks.
• Respect the confidential nature of student records and reports. Refrain from discussing student's problems outside of the classroom.
• Establish positive communication with students and maintain patience and tact in working with students with special physical and emotional needs.
• Recognize and respond to emergency and/or hazardous conditions.
• Read, write, and communicate in English.
  
  

Physical Abilities

• Perform indoors in a classroom/laboratory environment engaged in work of a moderately active nature.
• Near visual acuity to read and write printed materials and computer screens.
• Hearing and speech ability for ordinary and telephonic conversation, to speak to groups, and to hear sound prompts from equipment.
• Ambulatory ability to move about office, classroom/laboratory, and school grounds, to tutor, assist with presentations, and reach work materials.
• Sufficient manual and finger dexterity to demonstrate teaching aids, to point out important words/figures to students, and to operate personal computers.
• Lift, carry, push, and move supplies, fixtures, etc., of light-to-medium weight (under 50 pounds) on a regular basis, and heavy weight (under 75 pounds) without labor saving equipment on an intermittent basis.
• Lift, carry, transfer, and push students in wheelchairs or students with orthopedic impairment.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

High school diploma or equivalent.

Licenses and Certificates

May require a valid California driver's license. May require and maintain valid first aid/CPR certification.

Working Conditions

Work is performed indoors and outdoors with some exposure to health and safety considerations from physical labor and exposure to body fluids.