General Description:

 

Teaches/Co-teaches students with disabilities in a variety of settings, as is appropriate for the student. Develops or modifies curricula and prepares lessons and other instructional materials according to ability levels, disabilities, and impairments of students.  Utilizes multi-sensory learning and repetition to reinforce learning.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Participates as assigned in the eligibility process before and after a student is determined eligible for special education services, and participates in the intake process.
• Assesses student abilities as related to desired educational goals, objectives, outcomes, and disability or impairment.
• Collaborates with other staff and parents to develop an individual educational program (IEP) for each student assigned.
• Plans appropriate instructional/learning strategies and activities including determination of appropriate kind and level of materials and equipment.
• Implements an instructional, therapeutic, or skill development program which provides appropriate experiences.
• Participates in and/or chairs IEP and triennial eligibility meetings.
• Ensures classroom and/or instructional environment are attractive, healthy, safe, and conducive to learning, and that materials are accessible to students.
• Manages student behavior and ensures the instructional setting is conducive to the learning process, and assists and participates in the management of student behavior in other parts of the school, center, school grounds, or work site.
• Coordinates educational activities, as required, with other professional staff, both school and non-school based, to maximize learning opportunities.
• Communicates with students on expectations and keep them informed of their progress in meeting those expectations.
• Assesses, continuously, student achievement through the use of formal and informal testing and maintains appropriate assessment and evaluation documentation for institutional and individual reporting purposes.
• Utilizes a variety of instructional materials and available multimedia and technology to enhance learning.
• Requests assistance of and works with school and non-school based resource personnel, as needed.
• Participates in staff development activities and staff meetings as required or assigned.
• Ensures continuous communication with parents, both written or oral, to keep them informed of their child’s progress.
• Supervises teaching assistants and parent volunteers.
• Makes off-site visits as required to monitor students, confer with employers, or site instructors.
• Serves as a home resource teacher and works with preschool impaired/student with disabilities and parents, if assigned.
• Provides or supervises care and feeding of students who, because of age or disability, do not have feeding and self-help skills or abilities, if assigned.
• Performs other duties as required.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Good knowledge of procedures, practices, materials, and equipment required to provide appropriate learning experiences for assigned students.
2. Ability to assess needs, develop and implement an IEP, and evaluate outcomes in the area of assignment.
3. Ability to coordinate activities with other appropriate staff.
4. Ability to develop and maintain the required records and reports.
5. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
6. Excellent organizational, planning, and human relations skills.
7. Good knowledge of the nature and effects of the impairments and disabilities of the assigned students

 

License/Certification:

• Eligible for provisional, collegiate professional, or postgraduate professional license with an endorsement in a special education area appropriate for the assignment
• Any requirements established by the Virginia Department of Education to meet IDEA mandates.

Physical Attributes/Demands:

 

Assignments may require lifting and positioning students, controlling certain behavior through physical restraint, and assisting non-ambulatory students.

 

Some assignments may require a degree of physical strength and dexterity that exceeds the level required of general education and some other special education teachers.

Work requires continuous standing, walking, and may require lifting and/or restraining students. Most assignments require manually transferring lifting, and moving supplies or equipment weighing up to 35 pounds. Heavier items may be required to be moved with the uses of safety equipment or with manual or mechanical assistance.

Work may include noisy and /or disruptive student behavior.

 

There is potential exposure to body fluids and frequent childhood, pre-teen, or teen illnesses.

 

Evaluation: 

 

Performance on this job will be evaluated by the principal or designee in accordance with the school board policy and administrative regulations on evaluation of instructional personnel.