Teaching Assistant

We are seeking compassionate and dedicated Associate Teachers to join our team. Ideal candidates will have a background in early childhood education and special education. Our goal is to create a nurturing and supportive environment that provides individualized treatment and education for our students.

Responsibilities:

• Provide support to the Head Teacher and therapists in the classroom.
• Help implement individualized educational plans.
• Assist students with activities of daily living.
• Utilize speech and language techniques modeled by SLPs.
• Provide individualized attention and support to students based on changing needs, emotions, and behaviors.
• Utilize a variety of teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles and communication abilities.
• Collaborate with specialty teachers, including sculpture, art, movement, and dance, to provide a sensory and artistic aspect to the curriculum.
• Foster a positive and inclusive classroom environment that encourages language, behavioral, social, emotional, and academic growth.
• Participate in professional development opportunities to enhance skills and knowledge related to autism spectrum disorders.
• Communicate effectively with parents, caregivers, and other stakeholders to provide updates on student progress.
• Collect data and maintain accurate, complete records and reports.
• Report to the Head Teacher any needs or concerns about student learning.

Required Skills & Experience

• Background in early childhood education and/or special education
• A bachelor's degree or higher in education, psychology, or a related field is preferred.
• Experience working with children on the autism spectrum, ideally those with moderate to severe autism, including nonverbal and minimally verbal children.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work as a team, being overseen by a Head Teacher and Clinical Care Coordinator.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Familiarity or openness to learn augmentative and alternative communication systems.
• Familiarity or openness to learn to work with students who have significant sensory processing/integration challenges.
• Physical ability to support an active classroom, including mobility, safety management, and behavioral redirection. Assistant Teachers/Aides must be able to physically and emotionally deliver interventions.
• Ability to handle potentially challenging behaviors in a safe and non-harmful manner.
• Openness to learning about and implementing new approaches used with children with special needs through training, coaching sessions, and conferences; ability to transfer new learning into practice.