Teacher Assistant (Certified)

Minimum Qualifications and Skills

• Education: High school diploma/equivalent required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s in Education, Special Education, Psychology, Human Services, or a related field preferred.
• Certification: Hold appropriate New York State Teacher Assistant certification or actively pursue applicable requirements.
• Experience: Supporting students with ED and/or ID strongly preferred.
• Instructional Support: Assist with individual, small-group, and whole-class instruction under teacher direction.
• Individualized Assistance: Provide teacher-directed academic help, reinforcement, prompting, redirection, and other instructional supports.
• Classroom Management: Reinforce expectations, routines, and positive behavior; effectively redirect inappropriate behavior; and maintain a structured, safe classroom.
• Behavior Support: Apply positive supports, interventions, and appropriate de-escalation per each student’s educational and behavioral plans.
• IEP Support: Help implement applicable Individualized Education Program (IEP) components and advance academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and functional goals.
• Documentation: Collect and document student data, observations, behaviors, academic progress, and other relevant information as teacher- or team-directed.
• School-Day Support: Assist during instruction, transitions, meals, recreation, physical and health education, vocational activities, and other assigned school programs.
• Student Development: Foster independence, communication, appropriate social interactions, self-regulation, problem-solving, and responsible decision-making.
• Supervision and Safety: Supervise appropriately throughout the day to protect student health, safety, and well-being.
• Crisis Response: Address challenging behaviors and crises calmly, professionally, and appropriately, following school procedures and individual behavioral plans.
• Collaboration: Partner effectively with special and general educators, related-service providers, counselors, behavioral staff, administrators, families, and other team members.
• Professional Qualities: Show patience, flexibility, professionalism, reliability, consistency, and commitment to learners with diverse learning and behavioral needs.