Special Education Teacher Assistant Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the special education teacher assistant job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they typically perform.

It also highlights the major requirements that you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the special education teacher assistant role by most recruiter/employer.

What Does a Special Education Teacher Assistant Do?

A special education teacher assistant is responsible for the care of assigned students, which involves creating a safe and secure environment for them.

The special education teacher assistant job description involves making sure that students are safe, properly fed, and well-nourished.

It also entails ensuring that students are well-groomed and appropriately dressed and clean.

Special education teacher assistants make sure that students’ classroom tasks are completed properly, as well as encourage good behavior through praise and rewards.

They help the child to learn important life skills, such as hygiene, grooming and personal hygiene, including bathing, grooming, and teeth brushing.

This professional provides the child with an appropriate and instructional curriculum taught by the teachers.

The special education teacher assistant delivers and collects students’ daily messages from or to the parents or guardians.

They observe instruction and take detailed notes about all relevant aspects of the child’s academic functioning and behavior problems as directed by supervisors and/or teachers in charge of assigned classes.

Assisting with administration of tests, questionnaires, assignments and other assessments as needed by the teacher and supervisor is a key part of their duties.

They also compute grades as needed by the teacher and supervisor.

Assisting the teacher in guiding and evaluating the achievement of students is also another task they help carry out.

The special education teacher assistant work description also entails maintaining timely, detailed, and accurate records of students’ performance in areas such as classroom behavior, academics, development, and health.

It also includes keeping the school grounds clean at all times and performing assigned duties as directed by the teacher or supervisor.

The special education teacher assistant is responsible for completing all assignments given by the school administration, and is expected to participate in all training programs that are made available to them.

Their duties also involve complying with all school rules and regulations, as well as policies and procedures of the special education department.

They attend to students’ toileting needs and escort them to the toilet or washroom whenever necessary.

Special Education Teacher Assistant Job Description Sample/Example/Template

The special education teacher assistant job description involves the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

Cares for and ensures completion of tasks, duties, and responsibilities are accomplished based on the unique needs of each individual student
Provides assistance to students with emotional, social, behavioral problems, intellectual disabilities or mental conditions
Helps maintain a safe, clean, and orderly classroom
Answers students’ questions and assists students in completing work
Keeps parents/caregivers informed of the progress of their child’s academic, social and physical development and behavior
Helps to ensure students with special needs are accepted in the community
Provides services to individuals who need social and emotional support, encouraging them to remain active in the community, without stigmatization of a mental illness
Provides guidance, counseling, and homemaking services for children with special needs
Maintains records and files on students
Prepares and delivers presentations on behalf of the special education program to school-related organizations and community groups
Prepares reports as required by school system, other agencies, and parents/guardians
Records grades or courses taken by students in post-secondary programs, when the student is receiving special education services under the auspices of special education programs in high schools or vocational programs that serve individuals with disabilities in their post-secondary plans
Assists with healthcare needs, meals, etc. of individual students
Promotes an environment of growth for all students through interaction with other staff members and students within a given program or school setting.

Special Education Teacher Assistant Job Description for Resume

If you have worked before as a special education teacher assistant or are presently working in that role and are making a new resume or CV, then you can craft an effective Professional Experience section for your resume by applying the special education teacher assistant job description sample provided above.

You can highlight the duties and responsibilities you have carried out or are presently performing as a special education teacher assistant in your resume’s Professional Experience by utilizing the sample special education teacher assistant job description provided above.

This will show to the recruiter/employer that you have been successful performing the special education teacher assistant duties and responsibilities, which can greatly boost your chances of being hired, especially if the new position that you are applying for requires someone with some special education teacher assistant work experience.

Special Education Teacher Assistant Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

If you are seeking the special education teacher assistant job, here are important requirements you may be expected to meet by most recruiters/employers to be hired:

High school diploma or completed a similar education program
Must be at least 18 years old to work in the United States.

Ability to:

type 40 wpm and to read, speak, write, and understand English clearly
use computers at a basic level, such as operating word processing equipment, Excel spreadsheets, Power points, web browsers, etc.
develop and maintain effective working relationships with school staff and parents/guardians of students, as well as other professionals who provide services to special education students
listen and comprehend, and understand oral or written instructions from supervisor, coworkers, or clients in order to follow them accurately and perform the assigned task(s)
work on a team with others while maintaining confidentiality of information regarding students, educators, and families
provide assistance where necessary to students who have difficulties in communicating or learning
function in an all-school environment, including but not limited to working, studying and traveling among schools, secondary offices and the home
push, pull, and move wheelchair, and assist with ambulation when necessary
operate telephone in order to make individualized inquiries or contact a client or third party as needed regarding various aspects of special education programs
lift and move materials weighing 40 pounds or more.

Special Education Teacher Assistant Salary

According to Glassdoor, the projected total compensation for a special education teacher assistant in the United States is $70,883 per year, with an average salary of $37,852 per year.

Conclusion

This post is helpful to individuals interested in the special education teacher assistant career.

They will learn all they need to know about the duties and responsibilities of the special education teacher assistant, to decide if that’s the job they want to do.

It is also useful to recruiters/employers in making a detailed job description for the special education teacher assistant role, for use in hiring for the position.