Teaching Assistant /Paraprofessional

Summary: Performs any combination of the following instructional tasks in classroom to assist teaching staff of preschool by performing the following duties:

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

• Demonstrate flexibility in classroom assignment when necessary for maintenance of classroom staff to child ratios.
• Have a working knowledge of each child in the classroom with respect to their name, age, disability (if applicable), program plan (educational, therapeutic), goals, medication, feeding, risks and other special needs.
• Reviews and follows lesson plans and daily schedules.
• Prepares materials and instructional aids.
• Presents instructional objectives to child or group of children using task analysis and interacts with children to encourage progress toward objectives.
• Observe and records data to measure and record progress toward objectives.
• Assists children with self-help skills to include toileting, grooming, feeding, etc.
• Prepares lunches for children appropriately (blended, tube feeding, etc.)
• Assists with children on field trips.
• Uses appropriate behavior modification techniques to manage inappropriate behavior.
• Attends staffings as needed to provide input in the development and review of IPP/IFSP.
• Assists children with appropriate use of adaptive equipment, i.e., communication devices, splints, computer peripherals, etc.
• Positions children in seating, e.g., corner chair, wheelchair, as inserviced by therapists and ensures proper positioning during classroom activities.
• Discusses training problems with supervisor.
• Models appropriate language, behavior, and play skills

Support Activities:

• Helps maintain neatness and cleanliness of classroom and other training areas.
• Performs basic clerical duties such as filing, making copies, etc.
• Drives van on field trips, if properly certified.
• Assists with preparation of educational displays, bulletin boards, etc.

Compliance/HIPAA:

While performing the duties of this job, employee will comply with all federal, state and local laws and regulations pertaining to Easter Seals Arkansas.

Employee has access to client protected health information in the classroom working file for persons directly served by this position. Employee will not attempt to access any other protected health information unless otherwise approved by Supervisor or Privacy Officer.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:

High school diploma or general education degree (GED) and a minimum of one year of related experience and/or training required.

Language Skills:

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Mathematical Skills:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

Valid Arkansas Driver's License

Other Skills and Abilities:

Ability to lift and transfer students

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Easterseals Arkansas has designated this position as a “non-safety sensitive” position under the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment.