Position Title: Special Education Teacher
Status: Ten Month Contract – Benefit Eligible
Reports To: Reports to the principal(s) of the building, RCEC Director, and Assistant Director
FLSA Classification: Exempt
Wage Determination: Determined by qualification and experience
Summary: The teacher provides students with a program that will enable them to reach their fullest physical, emotional, psychological, and behavioral potential. The job requires significant self-discipline, internal motivation, and sound judgment.
Essential Functions
Effective Instructional Techniques to Stimulate Student Learning.
- Uses numerous instructional techniques which directly promote the learning of groups or individuals.
- Demonstrates quality pre-planning and mastery of the content and skills taught.
- Utilizes techniques which are appropriate to the cognitive and skill level of students.
- Involves students with immediate feedback and keeps them apprised of their progress.
Materials, Media, and Technology
- Uses numerous good quality materials and media which are cognitively appropriate and directly related to what the students are expected to learn.
- Uses technology and manipulatives with groups and individuals.
- Integrates technology with instruction to maximize student learning.
- Stays abreast of emerging research areas and new and innovative materials and incorporates them into lesson plans and instructional strategies.
Efficient Instructional Environment
- Aligns their instruction with the state standards and their district’s curriculum.
- Knows the content appropriate to their teaching specialty.
- Supervises paraeducators in order to provide a safe and positive learning environment for students.
- Demonstrates sequence and duration of learning activities which are appropriate and promote learning
- Controls the learning environment to prevent distractions and interruptions.
Curriculum and Instructions
- Ensures high academic learning time and student involvement.
- Establishes a positive learning environment and responds to the individual needs of the students.
- Plans and implements effective lessons based on students Individualized Education Plans ("IEPs"), using time, materials, lesson plans, and resources effectively.
- Plans and continuously monitors and gives students a fair share of the teacher’s time and attention.
- Monitors the progress of individual students and student groups through the use of appropriate testing techniques and with the assistance of technology when appropriate.
- Oversees a classroom that is conductive to teaching and learning.
- Creates a safe and orderly environment that facilitates positive behavior and learning for all students.
- Implements an effective student management plan and utilizes a variety of positive reinforcers.
- Manages conflict and/or behaviors of students.
- Supervises paraeducators and completes paraeducators evaluations on schedule.
- Encourages and advises others to provide a nurturing and positive learning environment for all students.
- Demonstrates a pleasant and positive instruction style.
- Projects enjoyment of teaching and acceptance of all students through body language.
- Presides over the classroom in a pleasant and positive manner.
- Collaborates with school personnel on school improvement activities.
- Maintains high expectations, including graduation from high school, for students of all backgrounds.
- Appreciates the differences and values the contributions of each student in the learning environment by building positive and appropriate relationships.
Effective and Efficient Student Learning
- Sets high expectations for learning for all students based on their individual needs.
- Measures learning of all students frequently in all areas addressed in each student’s IEP.
- Collects data frequently and uses it to modify each student’s learning activities.
- Documents the progress of every student.
- Provides students with learning experiences that are developmentally and categorically appropriate.
- Presents instruction to all students in accordance with their academic skills.
- Utilizes the IEP as a plan for instructions.
- Provides a balanced, age appropriate curriculum.
- Applies knowledge of subject beyond the content in assigned teaching specialty.
Interpersonal Relations
- Builds positive school and community interpersonal relations.
- Communicates effectively with parents, RCEC staff, and district staff concerning the progress of students.
- Reacts to change productively and flexibly.
- Participates as a team member in the comprehensive evaluation, review, and re-evaluation process.
- Collaborates with general educators and special support staff to support students in the general education classroom.
- Cooperates with agencies servicing students and their families.
Compliance Requirements
- Complies with district, state, and federal requirements.
- Generates IEPs in accordance with district, state, and federal requirements.
- Maintains regular attendance for consistency in programming.
- Plans and implements transitional programs for students when age appropriate.
- Adheres to all district and RCEC health and safety policies, including all precautions of the Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan.
- Obtains advance approval for all special activities and expenditures.
- Performs other duties as assigned by the Director of Special Education which are consistent with the general requirements and qualifications for the position.
Leadership
- Demonstrates leadership in the school.
- Maintains confidentiality, appropriate records, and provides timely reports.
- Keeps abreast of new information, innovative ideas, and techniques.
- Sets a good example for students and follows the chain of command to solve problems.
- Analyzes and uses local, state, and national data to develop goals and strategies in the school improvement plan.
- Contributes to the establishment of positive working conditions in their school.
- Participates in and actively advocates for decision-making structures in education.
- Demonstrates ethical principles; including but not limited to honesty, integrity, fair treatment, and respect for others.
Professional Development
- Participates in professional activities to enhance knowledge and skills.
- Maintains a current professional development plan.
- Documents on-the-job application of new ideas learned.
- Promotes positive working relationships through professional growth activities and collaboration.
Paraeducators
- Supervises paraeducators evaluations.
- Ensures that every paraeducator meets required professional credits as required by KSDE.