Teacher Assistant (The Hope Academy)

The Hope Academy•Providence, RI

10h

About The Position

The Teacher Assistant supports the teacher in creating an intentional, culturally responsive learning environment inclusive of students from all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, abilities, and family structures. The role fosters a sense of belonging and positive classroom community while supporting students’ listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Staff are expected to recognize microaggressions and redirect interactions to amplify affirmations. Under teacher supervision, the assistant helps plan, prepare, and implement The Hope Academy’s adopted curriculum and provides individual and small-group instruction. The role also supports students’ educational, functional, and therapeutic goals; implements sensory, mobility, equipment, and self-care plans when needed; and assists teachers and therapists with student data and records. The assistant uses culturally informed discipline and positive guidance, supports student interactions and self-care, communicates family information to supervisors and school leaders, maintains classroom and school equipment, supervises students during activities outside the classroom, participates in professional development, and assists with emergency evacuations.

Requirements

High school diploma or general equivalency diploma.
Completion of a Teacher Assistant Pre-Employment Training Program approved by the Rhode Island Department of Education and passage of the ParaPro Assessment, unless the applicant is certified as a Teacher Assistant in another state or has an associate or bachelor’s degree.
Ability to use a computer and other office equipment.
Ability to sit, stand, and walk continuously throughout the workday.
Ability to bend, stoop, squat, push, and pull as required by the role.
Ability to lift, push, or pull up to 50 pounds independently and up to 100 pounds with another staff member or adaptive equipment.
Ability to kneel and reach above shoulder level occasionally.
Physical ability to position physical or occupational therapy equipment and splints.
Ability to use equipment such as switches and cooking equipment.
Use of upper extremities for light, repetitive fine-motor tasks.
Ability to run 25 yards to secure students for safety reasons such as elopement.
Ability to participate in physical restraint of students as needed and trained.

Responsibilities

Assist the teacher in creating an intentional, culturally responsive and inclusive learning environment and positive classroom community.
Support students’ listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills and motivate learning by recognizing students as asset-based individuals.
Assist with planning, preparing, and implementing the curriculum adopted by The Hope Academy.
Provide individual and small-group instruction under the teacher’s supervision, using a socially conscious lens to meet student needs.
Support the continuous implementation of skills and goals in students’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs), including educational, functional, and therapeutic needs when needed.
Implement sensory, mobility, equipment, and self-care plans for students when needed.
Assist teachers and therapists in maintaining attendance, progress-monitoring data, alternate-assessment data, and other appropriate records.
Use culturally informed discipline practices and positive guidance, including redirection, modeling appropriate behavior, and praise.
Facilitate student interactions that support emotional, social, and cognitive growth and acknowledge similarities and differences among students.
Assist with student self-care needs when applicable.
Relay information shared by families to the supervisor and school leaders.
Maintain and care for classroom and school equipment.
Supervise students in out-of-classroom activities during the school day.
Seek and participate in ongoing professional development offered by the school or independently.
Assist with evacuating children during fire drills and other emergencies.
Use physical and adaptive equipment and participate in physical restraint of students as needed and trained.