Teacher Assistant

SCO Family of Services•New York, NY

10d

About The Position

The Teacher Assistant supports students and teachers throughout the school day, providing instructional, behavioral, and developmental assistance under teacher direction. The role includes helping implement applicable IEP components and individual behavioral plans, maintaining a structured and safe classroom, and supporting students’ academic, social-emotional, functional, and behavioral goals. The assistant collaborates with educators, service providers, families, and other team members and helps protect students’ health, safety, and well-being.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required.
Patience, flexibility, professionalism, reliability, consistency, and commitment to learners with diverse learning and behavioral needs.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Education, Special Education, Psychology, Human Services, or a related field.
Experience supporting students with ED and/or ID.

Responsibilities

Assist with individual, small-group, and whole-class instruction under teacher direction.
Provide teacher-directed academic help, reinforcement, prompting, redirection, and other instructional supports.
Reinforce classroom expectations, routines, and positive behavior; redirect inappropriate behavior; and help maintain a structured, safe classroom.
Apply positive supports, interventions, and appropriate de-escalation according to students’ educational and behavioral plans.
Help implement applicable IEP components and advance students’ academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and functional goals.
Collect and document student data, observations, behaviors, academic progress, and other relevant information as directed by the teacher or team.
Assist during instruction, transitions, meals, recreation, physical and health education, vocational activities, and other assigned school programs.
Foster students’ independence, communication, appropriate social interactions, self-regulation, problem-solving, and responsible decision-making.
Supervise students throughout the day to protect their health, safety, and well-being.
Respond calmly and professionally to challenging behaviors and crises, following school procedures and individual behavioral plans.
Collaborate with special and general educators, related-service providers, counselors, behavioral staff, administrators, families, and other team members.