Teaching Assistant

Muir Wood Adolescent & Family Services • Petaluma, CA

21h • $28 - $33 • Onsite

About The Position

Muir Wood is hiring a part-time Teaching Assistant, internally titled Academic Coordinator, for its Sonoma Mountain residential program serving neurodivergent boys ages 12–17. The role supports students in staying connected to school while they receive residential treatment. The Teaching Assistant helps maintain a calm, structured classroom, supports engagement with coursework from students’ home schools, and adapts learning support to each student’s strengths, communication style, and sensory needs. This is an academic support position working alongside academic and clinical leadership; a teaching credential or clinical license is not required.

Academic programming runs approximately 2.5 hours per day, with additional scheduled time for lesson preparation, progress tracking, and school coordination. The classroom serves up to six students. The position is part-time, approximately 20 hours per week, Monday through Friday from approximately 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., in Petaluma, California. The program currently has six beds and is expected to grow to 12.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Comfort assisting students across varied academic subjects and online learning platforms.
• Strong organization, patience, and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting adolescents in a classroom, tutoring, special education, or youth development setting.
• Experience with neurodivergent teens, including autism, ADHD, or learning differences.
• College coursework or a degree in education, psychology, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Support and supervise daily academic blocks for up to six residents, promoting engagement and consistent routines.
• Help teens access and complete assignments from their home schools or approved online coursework, including individualized assistance and basic tutoring.
• Adapt materials, pacing, instructions, and classroom setup to students’ learning profiles, attention needs, and sensory preferences.
• Track assignments, participation, progress, and barriers to learning with academic leadership.
• Communicate with the Director of Academics, Clinical Director, and care team about academic progress and emerging concerns.
• Support coordination with home schools and families under the direction of academic leadership.
• Maintain a respectful, predictable, strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming learning environment.
• Follow program policies for documentation, confidentiality, safety, and escalation of concerns.

Benefits

• Competitive pay for part-time academic support work.
• Experience toward careers in education, special education, psychology, or counseling.
• Opportunity to work in a small classroom of up to six students.
• Collaborative team environment alongside academic leadership, therapists, and care staff. The posting also describes this as an aspect of the role rather than a formal benefit.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED