Under immediate supervision of a teacher, assist the teacher in performing assigned tasks; assist in instructing pupils individually or in small groups; assist a teacher in maintaining appropriate classroom behavior; assist a teacher in performing their assigned tasks, and perform related duties as required.

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following: Works with pupils individually or in small groups to tutor, reinforce, or follow up learning activities; under supervision of teacher, provides individualized instruction by matching instruction to needs of each learner; may participate as a member of the appropriate team or committee to assist staff with developing and implementing individual or site crises management plans; helps pupils to be self-reliant; implements assigned sections of pupil behavior management plans which may involve use of approved behavior modification, physical management techniques or other skills or knowledge to establish and maintain appropriate behaviors; assists the teacher and administrator in the implementation of site behavior management plans; assists the teacher in performing assigned tasks which make learning more effective; assists teachers in implementing the division course of study through individual and group instruction; accompanies or assists pupils to and from school bus or other transportation and in moving to and from activities on school site or campus; accompanies and assists certificated personnel during the transporting and instructing of pupils in off-campus or community based settings; rides with pupils on bus which transports the pupils to and from school; may pick up breakfasts and/or lunches from a nearby area school lunch room; prepares lunch trays and under supervision of certificated staff feeds students unable to feed themselves; assists teacher in establishing and maintaining a clean, safe, and pleasant classroom and learning environment; attends in-service and staff meetings as required; may administer first aid; under the supervision of the school administrator, and the procedure observed by a certificated staff member, assists pupils with taking medication; assists teachers with classroom activities for pupils; assists with lifting pupils in and out of wheelchairs; guides pupils or provides and example in a variety of areas: physical development and fitness, communication, personal hygiene, academic learning, vocational skills, and is often assigned to do more in-depth work in one of these area; assists teachers with the modification and maintenance of appropriate standards of behavior for pupils; assists teachers with implementation of pupils Individualized Educational Plan (I.E.P.) through instruction in a variety of activities, such as nature study, singing, dancing, and sports; confers on a regular basis with a teacher in regard to planning and scheduling activities, instructional goals and objectives, pupil progress, and pertinent health or behavior problems; assists lifting of pupils in and out of wheelchairs, braces, and other orthopedic equipment; assists staff member in positioning pupils and in rendering various forms of personal care such as toileting and diapering; assists pupils in dressing, undressing, bathing, and grooming; performs routine clerical tasks; operates duplicating machines; assembles materials for classroom projects; prepares material and masters; may perform incidental typing tasks; maintains confidentiality of pupil records in accordance with legal requirements and policies; performs related as required.

Knowledge of: Crisis management techniques; basic characteristics of human behavior; the unique needs of exceptional children; elementary concepts of child development and behavior; basic communication skills; reading, writing, and speaking in English; personal hygiene practices; practical learning patterns and behavior; behavior modification techniques and strategies, principles of implementing diversity in the workplace.

Ability to: Assist in the instruction of reading, writing and mathematics; model communication and interaction that respect and include all individuals and their languages, abilities, religions and cultures; communicate with pupils and staff and motivate pupils to participate in learning activities; maintain emotional control under difficult situations; and effectively react to emergencies; learn and adapt to new procedures and conditions, and learn to tutor pupils in any subject matter or to work with pupils who have special learning needs; establish and maintain an effective working relationship with pupils and staff; recognize and report safety hazards; learn laws, rules, practices, and procedures related to public education for pupils and related to the program to which assigned; perform routine clerical work, such as incidental typing, sorting, measuring, cutting, filing and duplicating; communicate effectively in English; assist in the supervision of pupils in the classroom and out of doors; encourage positive learning patterns and behavior; assist teachers and administrators in dealing with behavior disorders, operate a personal computer.

Any combination of experience and education that could likely provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience:

Candidates must meet one of the three conditions:

1. 500 hours of paid or volunteer behavior management experience working in a public or private agency serving individuals with exceptional needs or behavioral deficits; or

2. Associate's degree or completion of 48 college semester units or 60 college quarter units from an institution of higher learning accredited by a regional accrediting organization recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation, which includes course work directly related to the job such as behavior management, psychology, child care, or child growth and development; or

3. Successful completion of the Los Angeles County Office of Education Paraeducator training course.

Education: Graduation from high school or equivalent.

SPECIAL INFORMATION

Some assignments require constant attention to protecting physical safety in a classroom where pupils, because of the nature and severity of their disabilities are accident prone, or because of assaultive or self-abusive tendencies could cause serious injury to themselves or others; may require the ability to lift or move students who weigh up to 50 pounds; may be required to use a multi-person lift or learn the use of mechanical lifting equipment to lift or move pupils who may weigh in excess of 50 pounds or a pupil of any weight who may present other lifting problems; may require the availability of private transportation; may occasionally be assigned any duties normally assigned from the class specification for Paraeducator.