Teaching Assistants, Special Education

The day is pretty organized logistically, as students like to have a set schedule without too much variety. We always had the schedule written on the board before the day began and crossed things off as they occurred. A few students go to typical classrooms for a hour or two during the day (cooki...

Honestly some days are better than others. On a good day the students you're working with will be responsive and follow your instructions. On a bad day, you can expect students not to be focused, have little temper tantrums, and at times some students will physically lash out at you. It can be pr...

You should prepare for an interview at Milwaukee Public Schools by dressing professionally, neat and being comfortable around the hallways of schools. Your education and experience should be on the forefront. Be prepared to be presented with scenarios of "what would you do..." in the midst of stu...

A day in the life of a Paraprofessional at MPS (High School) is filled with plenty of interaction. You will encounter students with cell phones in hand, some desiring to learn and others who'd rather just socialize - how will you assist the classroom teacher in getting their attention in order to...

Hello, to prepare for an interview, always allow the interviewer the time to review your references. At the time of the interview, it is important to share your experiences or internship spent within any school setting; charter or public. Keep in mind the interview is one step closer to getting t...

I would honestly say that you should prepare for an interview as a Paraprofessional as you would with any other job. The same general questions are asked and of course you have scenario based questions that are tailored to the actual job in which you are applying for (Paraprofessional). I think i...

To prepare yourself for an interview as a Paraprofessional, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the procedures and tools that help working with students with special needs. Practice some role plays, for example, "If a student with autism is having a screaming meltdown because the s...

Know and understand the community in which Elim serves. There are many different levels of special education professionals, and Elim serves those with two or more diagnosis and/or those with a diagnosis of Autism. Not only should you be prepared to know this community of people, but also be willi...

While this varies, it requires you to be in school by 7:20 and stay until 2:50 daily. You can work with multiple students or an individual student, by supporting them during class. You are frequently asked to help them with assignments, keep a student on track, walk a student to and from class, a...

Think back on all the times you've helped someone when they didn't think they could do it. All experience is relevant whether it seems so or not. I can look back on my first retail job and still apply those experiences and skill sets to the paraprofessional position. Most interview questions are ...

You tend to work Monday through Friday from 8am-3:30pm. You’ll often be busy tutoring groups of students, helping the teacher with lesson classroom management, and monitoring students during lunch or recess. Sometimes you’ll be required to work one on one with a child and other times you’ll be ma...

I think my major prepared me the most in the area of helping my students in a way that is best for them. Not every method works for every student. With any helping profession, your goal is to figure out a plan of action that gets your client the best results. This may involve listening to their c...

Patience, patience, a love for educating students, an awareness of classroom management skills, good communication skills, and good social skills. Is important for the paraprofessional or substitute to remember that they are there to educate and guide the students, not to be their friend necessar...

-Review general interview questions (Strengths/ Weaknesses/ Leadership experiences etc.)-Update and review resume (Transferable skills from involvement in student organizations; jobs; volunteer experiences.)

-Serving as a resource guide for students to complete online E2020 classes (answering questions, working on math/english/ history/ biology work)-Assisting students with developing coping skills and mechanisms to stay focused and not distrupt classroom activities.- Assist teacher with teaching tra...

Organizational Studies was an awesome interdisciplinary degree which allowed me to create my own pathway. Through utilizing theories and examples derrived from the fields of sociology, psychology and economics, this degree program assisted me with creating my own framework to work within and putt...

This position has a very good work-life balance. Staff leave work a little after the children get out of school. You get the same days and holidays off from work that students get off from school. You also get the summer off.

First, ensure you have met minimum criteria to be considered and competitive for the position. Second, develop a personal philosophy of education and how you seek to contribute to the educational process and journeys of the children. Finally, breathe, and be confident and calm as you describe you...

It will depend on the position you are interviewing for. Be prepared to talk about experiences with diverse populations of youth. You will also want to prepare information on how you can connect with kids and their popular interests. My way of figuring out that connection was through my experienc...

I would always start out my day at recess and monitoring the students. There were often times students didn’t feel as though the same rules applied to them since it was summer school. I had the opportunity to work with a teacher who let me work with groups of students in a separate classroom wher...

Make sure you have your documentation: Resume, paraprofessional certificate or test results and all your ID such as Drivers license and Social security card. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Know what age group you are comfortable with and keep in mind you’ll be asked about teaching Special ne...

We assist the children off the bus and guide them to breakfast; We keep constant communication with the lead teacher and other para if there is one. We provide guidance and support to the children and teachers throughout the day. We run errands for our class and keep the room organized. Many time...

If you're working full days you will help the children with their full routine throughout the day. You serve them AM snack, do an activity (craft, experiment, etc...) with them, have free play time, go outside, help them eat lunch, do an afternoon activity, maybe go outside again, PM snack, etc.....

Show how positive you are about working with children of all abilities.You need to have patience (lot of it!) and the ability to follow your supervising teacher's directions concerning all students.You need to be able to maintain confidentiality towards your students. Do not talk about your stude...

Sign in at the time clock.Meet students at the bus. Make sure student has had breakfast.Take assigned students to either Extended Resource Room or general education classroom.Make sure student starts assigned work and stays on task. Follow student's IEP and/or behavior plan. Take daily data to ke...

It all depends on what class setting you are put in. I have been put with preschoolers and another time I was put with a couple children who had severe disabilities in the early elementary range. Expect some struggles some days, be patient, and be sure to have fun too. Some days you may do a lot,...

A typical work day starts at 8:30am and goes until about 3:00pm. It’s a very easy and laid back job, but when you have tasks to do you are expected to do them well. You also are obviously working with children who will look up to you, so you have to hold yourself to a high standard because the ki...

Be open minded and compassionate. The job is not for everyone, and it’s certainly not for people who just want a pay check. It is for people who want to help children and truly care about the job. Be confident in your answers. There are many kids of varying ages 5-18 with many different kinds of ...

There’s no definitive answer to this question. There are all kinds of different kids and rooms. Some paras are one-on-one with a kid in a gen-ed room. Those kids may be developmentally disabled, physically disabled, be resource students, or have emotional disorders. There are also ILABS, BASES, a...

There is a very healthy work-life balance as a Para at FZSD. The only concern is that it takes 7.5-8 hours a day Monday-Friday. However, I don’t have to take work home with me often at all. It’s very rare to have to deal with work stuff at home. And, work is extremely enjoyable. I balance a full-...

You will never have to do anything outside of work. Summers always off and holidays off. Also, as soon as you clock out, you have the whole afternoon to yourself.

First of all, a Paraprofessional is someone who works with children who have autism and is based upon the spectrum level. A Paraprofessional assists the lead teacher in the classroom by working on behaviors that a child might exhibit and redirect them to a more positive behavior. It is wise to ha...

As a Paraprofessional you might be asked to assist in academic activities with the students. You also are one-on-one or have two to three students that are your main focus. You have to do IEP goals and record data. You are given a list of material that the student is working on based off of age, ...

A paraprofessional position in the Natick school system requires a knowledge of solving problems and making on the spot decisions. Knowing how to approach specific situations based on the child and what happened will be especially useful. Also, being able to answer questions about teaching strate...

The work of a paraprofessional revolves a lot around making sure the classroom runs smoothly and the head teacher isn't overwhelmed. Most importantly, that that students individual needs are met. There is constant work with children making sure that they are following their education plan while a...

They want people who have good people skills, so the best thing in your interview is to showcase that to them. Don't be overbearing, but speak up and let them know that you're capable of handling yourself. Also, sometimes situations at Journeys DDA can get a little stressful, so be prepared to ta...

You will take your cue from the teacher. Normally once the children arrived in the classroom there would be attendance. THen as follows: math lesson, social studies, break, individual study time and assistance for each student, language arts, lunch, reading. FYI the classroom I was in the student...

I would read the job description to make sure you are familiar with all the requirements for the position. They typically offer different scenarios and ask how you would handle them. For example, they may ask about your experience with Autism. Applied Behavioral Analysis is commonly used with stu...

Make sure you prepare your answers before going in. Don't try to be very spontaneous with your answer and try not to be over the top with your answer. For example, when I went in for my interview, one of the questions were "What would you do if there was a issue between students?" And I answered ...

Be prepared to discuss your knowledge and understanding about your chosen field, as well as relevant experiences. You should make sure you leave the interview having answers to all your questions and having shared enough information that we can make some determinations regarding your knowledge, s...

So the special education teacher and the paraprofessionals will help come up with the schedule at the very begginning of the year, based on the students abilities and age. There are programs for students ages 5-12 ( Preschool learning Center), 13-18 ( Developmental Learning Center) and 18-21 ( Tr...

the work hours are 8:15- 3:45, Monday though Friday and It is a school so you get all major holidays off and summers there is a 6 week summer school that you can work but you also do not have to. You are essentially a 10 month employee.

CPR/AEDV- License enforcement ( if you do not have it they will encourage you get it, and you can go though the process there)PMT ( Physical Manipulation Training) for restraint and seclusion purposes, they will also train you upon hire.

KRESA uses phone screening interviews prior to any face to face. You must hit the key words and answers that they are looking for in order to continue moving forward. These are formed around the behaviors and tendancies of those with developmental and cognitve impairments, dealing with behavioral...

You should prepare for an interview at Milwaukee Public Schools by dressing professionally, neat and being comfortable around the hallways of schools. Your education and experience should be on the forefront. Be prepared to be presented with scenarios of "what would you do..." in the midst of stu...

A day in the life of a Paraprofessional at MPS (High School) is filled with plenty of interaction. You will encounter students with cell phones in hand, some desiring to learn and others who'd rather just socialize - how will you assist the classroom teacher in getting their attention in order to...

School district has a wonderful website that you can go to each individual school as well as learn about the school district as a whole. I suggest reviewing the website of the school you interviewing me see what kind of programs they may have prior to going in for your interview.

Depending on the age level you are assigned to, the day-to-day activities and requirements vary. I was a part of the Senior program, so most of my day was spent outside of the classroom taking my students to Vocational Trainings/Job-sites and bi-weekly Community Based Education trips. For some of...

For the most part, your work life balance is maintained. With the exception of parent teacher conferences and back to school events, you clock out at your regularly scheduled time. The opportunities for overtime are rare, and most times, you are provided advanced notice when it becomes necessary ...

Knowledge of DSM diagnoses, Positive Behavior Therapy, Cognitive and Behavioral Theory and interventions, Documentation, Cultural Awareness of Different ethnicities, and a basic understanding of challenges faced by at-risk, low-income, and ethnic minorities. 

You pick up a sub folder from the office for the position you chose to sub for. In that folder is your schedule and any notes about students that you work with. Most of the time you are in and out of classrooms and doing recess and lunch duty. There also is the occasional clerical work.

A substitute teacher with Kelly Education assumes the duties of the classroom teacher in accordance with school district lesson plans and rules, This includes leading classroom instruction following the teacher’s lesson plans, teaching students on a variety of classroom topics/courses, and assign...

To prepare for an interview for a paraprofessional position at Savannah-Chatham County Public School, one should be familiar with the position they are interested in. Also, make sure you have a heart for the population that attends whatever school you are been interviewed for. For example, if you...

Majority of the day you will be assisting the homeroom teacher. That can be in small groups, bath-room breaks, taking the students to lunch, specials, etc. It really depends on the certified teacher you will be working with. Really, paras do just about what a certified teacher does, which is teac...

It can be very challenging. Many children in this district face a whole host of insecurities like housing, food, and safety. Being a constant and consistent person in their life is essential! Show them the love you had (or wish you had) growing up. That may seem ridiculous but if you do it will l...

Be sure to identify the strengths you have and how it can be applied to the classroom setting. You want to be knowledgeable in the field of Early Childhood and have some experience working with young children. Talk about your experience, your education, and how you would positively contribute to ...

Busy. As a Head Start paraprofessional you are a co-teacher so your duties are similar to what the Lead Teacher does. You do daily required paperwork, monitor and engage with children, serve lunch, and sanitize the classroom. The most important thing is to ensure the safety and health of all chil...

Be organized and timelyPlan to explain yourself in terms of communication with adults and with students.Be willing to take directions and yet be a leader on the spot.Be flexable in schedualing, daily routines change without notice.Ask questionsFamiliarize yourself with the school discipline polic...

Be prepared to make last minute changes in your daily routine.Be flexable in daily routine but plan to be on timePlan to work short handed often, be a team player and pick up the slack when needed.Plan on not always know what is instore when entering a classroomWhen entering your classroom for th...

To be honest there is very little additional training for a paraprofessinal, even after the law of being highly qualified came about.You either pass a state approved skills test or have a asssociate degree.I wished I would have had more training as a Paraprofessional.But as far as my Special Educ...

Familiarize yourself with the unique needs of student populations in each program. Prepare to discuss about times in which you've worked with children with problematic behaviors. Prepare to discuss teamwork experience.

I do not have many dislikes about my job.Likes: every day is different, the people I work with are wonderful (this is very dependent on what school you are at, I cannot answer for every school), my biggest like is the joy I get from the students I work with. It can be challenging at times, but it...

During the day, you have three two hour sessions of preschool. I was a paraprofessional, so before the first session began, I would reset everything from the day before; the lanyards, the different tables, and the books we would use throughout the day. Once the children came, the main teacher wou...

As a Paraprofessional, I would work one on one with students with disabilities. Some of the students that I worked with had autism, down syndrome, and cerebral palsy. I would work directly with the teacher and with the students IEP. I would help the students achieve the goals that were set in the...

I would make sure that you know how to accommodate different students with differing disabilities. The questions they ask are often related to how you would accommodate certain students while performing your duties as a para-educator. I think if you have different ideas for different scenarios, y...

Prepare differently if you are a first time Paraeducator or have experience.If it's your first time, speak to any other prior work with children and or any schooling you've had regarding learning difficulties and behavior management.If you are experienced, share some stories of building relations...

I can only speak to my time at Asa Mercer Middle school as my other experience was in different districts. I was a paraeducator in joint class rooms. We had a teacher in each room and a para was paired with each. There were between 6-18 students in a room at a time and the number of teacher/para ...

Be prepared to share why you think working with this population woukd be a good match for you. Also be prepared to talk about any previous experiences you have had working with similar populations and/or skills you have used in other experiences that are transferable to this position. You may be ...

Every school is a bit different in terms of the schedule and/or how many kids you are working with at once. Typically, you help the children get off the bus and to their classroom and prepare for the day. The teacher will have their schedule ready for the day and you will assist the teacher with ...

I went to a hiring event. The interview was simple and efficient with questions like "if a student is injured and the teacher isn't in the classroom, how do you deal with the student and the situation" or "if a student is throwing a tantrum and goes to hit another student, what do you do?" You'll...

I worked at Hester with Special Needs Adults. A typical day would involve getting students off the bus or out of some other mode of transportation and into the classroom. The day is then up to the teacher's design and could involve individual work, movies, playground time, going out into the comm...

I would read the job description to make sure you are familiar with all the requirements for the position. They typically offer different scenarios and ask how you would handle them. For example, they may ask about your experience with Autism. Applied Behavioral Analysis is commonly used with stu...

When I was assigned to a social-emotional focus classroom, I would start my day by going straight to that classroom and assisting the SpED teacher with preparations for the day. I would then welcome students as they arrived at school, and help them with their work. If students needed a regulation...

Being an Elementary Education major was beneficial because I had lots of classroom experience prior to taking the Para educator position. I also was familiar with differentiated instruction and classroom management. I was unfamiliar with Special Education as a whole when I took the job and learne...

Have a resume with you when you interview, dress professionally and answer interview questions honestly. Always be respectful and if you don't know something then inquire, it never hurts to ask questions. I also think it's important to have a passion for education.

One can prepare for an interview for this position by learning whatever possible about the particular school's Special Education program. More importantly, taking advantage of opportunities to work with students with special needs in other settings will prepare one well for an interview as one sh...

To prepare for an interview with the school district, be prepared for it to be a panel interview. This means that there will be 2-4 people who will be asking you questions and writing down your answers. The people who usually do interviews are: The Superintendent, the Director of Human Resources,...

Generally, previous experience working with children is good starting off point. It could be volunteering or working in a childcare center. NCS wants candidates who have a background or a desire to get into education field. For my interview, I thought about possible questions they could ask about...

Each aide is assigned to his or her classroom. You could be a general special ed aide where you go to classroom to classroom helping IEP students with activities, test taking or working with small groups on assignments. You could also be assigned as an one on one aide where you work closely with ...

You receive instruction on educational theory which can be helpful on why a classroom teacher uses a certain instructional methods. I also had introductory classes which cover special education laws and history and funding, which helps you understand your special education teacher responsibilitie...

As an aide, you typically will only get 29.5 hours of work a week. It's a 7a-3pm job, which is nice to get the rest of the afternoon to yourself. If you have kids, you can be home when they get home from school.

That would depend on what age group you are working for. At my first school, I worked in the K-5 Special Day Class with children whom had mild to moderate Autism, ADD/ADHD, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, and even Emotional Disturbance. My day would typically be revolved around my kindergarten-se...

I would dress in professional clothing, but also keep in mind that the job can require you to sit on the floor with students so be sure to think about that when it comes to clothing choices for the interview. I would be sure to bring a hard copy of your resume, even though you have already sent i...

Typically, you will be assigned to a certain grade level or group of students that you will be expected to work with. At the beginning of the year, special education staff work with the classroom teachers to make a schedule that enables you to either sit in class with or pull out the students tha...

As a Special Education Inclusion Assistant, most of your work happens during the school day. You will be able to build a prep period into your schedule, so this should give you time to get any work done that you need to for your students. You will be expected to participate in most professional d...

In order to succeed as a Special Education Inclusion Assistant, you need to think positive. Keep in mind that all of your students have great potential, they just need some help getting there. You also need to be flexible, there will be days where things did not go as you had planned, and you nee...

One of the best parts about the job is you do not go home and continue doing your job. You are on the clock when students are there. My schedule is 8:30-3:30 with the ocassional staff meeting in the mornings sending me to work a little earlier. You have the nights and weekends to yourself.

Team Player, Flexibility, Patience,Understanding, and Compassion. Having an understanding of academics is a bonus but something that can be learned. Some days schedules can be switched at the last moment and students can be different one day vs the next. Communication with team members and being ...

Come with your personality. You’ll more than likely be interviewing with the principal and the teacher, if you have any experiences centered around children or helping people with disabilities (work or non work) highlight these. Confidence is huge. Come with a question to ask after.

This I think varies based on the school and teacher you’re with. The classroom I’m in is very structured. The students have their own visual schedules. For subjects such as reading, writing and math they are in smaller groups which the assistants teach same group everyday. For social studies and ...

The best way to interview at Avon is to be open about your experience and what your plan is for being at Avon, but also after. For several positions it is a short term position and the staff there are always willing to give you a platform to grow your skills and help you towards your future.

As a Special Education Aide, you spend your day going to different classrooms and working with different children. You do not spend all your time in one room or with one student. Often times, you have multiple special education students in the room that you are responsible for.