Elementary Special Education Teacher

Buffalo Hearing And Speech Center - Buffalo, NY

Full-time - Entry Level

Buffalo, NY

Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation

About the position

Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center is seeking a dedicated Special Education Teacher for our Rosewood school-age (K-2) program located in Cheektowaga. This is a year-round position that includes teaching a 6-week summer program. We are open to considering teacher candidates who are willing to obtain Students with Disabilities, Birth - 2 or 1-6 certification. Tuition assistance may be available to support your professional development. The Special Education Teacher will be responsible for designing and implementing group lessons that focus on speech, language, and readiness skills, aimed at encouraging development in these areas for severely speech-language impaired school-age children. The teacher will work collaboratively as a member of a multidisciplinary team to develop and implement goals for each child's Individualized Education Plan (IEP). At Buffalo Hearing & Speech, we utilize the Floortime/DIR Philosophy in our classrooms and provide training on this unique approach. Additionally, we incorporate the Pyramid model and Trauma-Informed Care approach to best meet the needs of our students. The role requires evaluating each child in various skill development areas using both formal and informal measures upon entrance into the program, providing updates on a quarterly basis, and compiling comprehensive reports regarding children's strengths and areas of need. The teacher will also determine prognosis and appropriate treatment plans, implement site-specific curriculum, and plan classroom environments to encourage learning, independence, and generalization of skills. The Special Education Teacher will be involved in the design and implementation of goals and objectives toward the development of age-appropriate skills for each child as indicated on their IEP. They will implement appropriate therapeutic programs designed to facilitate improved cognitive, social-emotional, behavioral, fine, and gross motor skills. The teacher will meet with and share information regarding educational strategies, techniques, and philosophies with classroom aides and/or personal 1:1 aides, and will be responsible for facilitating weekly team meetings and classroom planning meetings as a team leader. In addition, the teacher will assist and collaborate with the multidisciplinary team for program design and implementation, ensuring the carryover of individual therapy goals to the classroom. They will maintain contact with parents or guardians regarding their child's progress and will be responsible for children's supervision and safety. The teacher will attend CPSE and CSE meetings as necessary and will submit high-quality written reports in a timely manner in accordance with compliance standards, including evaluation reports, treatment plans, log notes, progress reports, and discharge summaries as required by the site or assignment. Maintaining patient records in accordance with compliance standards is also a key responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement group lessons focused on speech, language, and readiness skills for severely speech-language impaired school-age children.
• Evaluate each child in various skill development areas using formal and informal measures upon entrance into the program and provide quarterly updates.
• Compile comprehensive reports regarding children's strengths and areas of need, determining prognosis and appropriate treatment plans.
• Implement site-specific curriculum and plan classroom environments to encourage learning, independence, and generalization of skills.
• Involve in the design and implementation of goals and objectives toward the development of age-appropriate skills for each child as indicated on their IEP.
• Implement appropriate therapeutic programs to facilitate improved cognitive, social-emotional, behavioral, fine, and gross motor skills.
• Meet with and share information regarding educational strategies with classroom aides and/or personal 1:1 aides.
• Facilitate weekly team meetings and classroom planning meetings as a team leader.
• Assist and collaborate with the multidisciplinary team for program design and implementation, ensuring carryover of individual therapy goals to the classroom.
• Maintain contact with parents or guardians regarding their child's progress within the classroom.
• Attend CPSE and CSE meetings when necessary.
• Submit high-quality written reports in a timely manner in accordance with compliance standards, including evaluation reports and progress reports.
• Maintain patient records in accordance with compliance standards.

Requirements

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in special education from an accredited university or college.
• New York State Certification as a permanent Special Education Teacher or Teacher of Students with Disabilities, Birth-2 or 1-6 (or willing to obtain certification).
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing.
• Ability to learn on the job and adapt quickly as situations require.

Benefits

• Tuition assistance may be available for professional development.