Resource teacher job description

This post includes 3 parts: duties list, job qualification and job description writing tips for Resource teacher in details. A complete job description concludes Resource teacher key duties/responsibilities, Resource teacher job qualifications (knowledge, education, skills, abilities, experience…KSA model) and other ones such as daily tasks, key activities, key/core competencies, job functions/purpose…

I. List of Resource teacher duties:

1. Obtain and demonstrate knowledge of general education curriculum, including the Grade Level Expectations and State Standards.
2. Consult and/or collaborate with the general education teachers in the areas of assessment, curriculum adaptation, behavior management, and monitoring of student progress of students with disabilities.
3. Implement Special Education due process guidelines including evaluation of students suspected of or identified as having disabilities, determination of special education eligibility, development of IEPs, and case management.
4. Participate in team planning of IEPs for students with disabilities, including the development of appropriate, measurable, behavioral and instructional objectives.
5. Report student progress toward IEP goals to parents and educational personnel a minimum of three times per year.
6. Monitor progress of students with disabilities using specified program procedures, and make instructional changes when indicated.
7. Develop, implement, and monitor behavior management programs for students with disabilities who exhibit behavior problems.
8. Develop, implement, and monitor specialized, research-based instructional programs in basic skill areas to meet students’ unique needs.
9. Develop and implement, in collaboration with the transition IEP team, transition evaluations and IEPs prior to transition age (grade 9 or age 14, whichever is first).
10. Develop proficiency in use of Easy IEP, web-based software, to produce due process paper work including IEPs and Evaluation Reports.
11. Continue professional development in evidenced-based instructional practices through membership in professional organizations, reading of professional journals, and/or attendance at in-service trainings and professional conferences.
12. Prepare and submit program information and reports as requested by Assistant Director of Special Education.
13. Adhere to building policy and procedures.
14. Acquire knowledge of the goals of the Minneapolis Public School District Improvement Agenda and site/school goals. Work to support and achieve those goals.
15. Establish developmentally appropriate instructional and behavioral expectations for students and for self and communicate those to students and their families.
16. Create lessons and learning environments that are safe, respectful and interesting as well as multicultural/gender and ability fair/developmentally appropriate. Select, adapt and individualize materials appropriate for diverse student populations and skill levels.
17. Teach students the required curricula using strategies that foster thinking, reasoning and problem solving.
18. Collaborate and communicate regularly with families in making educational decisions and use family and community resources to support learning.
19. Assess students’ developmental, cognitive and social needs and provide developmentally appropriate instruction to meet those needs.
20. Regularly assess student learning by using multiple forms of assessment.
21. Facilitate positive interactions between students and teacher, student and peers and student and other adults.
22. Model learning and behavior consistent with the expectations for students.
23. Assess own instructional effectiveness through the Professional Development Process (PDP).
24. Participate in ongoing and regular staff, team and individual professional development.
25. Collaborate with peers to develop, plan and implement best practices based on the needs/abilities of the students.
26. Participate in site-based management and shared decision-making.
27. Always keep the students’ needs and rights first and foremost in any educational decision-making.
28. Demonstrate competence in the Minneapolis Standards of Effective Instruction.
29. Have a working knowledge of and implement the Minnesota State Standards and the District Graduation Requirements.

II. List of Resource teacher qualifications

1. Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university.
2. Knowledge of state and federal laws and guidelines for special education services.
3. Working knowledge of the subject matter, classroom management techniques, current researched best practices and strategies, as well as students’ learning styles and needs, both academic and affective.
4. Effective oral and written communication skills.
5. Prior successful experience student teaching or teaching in urban, multicultural education setting.
6. Demonstrates continued professional development through course work, research, peer collaboration and/or job-embedded staff development.

III. Tips to write job description

1. Too-long job description:

Looking at a too-long job description can frighten the candidates off and drive the away. A job description, no matter how important the job is, should not be included in more than 3 pages. If one focuses on too many things at a time, he shall definitely lose focus on the main items and get overwhelmed by the remaining; So, keep it concisely.

2. Too-short job description:

While too-long can be a problem, too-short is more a problem. It will ruin the meaning of the job description. A too-short one means it lacks necessary details and therefore, the candidate will not be able to understand while reading it.

3. Listing unnecessary functions or job duties:

Just classifying these into the “others” category will save you a lot of effort and space. On the other hand, the job description will become more dilute and easy to be neglected.

4. Key functions

Not listing key functions as required for the job can be a fatal mistake to a job description.

5. Grammar and spelling

Poor grammar and having spelling errors can ruin the job description, too. Never think that as you are the employer, you may have the right to make grammar or spelling errors while requires other not to. A job description with such errors is easily to be mistaken as a fake or ghost ads; as a result, the candidate will turn away from it.

6. Not specific enough:

Be specific and concise; if you don’t address the specific, then what the job description is for. It is for the candidate to understand just exactly what he needs to do or needs to have. Lacking details can confuse the candidates very well.

7. Not having the job description reviewed by others:

This is also a common mistake. One may be subject to bias, but more than one, especially with the help of those external advisor, the job description can be more perfect.

8. Using buzzwords or abbreviations:

In fact, it is not necessary at all to use such in a job description.

9. Using slang or legal words:

Just use common wording to communicate with others and don’t do anything extraordinarily.

10. Not updating the job description:

The same job may require different duties and responsibilities in different times, so, you cannot use the same job description for 2 different times.