Special Education Assistant Overview If you believe you’d find it personally satisfying to help special needs children and adolescents in a school or social service agency, look into pursuing a career as a Special Education Assistant. As a Special Education Assistant you’ll assist elementary and secondary school teachers as they work with students requiring special needs instruction. You will learn about behavior management techniques, including foundational knowledge in Applied Behaviour Analysis. As you’ll discover, there are few things in life as rewarding as helping an individual with special needs achieve their full potential in life. Please note that the job title "Educational Assistant” is growing in use and is replacing "Special Education Assistant”. The title "Teacher Assistant” is being used less as time goes on. Here are some things you should know about this challenging career and how to enter it through the Special Education Assistant Diploma Program at Stenberg College... Typical Job Duties Following, are examples of some typical job duties: Implement program priorities of teachers and inform teachers of progress Facilitate student learning in groups or individually Be part of a collaborative team Implement program and management plans under the direction of a teacher Participate in IEP and other meetings Help in supporting the inclusion of students with special needs Assist in setting up learning centers and preparing instructional materials Keep data while observing students under the direction of a teacher Administrate medication and/ or assist with medical needs as directed by a health care professional Work on speech and language activities outlined by a SLP or Augmentative Communication Specialist Use equipment, make transfers under the direction of an OT/PT Carry out skill development activities under the direction of a teacher Inform the classroom or support teacher of student learning difficulties and requests for help Support learning in community based settings  Potential Employers As a Special Education Assistant, you could find employment in a: Public school Private school Community or youth drop-in centre Home-based therapy program Residential setting Parks and recreation program Wages and Career Outlook Based on employment statistics gathered by Stenberg College, the average starting wage of students who complete the Special Education Assistant program and are working in their field of study is $20.00 per hour. Use the following sites to obtain more information about career outlooks. The related national occupation classification numbers – a system used to group and survey jobs– is "6472”. Please realize that these figures are based on groupings of a large number of related jobs. Wages and career outlook may differ due to your education level, job location, and the type of employer you work for. The following list shows some other sources for career research. By no means is this a comprehensive list, but it is a place to start: Careers in BC Education BC Work Futures Vancouver School Board Employment, Surrey School District Provincial Government Jobbank Is This Program for You? It is if you: like working with children or adolescents enjoy seeing children learn and grow find it satisfying to care for others have the patience and compassion to help those who are physically, behaviourally, or mentally challenged have an interest in assisting or supporting others Program Admission Requirements Completion of Grade 12 or equivalent Passing Entrance Examination with a score of 70% or more Passing formal entrance interview with a score of 70% or more Successful completion of a short written essay Verbal Test of English (if English is a Second Language) 50 hours of volunteer or paid experience working with children Letter of reference supporting suitability to work with children Students must provide the following to their Program Advisor prior to program start: Acceptable criminal record check Acceptable medical examination report Negative TB test report or clear chest X-ray Reference letter stating suitability to work with children Note: SEA students are also required to submit written proof of 50 hours of volunteer or paid experience working with special needs children within the first 13 weeks of the program. This experience builds awareness and familiarity in working with special needs children and puts learning into context. As part of the registration process, Program Advisors provide you with information on where to gain this experience as well a form letter for your supervisor to complete. Duration and Financing Duration: 36 weeks including a practicum Financing: You could be eligible for ELMS funding, government student loans and other financing options; the Stenberg College Financial Aid Officer would be happy to provide further assistance. Practicum Placements The following school districts have accepted practicum placements: SD23 – Kelowna SD34 – Abbotsford SD35 – Langley SD36 – Surrey SD37 – Delta SD38 – Richmond SD39 – Vancouver SD40 – New Westminster SD41 – Burnaby SD42 – Maple Ridge SD43 – Coquitlam/Port Moody/Port Coquitlam Quick Links: Special Education Assistant: Program Courses Special Education Assistant: Top Reasons to Choose Stenberg

Special Education Assistant BC Ministry of Education BC Teacher's Federation Education Canada Educator's Reference Desk