Job Responsibilities
I work as a Program support assistant, which is similar to
teachers assistant. I have the resonsibility of taking care of
high needs students who are on a personal program. The program
may be to assist in personal care and /or academics as well as
outside supervision.
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Job Requirements
The hiring requirements have changed since I came into the
system. You have to have a two year program of human services
and or young childhood studies.
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Uppers
It is rewarding knowing that you are able to make it possible for these kids to
be included in regualr classromm situations. You also feel rewarded to see the
small successes and accompolishments of these special needs children. of course
sometimes in severe cases it seems as if you make not much progress.
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Downers
Some of these children can be violent and have no control over
outburst and sometimes they are so active that it wears you
down. Sometimes the classroom is not the most appropriate
places for some of these students and in some instances the
teacher may not be obliging to a highneeds student which may
make difficulty ion the classroom.
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Lifestyle
this job requires you to have a liscence and able to transport yourself to and
from work.. You may also have to trave the bus with the student. We work 27.5
hours a week. You have the same hours as a teacher with the same holidaysand
breaks. The dress code is that of a teacher..dressy casual days only on Friday.
Usually are included in all staff functions.
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Compensation
Our salary works on a level basis as when they first hired
Program support assistants there were not educational
requiremnets . so these employees are under a level two salary
which is around $10.00 an hour. level 2 have the 2 year program
in Human services and or Early child hoods studies and they
would be a level one and would get a salary of about 14.00 an
hour. They ahve a health plan that comes out of you bi-weekly
pay. There are no disability or retirement pe3nsions available
with our particular board.
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Advice to Jobseekers
This is a great job if you like to have a familyand a career
because the hours are condusive to family life with holidays and
summes etc. The pay very nicely compliments as a second income.
You would not make a enough money for a primary income unless
you were a very frugal spender. It is really a very good part-
time job.
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