Job Title: SEN Educator

Reporting to: Segment Heads (Head of PYP/MYP/DP)

Collaborates with: PYPC, members of the Inclusive Needs Department; homeroom teachers, subject specialists

In line with its mission and objectives, The Shri Ram Academy recognizes that children enrolled in the school will need varying degrees of learning intervention, as they develop and mature. It is the responsibility of the SEN Educator, working with the Homeroom Teacher/Class Teacher/Single Subject Teacher, to ensure that every child receives the help and intervention s/he needs to achieve her/his academic potential. The school also recognizes that for different individuals, the intervention required may involve direct academic intervention. The school further recognizes that while students may experience difficulties arising from their home lives, it is outside the school’s mandate to offer any form of counselling or advice to parents.

Purpose of the Job:

1. Special Educational Needs provides intervention to students with specific learning disabilities or other challenges that prevent them from being successful in core academic subjects
2. The department also interventions students who would benefit from additional enrichment as outlined in the school’s gifted and talented policy
3. Teaching may take place within the regular classroom, in small groups or to individual students. The focus is on interventioning an inclusive, differentiated curriculum. The curriculum in the Early Years and Primary Years follows the USA International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, Grades 6-10 utilizes the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, and Grades 11-12 utilizes the IB Diploma Programme
4. The SEN Educator works with parents to identify and implement individualized education plans and other intervention
5. The SEN Educator utilizes both quantitative and qualitative feedback to identify students who would benefit from intervention
6. The SEN Educator also works with teachers to identify and implement teaching strategies that appropriately scaffold and intervention student learning. The SEN Educator is a resource for all The Shri Ram Academy educators as we seek to hone the art and craft of teaching so that all students are challenged, interventioned, and successful.

The responsibilities of the SEN Educator include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Familiarize with the school’s mission, objectives, and Inclusive Needs Policy, adhering to ethical standards and maintaining confidentiality.
2. Attend and actively participate in regular departmental meetings as scheduled.
3. Convey realistic expectations of students’ potential and progress to teachers, parents, and students.
4. Submit a weekly log of cases to the Head of Segment (PYP/MYP/DP) without delay.
5. Conduct workshops for faculty members on identifying students in need of academic intervention and teaching strategies for supporting them, as directed by the Head of Segment (PYP/MYP/DP).
6. Ensure timely evaluation of referred students and provide feedback with actionable proposals to the Head of Segment.
7. Prepare documentation for exam boards regarding concessions in examinations.
8. Advise Programme Coordinators on appropriate medical certifications for students requiring special concessions in exams due to physical factors.
9. Participate in end-of-term meetings with the IB MYP and IB Diploma offices, parents, teachers, and students being supported by the SEN team to set goals.
10. Maintain an accurate and up-to-date database of students receiving SEN intervention, including IEPs, academic interventions, and progress achieved.
11. Implement an ongoing process of tracking and referring students for reevaluation of their special education needs as they transition between school segments (EYP/PYP/MYP/DP).
12. Prepare and follow appropriate IEPs for students with specific learning needs, ensuring they can be assessed alongside their peers on a common platform.
13. Ensure class and subject teachers understand individual students’ IEPs and provide them with strategies to implement them. Develop assessments that enable fair evaluation of students receiving intervention.
14. Collaborate with core and specialist teachers to identify students in need of assessment and/or intervention.
15. Review accommodations and services for continuing students receiving SEN intervention.
16. Analyze external data and internal assessments to identify student needs.
17. Apply for external examination accommodations in a timely manner, in coordination with the DP and MYP Coordinators.
18. Interpret diagnostic reports to determine necessary concessions for students’ regular functioning in school, collaborating with the Academic Coordinator for Lesson Planning and Implementation.
19. Design action plans/IEPs for students receiving specialized intervention, incorporating input from students and parents.
20. Articulate differentiated teaching strategies and necessary accommodations/interventions for students receiving SEN support.
21. Collaborate with teachers to implement plans and strategies throughout the academic year, prioritizing student well-being.
22. Arrange weekly SEN team meetings and promote inclusion and differentiation.
23. Maintain regular communication with classroom teachers to monitor the progress of students receiving intervention.
24. Organize workshops to equip teachers and parents to work with students with diverse learning needs.
25. Advocate for students’ voices and views on their own needs to be heard.
26. Collaborate with external professionals, such as educational psychologists and child psychiatrists.
27. Attend scheduled core subject department meetings and monthly all-school staff meetings.
28. Arrange grade-level meetings to discuss student needs.
29. Identify required resources and manage the department budget.
30. Attend professional development workshops to enhance knowledge and skills.
31. Provide in-class subject intervention when needed, prioritizing well-being during crisis situations.
32. Develop a Gifted and Talented Programme in collaboration with the Centre for Imagination and Residential Life.
33. Manage the school-wide register and make relevant information accessible to teachers.
34. Collaborate with external psychologists/assessors for assessments as necessary.
35. Assess students’ progress and utilize school-wide data for monitoring.
36. Provide quarterly reports to the Heads of School and MYP/DP Coordinators on students receiving learning intervention.

Preferred Skills, Qualifications, Experience and Expertise:

1. Bachelors or Masters in Special Education or a recognized postgraduate qualification in SEN
2. SEN teaching experience of at least 5 years with preferably two years in an IB school
3. Confidence, knowledge and experience working with children with specific learning disabilities and children from diverse cultural backgrounds
4. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
5. Strong organizational skills
6. Willingness to participate in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities
7. Fluency and accuracy in written and spoken English
8. Computer skills at a level that permits the creative and effective use of technology in the classroom. MS Office Tools, Padlet, Zoom, etc.
9. Proven ability to work effectively in a team, preferably involving both national and international staff
10. Knowledge of Toddle or any similar Learning Management System