Special Education Teacher

• Permanent Position
• 1.0 Full Time Equivalant
• Based in Albany Creek, Brisbane
• Commencing 15th April 2024
• Closing Date 5th April 2024

A fantastic opportunity has opened for an enthusiastic and passionate Special Education Teacher to join our close-knit team. Become part of the inclusive, positive, and personalised learning environment. We are seeking applicants who thrive on collaboration and are committed to inspiring and empowering our students.

Applicants must display a sincere commitment to Jesus Christ, the philosophy of Christian Education and regular church attendance.

ABOUT GOOD SHEPHERD CHRISTIAN SCHOOL:

Good Shepherd Christian School is a co-educational, Prep - Grade 12 independent school.

Our School is intentional about providing an excellent, inclusive, Christian education for the holistic development of each student, preparing them to move into life beyond school as they serve God and His world. 

Our Christian community actively encourages every person to belong rather than attend, to become a part of the family. 

Consistent with the mission of Good Shepherd Christian School you will:

• Have a passion for inspiring young learners and helping them discover their potential.
• Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Have creativity and adaptability to keep pace with evolving educational practices.
• Focus on preventative and early intervention strategies to foster resilience and personal skills development. 
• Work with individuals and small groups both in and out of the classroom. 
• Liaise and communicate with teachers, parents and carers about students and their progress. 
• Provide learning support for a variety of groups in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy
• Observe students at risk and students with disabilities to identify strategies to assist class teacher to differentiate 
• Work with the class teacher to identify best practices for intervention strategies for students at risk/students with disabilities.
• Develop and maintain effective professional relationships with teaching teams to meet the individualised needs of our diverse learners
• Undertake Education Adjustment Program (EAP) verification processes with the families of students with disability
• Follow the whole of school Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) procedures including planning, gathering, monitoring and evaluating and reflecting upon the implementation of the process
• Liaise with medical and educational professionals for assessments, diagnoses and the implementation of support programs
• Work closely with teaching teams and School families to support students with special needs and/or learning difficulties
• Facilitate meetings with stakeholders and administrate these plans (such as Individual Education Plans; Education Support Plans etc)
• Interpret, disseminate and act upon assessments conducted by related specialists such as Speech Pathologists and Educational Psychologists
• Undertake responsibility, as a teacher, for the care of students
• Record and maintain up-to-date and accurate records of student progress

Administrative duties: 

• Duties will include managing accurate records that track student progress, and communicating with professionals, teachers, and parents. 
• The successful applicant will work as part of a team of which includes other learning support staff, classroom assistants, the Faculty of Teachers, external health professionals and the principal. 
• You will be able to develop useful resources, assessments and plans to support teachers in their teaching. 

Selection Criteria

1. Qualifications       

• Experienced teacher (minimum 2 years)
• Graduate or Post-Graduate qualifications in Special Education preferred.
• Registration with the Queensland College of Teachers.

2. Pedagogy   

• Knowledge of the Australian Curriculum; Disability Discrimination Act (1992); Disability Standards for Education (2005) and the AITSL standards for professional teachers.
• Knowledge and/or experience in writing IEPs and verification/EAP documents.
• Knowledge and experience with facilitating NAPLAN
• In-depth knowledge of curriculum requirements relevant to specific year levels and ability to implement innovative and highly effective teaching strategies and programs supporting differentiation for the needs of diverse groups of learners.
• Experience with the implementation of the Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA) will be well-regarded

3. Student Focus

• The ability to support students in developing personal identity, values, a positive self-image, health and wellbeing, sound relationships and empathy with others.
• An awareness of students’ special needs and the importance of the encouragement of developing a positive work ethic.
• Previous experience working with disengaged students will be an advantage.

4. Professionalism

• Ability to articulate and generate enthusiasm for learning and model the skills of a lifelong learner.
• The presentation of a professional, dedicated and inclusive attitude and demeanour at all times.
• High levels of confidentiality observed.  Capacity to operate as a collaborative and team orientated person in a professional work environment
• Demonstrated capacity to fulfil the key responsibilities of the position.
• Demonstrated engagement with ongoing professional development
• Demonstrated history of responding to requirements of roles and reporting in an accurate and timely manner

5. Communication Skills                 

• Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills, with an emphasis on building and maintaining quality relationships with all members of the School community.
• Well developed written communication skills, including the ability to competently use the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Well developed presentation skills with the ability to lead professional teaching teams to greater understanding of disability (eg ADHD; ASD etc) inclusive education processes (eg NCCD etc) and practices (eg specific interventions).

6. Personal Characteristics       

• Willingness to both follow direction and lead within the whole of school Inclusive Education team as negotiated
• Enthusiasm, initiative and a keen interest in working with students with learning challenges.
• Teaching style actively promotes student inquiry, creativity and higher-order thinking and uses techniques, such as scaffolding, for supporting students in encountering new or challenging content or tasks.
• A strong focus on achieving positive learning experiences and outcomes for students is required as well as flexibility and the ability to adapt and operate effectively in a demanding and changing environment.
• Willingness to actively participate in and support the co-curricular program of the College.

7. ICT Skills                                     

• Familiarity with inclusive software and devices
• Competency with computer technology and a willingness to maintain and develop skills through professional development including the Microsoft Office Suite and Teams
• Willingness/capability to utilise technology across the curriculum

8. Spirituality

• An understanding of and respect for Christian values and demonstrable support for the school’s ethos.  

All applications are to include a cover letter addressing the selection criteria and a detailed resume including current references.