As the public education system in the U.S. adopts new practices that promote mental health research and aids, intervention teachers are slowly becoming a part of almost every institution. While these professionals work with a wide range of students, they are one of the most important resources for pupils affected by mental disorders and academic struggles. So, who exactly are intervention support specialists and what do they do?
Intervention Support Teacher
A professional that works as an intervention support teacher works alongside students that have been recognized as “at-risk.” Although there are many different causes for it, most students get placed in this group due to things like traumatic experiences, major life changes, problems with coursework, or recently diagnosed mental/learning disorders. To continue their education, however, they must overcome these issues and learn to navigate their coursework efficiently. This is where an intervention support teacher comes in and ensures that the at-risk student possesses the necessary resources and guidance to overcome adversity.
Basic Job Duties
Some of the most basic job duties for intervention specialists revolve around constantly tracking students’ performances and keeping up with their private lives. Doing so is impossible without outstanding communication skills that come in handy when talking to parents and regular teachers. So, one of the most common daily duties will revolve around checking in on the assigned students and reviewing the scores from their latest homework, tests, quizzes, or similar. Intervention specialists also have to touch base with their students regularly. The reason why is that performance alone is not always going to showcase that someone is struggling. For example, a student could be doing extremely well in their courses whilst dealing with a severe case of depression in private. It is up to the intervention support teacher to recognize the symptoms and help immediately.
Teaching
Even though these professionals have a lot of unique skills and training, they are still teachers. That means that it is not uncommon for them to hold lectures in special education classes. In order to be successful, however, they must carefully study all of their students and develop learning programs. After all, teaching students who may be diagnosed with ADHD, Autism Spectrum, Dyslexia, or PTSD mandates a custom approach that is appropriate for such a special group of learners.
Proactively Get Involved
According to the findings from the National Center for Education Statistics, as many as 14 percent of all students in public institutions in the U.S. have disabilities. This translates to approximately seven million individuals aged 3 to 21. It is also necessary to note that historical trends seem to indicate that the numbers are consistently increasing. Well, given this the wide distribution of students who struggle with disabilities, intervention specialists must remain proactive and ready to get involved at all times. That means that they will analyze the educational environment and look for symptoms that at-risk students have been known to exhibit. Doing so will help them recognize undiagnosed pupils that may not be getting the help that they need.
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Constant learning and professional development are also two of the critical responsibilities of the job. This is why intervention support teachers must keep up with most developments in the field of education and mental health research.