Position Description – GED Specialist

POSITION DESCRIPTION
Position Title:	GED Specialist	FLSA Status: Exempt
Reports to:	HEP/CAMP Director
Department:	High School Equivalancy Program (College Services and Human Resources)
Date Prepared:	June 2005

BASIC FUNCTION

The GED Specialist is responsible for helping migrant agricultural workers and their children to obtain the GED. This includes providing assessment, classroom instruction, outside preparatation, and assistance with registeration.

NATURE & SCOPE

The GED Specialist reports to the HEP Coordinator, who assigns and reviews work. However, the GED Specialist has a degree of autonomy regarding classroom instruction, and has latitude to consider alternatives within substantially diversified, established procedures and standards. While the incumbent supervises and instructs approximately sixty percent of the students in the High School Equivalency Program (HEP), no other employees report to this position.

Because the HEP caters primarily to a Hispanic population, it is imperative that the GED Specialist, have experience in the culture of this population. This includes not only language experience, but also sensitivity to the challenges faced by the Hispanic population in the United States.

In addition to having unique cultural experience, the GED Specialist must have experience working with adults and non-traditional students. The majority of students participate in the HEP because of some factor that prevented them from attending and completing high school. This could include language barriers, financial obstacles, learning deficiencies, or a host of other issues. In order to be effective, the GED Specialist must strive to understand these problems and design instructional methods accordingly.

The GED Specialist must possess a variety of characteristics that are essential to the success of the program. One of these traits is flexibility, which enables the incumbent to teach students with a wide variety of educational backgrounds. Another important attribute for this position is patience. Many students do not initially grasp the material, and patience enhances the likelihood of long-run success. Finally, a dedication and passion for the program will show through with positive results for the students enrolled.

Position Description – GED Specialist

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Ø Assesses the needs of each enrolled student

Ø Plans daily classroom activities

Ø Assists students academically with areas in which they struggle

Ø Checks homework, grades practice tests, and monitors student progress

Ø Searches for additional resources which may be helpful to students

Ø Recommends when students are prepared to take the GED tests

Ø Provides encouragement for students

BUDGETARY RESPONSIBILITIES

The GED Specialist has no budgetary responsibility.

SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

This position requires a four-year college degree and three to five years of work experience in the field. In addition, the GED Specialist must be bilingual in English and Spanish and have experience teaching the five GED subjects and English as a second language.