What I Do as a Transition Facilitator: Roles and Responsibilities
Sep 15, 2021I used to say that as a transition teacher I worked at Disney World because it is notorious for being the happiest place on Earth. While I still work at Disney World, per say, I am now splitting my time between the classroom and serving as a Transition Facilitator for my school district.
This title is not to be confused with Transition Coordinator, as there is another staff member in that position. However, depending on your school some of the roles and responsibilities I have may fall under that of a Transition Coordinator.
Overarching Goal:
Support families as they make their journey from high school to transition to adult agencies.
Roles and Responsibilities:
Incoming Transition Students
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Attend IEP meetings of potential incoming seniors to learn about them, their needs, share information about transition, and answer questions
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Offer assistance in learning about, understanding, and applying for government and community benefits
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Tour the transition building
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Share information related to registration and schedules
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Be the main contact for questions during senior year
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Present about transition services to resource classes
Current Transition Students
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Assist families in understanding appropriate government and community benefits
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Attend tours of day programs with families to help them know their options
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Hold informal transition meetings with students and families on my caseload
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Teach lessons about benefits to the young adult students
Exiting Transition Students/Aging Out
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Coordinate trials at day programs for students
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Assist in final decisions and next steps in preparation for exit/aging out
Community
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Present about our transition program to potential students and families
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Offer insight about our program and services to a variety of committees to increase public awareness
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Develop resources regarding adult agencies and local benefits, services, and supports for the community
While not every detail is included in the above roles and responsibilities, the bullet points above paint a healthy picture of what the job includes.
Through this role I have been able to support families whose students are not in my small class, which feels good internally. I’ve also been able to support my fellow transition teachers in being a point person to answer their questions or to support families in accessing benefits, which is good for our school district and community.
The Transition Facilitator position has been more positive and uplifting than I anticipated and I am so grateful for the opportunity. My goal in sharing my roles and responsibilities is not to boast, but to offer insight and support for other teachers who dream of having a role similar to this in their school.
Please reach out via email if you have any additional questions and I answer them as best as I can!
