Strength Looks Different Here. A Day in the Life of an Atlantic Academy Ed Tech
A student looks at the math on the table and pushes it away. You know the work matters. You also know that this student has had enough hard mornings at school to expect this one to go the same way.
So you give them a moment. You remind them they can ask for help, then offer a choice about which problem to start with. A few minutes later, they pick up the pencil. Maybe they finish one problem. Maybe they tell you what they need before they get too frustrated to keep going. Either way, they’ve practiced a skill they can use tomorrow.
That’s a small moment in the day of a Behavior Education Technician, or BET, at Atlantic Academy. It captures a lot of what the job asks of you.
Before students arrive
You start with a staff huddle. Some mornings, you take a minute for a mindfulness practice together. It might be as simple as feeling your feet on the floor and taking a few slow breaths. It’s a chance to get grounded and centered before students arrive, and to practice one of the same skills you’ll help them use throughout the day.
Then you check in about the students you’ll support, review any changes to their plans, and get their materials and workspaces ready. That might mean setting out reading materials, checking a visual schedule, or talking through a transition that was hard yesterday.
Atlantic Academy is a specialized day treatment school in Camden, Maine. Our students have individualized education and behavior plans, and BETs work closely with special educators, behavior analysts, and clinicians. You’ll spend much of the day working directly with a student, so what you notice helps the team decide what to try next.
The school day
A student might start by checking in about how they’re feeling or practicing a breathing exercise. Then you might teach a reading lesson, help them work through a math assignment, or support them during a group activity. Academic work often happens in short blocks, with time between them for a student to choose something they enjoy. If they choose tag, you might be running. If they choose LEGO, you might spend ten minutes building together.
Lunch, recess, and outings give students a chance to use the same skills away from the work table. A student who practiced asking for a turn in the morning might try it at recess. Another might learn to ask for a break before a group activity gets overwhelming. As students gain confidence, you give them more room to do things independently.
We draw on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and our Connect curriculum to help students notice what they’re feeling and practice choosing what to do next. In the middle of a school day, that can sound as simple as, “You’re frustrated. Do you want help getting started, or do you want a minute first?”
When the day gets hard
Some students come to us after years of difficult experiences at school. A task that looks straightforward to an adult can bring up a lot for a child. There are days when a student becomes intensely distressed and the team needs to respond to keep everyone safe. This is one of the hardest parts of the job. We provide Safety-Care training, with an emphasis on prevention and de-escalation, and staff work together during difficult moments.
The work asks you to stay calm, hold a clear boundary, and welcome a student back when they’re ready to rejoin the activity. It also asks you to notice progress that might be easy to miss. A student asks for help sooner. They return to a lesson after taking a break. They play a whole game with a classmate and want to play again tomorrow.
After students leave
You record what happened, prepare materials for the next day, and meet with the team. You might talk through what helped a student get started or whether they’re ready for more independence at lunch. Your observations matter because you were there for the reading lesson, the transition, and the game at recess.
Some days, the moment that stays with you is a student doing something they’ve been working toward for weeks. Other days, it’s hearing “Will you play again tomorrow?” on the way out the door.
Work with us in Camden
Atlantic Academy is hiring Behavior Education Technicians for full-time and part-time positions. Pay is $25–$30 per hour, depending on experience. Eligible full-time staff receive up to 39 paid days off per year, health benefits, and a retirement plan.
If you’re curious about why kids do what they do, willing to learn from your team, and ready to join a game of tag, we’d like to hear from you.