Role of EAs should not be that of the teacher

Mark* is a difficult child to manage because of his aggressive behaviour, partly because of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Alice was assigned to be his educational assistant when he first entered the school in Grade 6. She is with him wherever he goes and it has been suggested by Mark’s parents that Alice be transferred to the high school with Mark when he finishes middle years.

Mark often spends time out of the classroom on a one-to-one basis with Alice working on his school assignments. The relationship has developed to the point that Mark rarely comes to school if Alice has to be away for any reason.  He will not co-operate with his teachers or support staff when Alice is not there.

This is a common scenario in many Manitoba schools. Many parents are unclear about the role of the EA in their child’s classroom. The usual assignment of EAs has been to support teachers by providing individual support and care to special educationstudents. Commonly, EAs work one-on-one with special education students. Special education students placed in regular classrooms benefit from social interaction with peers for language and social development. These students need some specialized supports and services, but most of all they need to learn personal and social independence and they need to experience academic success.

Special education students should not receive their instructional attention from an EA. Teacher engagement is one of the most important contributors to the success of special education students in regular classrooms.

Educational assistants carry out an important function in supporting and assisting teachers. EAs are hired to work with teachers and pupils as part of the teaching – learning process. With the guidance and supervision of principals and teachers, EAs help provide a supportive and enabling learning environment.

In Manitoba, there are no hiring criteria and no regulations that govern EAs like those required for teachers, or even child care workers and bus drivers. There are no rules governing the EA diploma courses that are offered by colleges and universities. Thus, the qualifications and training of the EAs currently employed in public schools ranges from EAs with education degrees to EAs with no specific preparation for their roles.

The work that EAs perform in public schools may be wide-ranging. However, those duties do not include teaching tasks. The teacher is responsible for directing the learning experiences of students, planning teaching strategies, organizing and managing the classroom. The school administrator assigns EAs duties within the school and prepares written evaluations.

Charles has spina bifida and some cognitive learning challenges. He is placed in a regular classroom and an EA is assigned to that class from 10 am until school closing. This covers off dressing for morning recess, personal hygiene care at noon and afternoon recess. Students and bus monitors assist at lunch and with bus unloading and loading.

While the EA is in the classroom, he is assigned by the teacher to monitor seat work of small groups of students after they have had the initial instruction and practice with the teacher. Individuals with difficulties are referred to the teacher and the EA moves to another task or group. Charles may have some one-on-one with the teacher. The EA is seen as a helper for all the students in the class.

This is an example of the positive role an educational assistant can have in a school. The skills and expertise that EAs bring to their jobs enable them to provide care to students who may not otherwise be able to attend school or benefit from learning situations without help.

*Names used are not real, but situations are based on real classroom situations.