The Role of an Education Assistant offers guidance and insight to students who are learning about the growing and complex role of education assistants. This includes how to support academic, social, inclusive, and independent learning environments in schools and collaborate with parents and teachers in the planning and evaluation of student progress.
Divided into four sections, this text addresses education assistant professional standards, mental health and wellness, culture and diversity, and the challenge of supporting all students in the classroom. Professionals and scholars contribute to research, anecdotes, practical insights from the field, and discussion questions to encourage student reflection and professional preparation. Offering practical guidance for inter-professional collaboration and inclusive education, this seminal text will prepare students in education studies, education assistant programs, and early childhood education for rewarding careers in the industry.
FEATURES
begins with an introduction from editors who have decades of combined professional experience in child and youth social work, as educators in inclusive environments, and as university and college instructors
provides a Canada-wide perspective from both accomplished scholars and experienced professionals
covers the large scope of student learning stages, from early years, through adolescence, to adulthood
highlights the changing and broadening expectations of education assistants and offers relevant guidance on how to meet diverse needs in modern classrooms
Chapter 1: From the Margins to the Centre: Education Assistants as Inclusion Facilitators, by Cornelia Schneider
Chapter 2: Education Assistants as Advocates, by Alison Taplay and Joanie Chestnut
The Education Assistant as a Professional
Chapter 3: What Makes an Outstanding Education Assistant? Best Practices in the Field, by Victoria Johnston-Hatch
Chapter 4: The Education Assistant–Teacher Partnership in the Classroom: Maximizing Returns, by Nan Stevens and Susan McKay
Section II: Mental Health and Wellness
Behaviour
Chapter 5: Understanding and Honouring Communicative Intent: Shifting from Judgment to Curiosity with Kindness and Intention, by Jane Green, Michelle Pozin, and Lisa Gates
Chapter 6: Trauma Sensitivity in the Classroom: Developing Trusting Relationships, by Mary Harber and Asha Rao
Social Emotional Learning
Chapter 7: Social and Emotional Learning and the Work of Education Assistants, by Nancy Norman, Janine Fajenski, and Jessica Mantel
Chapter 8: The Role of the Education Assistant in Developing Play, Recreation, and Social Skills, by Joan Astren
Chapter 9: Finding Connection: Developing Social Competence, by Mary Harber
Section III: Cultural Diversity
Indigenous
Chapter 10: Cultural Safety: A Foundation for Working with Indigenous Students, by Joanne Mitchell
Intercultural
Chapter 11: Response-able Pedagogy: Fostering a Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Educational Environment, by Greg Ogilvie
Chapter 12: The Role of Education Assistants in Helping “Young Ambassadors” Form Self-Determined Identities, by Jeffrey MacCormack and Lindsay Morcom
Section IV: Supporting All Students
Classroom Inclusion
Chapter 13: Education Assistants as Inclusive Leaders in Classrooms, by Linda Hill
Academics
Chapter 14: Supporting Academics, by Heather Wik and Barbara Eckersley
Chapter 15: Collaborative Strategies and Resources for the Classroom, by Kyla Cleator
Chapter 16:Transition: The Journey to Adulthood, by Asha Rao and Jane Litman
Contributors Biographies
Biography
Mary Harber BA, BSW, MSW, has been a social worker and educator for the past 30 years, supporting individuals, families, and communities in the areas of substance use and prevention, trauma support, and creative intervention methods in practice. She has worked in the field of disabilities with a focus on healthy sexuality, social competence, and diverse learning needs. She teaches at Camosun College in Victoria, British Columbia, and believes in the capacity of innovation and creativity to facilitate change.
Asha Rao, MEd, DVATI, has taught for over 20 years in elementary to post-secondary schools, locally and internationally. Her work is focused on inclusive education, mental health and wellness and is grounded in social justice principles. She is currently program lead and faculty in the Education Assistant and Community Support Program at Camosun College, Victoria, B.C. She believes in collaborating to create engaging, inclusive, and accessible learning environments. She encourages analysis, critical thinking, and multiple means of representation and expression with students. Her current work explores trauma-informed expressive arts and fostering creativity and imagination in her work, in the classroom, and in the field.
“This text provides insight and strategies for education assistants and teachers to work together to create truly inclusive and supportive classrooms for all students. To build effective teams, all educators will benefit from the roadmap to success detailed in these pages. Facilitating a safe, caring school experience that maximizes learning for Canada’s diverse population is the shared vision, and The Role of an Education Assistant offers current, practical steps to get there.”
—Linda Jones, Coordinator, Educational Support Program, Mohawk College
“Current, relevant, accessible, thoughtful, and CANADIAN… The Role of an Education Assistant does a masterful job of providing clarity on the evolution of the role of an education assistant and highlighting the value this educational team member plays in the inclusion of ALL students. I look forward to exploring the chapters’ key ideas as well as engaging in discussion with my students around the questions for reflection.”
—Nora Kennett, Instructor and Practicum Coordinator, Education Assistant Program, Okanagan College
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