Two years ago, a debate raged in the public school system and the media on whether educational assistants should be largely replaced by "more professional supports" such as educational psychologists, speech pathologists and English as an additional language teachers. The drive for more professionals came from the top (the ministry), of course. But many parents were highly vocal in disagreeing that professional supports were adequate to help their children. They felt educational assistants were essential to the educational process, particularly in today's schools where so many children need special help.
Not all education departments in other provinces took the approach that our province did. A poll conducted by the Red Deer Public School Board showed, for example, that all stakeholders, and not just the parents, felt the services provided by educational assistants were essential.
For the majority of students in today's schools, educational programming is rather straightforward. They spend time in the classroom with their classroom teacher, then it's off to the science lab and then to the gym, for example. But in addition, over the last decade, increasing numbers of students are working on modified programs in adapted settings. Based on our inclusionary model of education, the majority of special needs students are no longer educated separately in a special school, or even a "special ed" room. Instead, they are placed in regular integrated classrooms where they benefit from specialized programming and help from an educational assistant.
What do EAs do? It depends on the student, or students, they work with. If an EA is working with an autistic child, for example, his or her EA (there are almost no male EAs) variously helps the child work on behaviour modification, participates with the child in classroom activities, helps him or her learn to make eye contact, and helps the child learn how to communicate using a card and picture system. Working with an autistic child is an extraordinarily difficult assignment. It takes an equally remarkable EA to meet this challenge.
EAs also work with intellectually disabled students. Their first responsibility is to help these students stay on task. They also explain their lessons (and repeat as required). And, EAs also help their students after class, assisting them with their assignments. Students who are orthopedically disabled or suffer from chronic illness, often need special help with mobility. The EA's duties in this regard depend on the nature and extent of the disability, but generally, educational assistants meet their students at the bus, help them into wheelchairs, remove their coats and help them into their desks. They also assist them with getting their books, and help them with specialized classes like computers and gym class. In schools (usually high schools) that are set up to accommodate students with multiple disabilities, EAs support and enhance programs for both individual students and groups of students, assist them with speech and language and physiotherapy. They also administer medication.
How do educational assistants generally help teachers in the classroom? For one thing, they take pressure off teachers who are invariably extremely busy. Teachers can rely on EAs to assist them in delivering the program to the most challenged of their charges. In addition, an EA can work with a student who would otherwise consistently disrupt the class. This, of course, is of great benefit to both the teacher and students. Even the presence of an EA in the classroom has a beneficial effect on the tone of the class.
The truth is EAs in today's education setting are indispensable given the many academic and social pressures our children face and our ideology of inclusion. It would be difficult to imagine how schools could get along without them in our present educational context since EAs provide essential daily supports for both students and teachers.
Despite the importance of EAs in the public schools, they do not get the recognition they deserve. They are fundamentally important to schools and the educational process. Educational assistants deserve both our admiration and heartfelt thanks.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the writer; they do not reflect the views of this newspaper, any board of education, agency, or individual in the educational community or general public
