Working in education can be overwhelming at times, and teachers often find that they could use an extra hand in the classroom. Fortunately, they can rely upon the help of an education assistant, who plays a vital support role for both students and the lead teacher.
Here are some tips on how students in education assistant courses can ensure a productive classroom once they begin their careers.
Utilize Lessons From Your Educational Assistant Course
The main duty of an education assistant is to collaborate with the teacher to provide an effective learning environment for students. In order to do that, graduates can build upon their education assistant training by focusing on child development, communication, and behavioural support.
Child development is an essential cornerstone in education. When students come to class, they are learning and developing new ideas and concepts, and it’s important to make sure they progress with comfort and confidence. Helping a student with one-on-one lessons or in a small group reinforces the material their teacher covers in class and provides a framework younger students can use to learn proper behaviour and reactions.
Communication is also a key aspect. When we communicate with each other, we are sharing our individual perspectives, and this is an important concept for children to understand. Many students see adults of any age as authority figures, and they take cues and behavioural patterns from the adults around them. An education assistant should keep this in mind, and communicate clearly and responsibly.
Communication is key to a well-run classroom
Be Flexible, Intuitive, and Responsive
An educational workplace is an environment which changes every day. Students enrolled in an educational assistant course learn how best to adapt and respond to these changes, but certain skills should be kept in mind to improve classroom performance.
For instance, patience is a common attribute of successful teachers and educational assistants. Most students will not learn something immediately, and every student learns and grasps new concepts differently. For assistants interested in special education, patience is an especially important skill, because some children require more attention and may have a more difficult time learning new material, and the teacher may need more support to address each student adequately.
Skills such as patience and flexibility allow education assistants to help both teachers and students
Additionally, a good sense of intuition can help cut down on miscommunication and delays in the classroom. Teachers have an easier time managing their classes if they can rely on assistants to understand their duties and act rather than constantly needing instruction. By being flexible and patient with their daily tasks, as well as responding to situations and opportunities as they arise, assistants make sure the teacher and students can focus on the lessons at hand.
Foster a Professional Relationship With the Teacher
In order for students to feel comfortable in the classroom, there should be a professional working relationship between the teacher and educational assistant. Part of the educational assistant’s role is to help a teacher with their lesson plan, prepare materials, and ensure the classroom is set up to meet each day’s needs and demands.
By being clear and communicative with the teachers they are working with, assistants can clarify the expectations and context of their role in the classroom, which allows for more support and attention to be provided to the students.
Interested in becoming an educational assistant?
Contact KLC College for more information!