Join a Mailring at the
Teacher Mailring Center
http://www.teachers.net/mailrings/
Ran/TN - Good evening everyone! Welcome to the monthly Special Ed chat session. I am your moderator.
Ran/TN - Our topic tonight will be "Working with Your Educational Assistants"
meeha/ece/tx - Hi Ran! I work with special needs preschoolers in the north-central Texas area. Presently I have 2.6 teaching assistants -- they are WONDERFUL!
LiamStLiam - Regular ed HS History here. Also teach a collaborative History class
Ran/TN - Anyonw have any experiences they would like to share about their techer's aids?
HT - Meeha: in what ways are the of the most help?
LiamStLiam - My wife teaches Sped in the same building
HT - Opps.. Meeha: in what ways are they of most help?
meeha/ece/tx - HT -- my assistants (this year) are quite in-tune with the developmental levels of my kiddos. They are willing to (and do) help with ongoing assessment data, are able/willing to teach, and to take over the class when I need to be out for IEP and other meetings!
JD/MI - meeha--I also teach PreK SpEd!
meeha/ece/tx - These three ladies LOVE the children enough to make them do things for themselves, but recognize each child's limits and support the children quite appropriately!
meeha/ece/tx - JD -- when i lived in port huron i subbed a pohi classroom several times ... loved it with those kiddos!
Ran/TN - Meeha Did your aids come to you like that or did you have to work on training them to be that great?
HT - Meeha: what kind of background in spec. ed. do they have?
meeha/ece/tx - Ran -- luckily this year they arrived this way ... last year was a nightmare!
JD/MI - I only have 1 assistant but, she is on the same level as meeha's
HT - JD: do you have your assistant all day? Part time?
JD/MI - It is truly wonderful when you have good assistants. They can be so valuable
Ran/TN - meecha Share what happen with your aids last year to make it a nightmare
JD/MI - Yes, I have my asst. all day, HT
meeha/ece/tx - HT -- one has a brother who suffered a severe head injury several years ago ... two have children covered by ARDS in the schools, the other is mother of four, grandmother of eleven -- one with MD ... they just really seem to intuitively know what to do!
JD/MI - Sounds like they had lots of experience before they came to you, meeha!
meeha/ece/tx - Ran ... last year i had one who came occasionally for about five months, wouldn't call if not coming, seldom worked when there ... and got mad the the other ass't and me for doing the work ... it just made for bad feelings in the room ... parents have commented on how nice it is this year.
HT - Meecha: coming with those kind of backgrounds I can see why they are so valuable. Are they strictly volunteer?
meeha/ece/tx - JD -- i think the time was right for things to work out!
Ran/TN - Yes like any thing else good teacher's aid are hard to find
meeha/ece/tx - HT -- not volunteer at all, these ladies are paid (not enough!) employees of the school district. one has just dropped back from full-time to part-time.
JD/MI - LOL@meeha---And it was YOUR time!
meeha/ece/tx - My classroom serves children with a variety of diagnoses -- autism being only one of those served -- district is truly trying to address needs of those students and was willing to accept my recommendation for staffing needs based on assessment and hire the third person.
meeha/ece/tx - JD -- ass't principal and I discussed it and chose to keep her at part-time as opposed to going through the selection process again and possibly not getting such a good worker next time around! I t hink it will be worth the trade-off!
JD/MI - How many children do you have in your class,meeha? Do you have 2 sessions?
meeha/ece/tx - JD -- today 14, 7 a.m., 7 p.m. ... two weeks from today 18 -- don't know distribution yet, haven't asked two of the parents their preferences yet.
JD/MI - My classses are also cross-categorical.
Ran/TN - Finding and keeping good Teacher aids for the little bit of money that most school sytems pay them is hard to do.
meeha/ece/tx - JD -- one day last week we had to laugh ... we had 4 children, 8 adults in the classroom (1 teacher, 3 assistants, O.T., SLP, high school volunteer, and visiting (new) teacher for the program.
JD/MI - meeha- it does seem to work out that way sometimes! Funny when it happens!
meeha/ece/tx - Ran ... good teaching assistants can make or break the program. mine are learning the discrete trial processes now ... keeping data at new levels ... quite creative!
pam/res/sc/k-5 - assistances??? what are they??? I'm resource, so I don't get any assistance
meeha/ece/tx - pam -- how many students do you serve? how many 'student contact hours'?
Dhaven19 - relax Pam at times they are more problems than the students!
JD/MI - pam- our resource room has assistants. How do you sevice all the students yourself?
Ran/TN - I know what you mean Dhaven
pam/res/sc/k-5 - carefully, very carefully
JD/MI - What do you teach Dhaven?
Dhaven19 - Resource rooms in the Southeast don't get assistants
Dhaven19 - Mississippi
pam/res/sc/k-5 - right now I'm "lucky" I only have 20 students on my case load
Dhaven19 - overworked and very underpaid!
pam/res/sc/k-5 - I agree Dhaven
JD/MI - WOW-Dhaven and pam----definately overworked and underpaid!!!!
Dhaven19 - I teach emotionally disabled students
Ran/TN - That is why good ones hard so darn hard to find.
Dhaven19 - yes, and lack of loyalty will destroy a good class quick
Dhaven19 - or ones who fail to realize their job descriptions
Dhaven19 - but am fortunate to have a good one now ( I think!)
heather - who are u talking about dhaven???
meeha/ece/tx - Dhaven -- that is a tough job ... i'm working toward a masters' in emotional/behavioral disturbances ... can't imagine working with that population every day! I'm sure finding assistants who are equipped to be of service for that area is quite a challenge (even beyond my kiddos!)
JD/MI - How many students, Dhaven?
Dhaven19 - but I have had assts. in the past where I have had to tell them "don't call me, I'll call you!
Dhaven19 - right now new program only 4 students but looks like I will have about 7 or 8 soon!
Ran/TN - Dhaven how long have you been teaching special ed
JD/MI - Dhaven- I did my undergrad work in that area
db - does anyone have students with autism
Dhaven19 - been doing ED for 11 years and enjoy it
meeha/ece/tx - Dhaven -- you will have your hands full then! probably do now!!!!
Ran/TN - and more specificly ED students
meeha/ece/tx - db -- I work with children with autism, as well as other areas of eligibility ... preschoolers ...
Dhaven19 - I have a great situation am in a double wide trailer across the street from campus and kids eat lunch at our place
meeha/ece/tx - Dhaven -- any inclusion into regular education settings?
Ran/TN - Dhaven this is my second year teaching a classroom of ED and behavior disorders students
Dhaven19 - we are in our own little world!
Dhaven19 - nope
db - meeha - do you use pecs with you autisic kids
Dhaven19 - I have one student that goes to football practice 5th period
Ran/TN - I have a student that is diagnoised as ashperes Syndrome in my class
JD/MI - Dhaven and Ran--what age groups?
Dhaven19 - they would never allow that in Louisiana but being with other students is 99% of ED kids problems
Ran/TN - my class is 5th through 9th grade
Dhaven19 - 6-12 grades
db - What is ashpere?
meeha/ece/tx - db ... i use some of the pecs programming, but pretty much as a modified program.
meeha/ece/tx - Ran -- Aspergers?
Ran/TN - thanks for the help with my spelling meecha
db - meeha - did you say you have preschool children
heather - i have preschool kids db
db - I have a 1st grade student with Aspergers
meeha/ece/tx - I use a LOT of the pictures for scheduling and for training parents ... kids are evolving some interesting responses to the pictures ...
Dhaven19 - Meeha , taught 9 students self contained in New orleans couple of years ago 7 on probation with police dept. now I am in a country school in rural Miss so much better situation
Dhaven19 - different type of kid
meeha/ece/tx - db -- yes, i work with preschoolers ... one of something like 21 or 22 teachers in my district who work with developmentally delayed preschoolers!
db - My little guy with Aspergers is responding well with picture schedules
Jennifer HS/AZ - I have an 18 yr old we think has Aspergers.
JD/MI - PreK for me also!
meeha/ece/tx - sounds better, D!
Ran/TN - I teach the behavior class in an alternative school for the county school system
heather - what is aspergers??
Dhaven19 - form of autism
meeha/ece/tx - db -- the picture schedules are great for kiddos with aspergers! help them plan and predict the day ...
heather - what type of prek jd??
db - Asperger is a form of
JD/MI - Heather- SpEd-cross categorical, And you?
db - aspergers is a form of high functioning autism
heather - sed, eh and developmentally delayed
meeha/ece/tx - Aspergers falls under the umbrella for PDD (pervasive developmental delays) -- children have many characteristics similar to children with autism, but typically have much higher function with language skills ... social functions of language are pretty much lost on them.
db - meeha- have you done any social stories with you kids
Dhaven19 - Ran, if you can get your school system to buy into my program you will have a great job I have sega Genesis', Game boys, and several computer games in the room. We work 30 minutes and they have 30 minutes of time to do what they want. The rule is they have to complete their assignments with a minimum of 90% on their work in order to spend their time as they desire. Works wonders and the work that they do is very good and quite a bit of it.
meeha/ece/tx - db -- no, but have taught parents to use them for planning/preparation for stressful events at home ...
Dhaven19 - I dont have to raise my voice anymore just take away privileges
db - do you have just autisic kids or do you teach others
meeha/ece/tx - db -- i have one child coded autistic, one who has been identified (not yet coded) aspergers, and three or four others who would qualify for the 'autistic' label if the parents would agree to testing/assessment toward that end.
Ran/TN - Anyone have anything else to share about the use of EA's in your classroom?
db - i have ld and mr kids also in my room . i was just wondering if anyone else did that too..meeha
meeha/ece/tx - Well, Ran ... we kind of ran off and quit talking about EA's, didn't we? ...
max - what are EAs??
db - education assistants ?
Ran/TN - Educational Assistants (teacher aids)
max - most of the moderately disabled classes are mixed catagorical in our state
meeha/ece/tx - my best recommendation for working with EA's is to be sure and specify exactly what is expected of them, remember that they aren't professionally trained to teach, so in addition to teaching the children we also have to teach them to work effectively with the children!
max - lol, heather, and a good long one at that, got very, very spoiled
meeha/ece/tx - i do, Ms. Mustang!
heather - hehehe.....yah my kids they just come in raring to go:)
max - so true meeha, and pray for a good one and not a control freak (so glad it is my year for a great one!!)
db - i'm glad to hear that my state isn't the only on to mix kid catagorically
max - ahh, I think we do what ever is most cost effective, certainly isn't what is best for the sutdents in most cases
Ran/TN - MECHA that may be my problem I am not being specific enough in explaining to them what I expect from them everyday
meeha/ece/tx - agreed, max
heather - my aide advice...make sure that they know who is in charge at all times!!!! and have ALOT of open communication about what goes on in the room
JD/MI - That's the truth, max!
max - ran, they also take a long time to learn; its a very difficult job, being an assistant; hard work little training and very little pay
meeha/ece/tx - Ran -- clearer communication toward ALL aides in my classroom last year would likely have cleared up some of our problems ... i also think school districts would be wise to invest in training teachers to be supervisors ... so we would know HOW to manage adults! (quite different from managing a classroom full of kiddos!)
Dhaven19 - The biggest problem with TA's is that they feel that if you expect them to just be available to work for 8 hours they bring up the pay. It's not my fault they don't have a degree. Besides when they leave at 3 they are done, the time spent in the classroom is the short part of my day, usually.
max - heather, who do you feel is in charge at all times---in my room I insist I am, sometimes causes problems, but when the @#$% hits the fan its gonna be my responsibility....
db - I have two wonderful aides. We communicate freely and i try not to be too critical of them. But i let them know what need to be done too
max - but if you get a control freak assistant, I did, and I couldn't get anywhere ....she was the worst thing that I ever expereinced...and the ad was afraid of addressing her
meeha/ece/tx - max ... that's what i tell mine ... we're all teachers in the room, but ultimately it is MY decision if there is a question ... and that is right ... because it is My name and MY certification that go on the dotted line when all is said and done!
max - the one I have this year is worth millions!!! he is soooooo good
heather - i had a very hard time last year with my aide max......she was an older lady and didnt like taking directions or anything from a 23 year old who was making more than she was, and trust me the @@@@ did hit the fan several times and she left and very ugly terms
Dhaven19 - yea, dual control doesn't work. You only have one principal, one president, one head coach, etc. One person has to call the shots
max - at least she left heather, lol, I left the school as a result of the terrible one I had!!!!!!!!
db - has anyone had an aide that was certified
JD/MI - I guess I'm just spoiled--my aide and I have been together since I started teaching
heather - i have two wonderful aides who i love dearly.....wouldnt trade them for the world this year!!!
max - I think a lot of it has to do with personalities...
Ran/TN - We have about 4 minutes left tonight anyone have any final comments about EA's.
heather - yah jd....i know how u feel my one aide has been with me since i started and i really am lucky to have him
max - I had a certified aide; but t.net helped her get a teaching job the next year (and she was sooooo good also, district "used" her)
Ran/TN - Does anyone have any sugestion for future topics or guest?
Dhaven19 - does anyone else work in a state that has elected school board members and ELECTED Superintendents?
db - i had one but she thought she should be in charge
max - Ran, I'd love to see DAD from the chat board join in an autism discussion
max - some of our districts have electives, Dhaven
db - no elected superintendents
Ran/TN - If so you may email your suggestions to rlprice@email.com
max - elected super in the next district over from us
Dhaven19 - Must be in the south, Max
JD/MI - No elected super. Good thought though!!!!
max - yep, where are you haven??
Dhaven19 - Miss
Dhaven19 - Good Ol boy Southern Politics
max - supers are big time jobs around here
Ran/TN - Well everyone our time is up. Thanks for being here
JD/MI - night alll- nice chatting with you. Have a GREAT Friday!
Dhaven19 - Im an ex Yank (New York) elected superint is just unreal to me
Ran/TN - and for sharing all your great ideas and comments.
