Introduction
Educational assistants work as a part of a group of professionals that seek to help students grow and learn. Two such professionals that educational assistants may work with are a teacher and a principal. The teacher is the main partner to the educational assistant. The two work together on a daily basis to provide the best education possible for all of their students. The principal is another important professional that an educational assistant works with. A principal is the educational assistant's boss. And as such the principal works with the educational assistant to make sure that the educational assistant can do their best work possible.
Process
Teachers:
As discussed before teachers and educational assistants work together daily. Teachers are the ones who come up with lesson plans and give direction to the classroom and individual learning plans. In this regard, educational assistants seek to assist and carry out the teacher's plan. Some of a teacher's responsibilities regarding educational assistants are:
- have regular meetings with educational assistants
- work with educational assistants to identify problems, draw out lesson plans and set classroom goals
- give guidance and gentle correction when needed
- assign tasks such as prep work or marking
Principal:
A principal's role with an educational assistant starts before day one. The principal is often involved in the hiring process for an educational assistant. This often looks like discussing expectations the principal has with the school board who is hiring. Once the educational assistant is hired the principal is then a part of making sure that the educational assistant receives the necessary training. Another role of the principal is to make sure that the teacher and educational assistant pair works well together. This also includes mediating any conflict that may arise between the teacher and educational assistant.
Credits
Teacher and Paraeducator Team Perfects the Art of Collaboration
Educational Assistants in Manitoba Schools
https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/docs/support/ed_assistants/educational_assistants.pdf
Teachers and Educational Assistant: Roles and Responsibilities