Today I arrived earlier than usual. I was in the classroom in time for the national anthem, prayer, and announcements. A few students from the school took part in reading the prayer. After this, the kindergarten class enjoyed their outdoor time as they played in the snow. It had snowed quite a bit that week so the snow hills that were made by the snowplow were very tall. I met a student from the other class who was excited to show off his new hat that a family member had kindly knit for him. After some observation, I noticed that the children played very well in the snow together. A majority of them chose to play in larger groups.
I went to the gym with the students for the first time this week. The teacher previously had her planning period during this time so a different teacher would usually take the students to the gym. Due to this, the teacher told me she was not used to teaching a gym class so she would need some time to adjust. For the first day, the teacher placed various items for the children to play with which included things like balls and hula hoops. The students seemed happy to just be able to run free and play with their friends.
Today I had a chance to converse with the EA. This EA focuses her efforts mostly on one child with behavioural challenges, but she also assists in other areas of the classroom when needed. The EA told me that she had previously worked in highschools for many years but has recently made a switch to assisting elementary school children. When I asked her about which she had found more challenging, to my surprise, she said that for her they were both equally as challenging but for very different reasons. She said that children in the kindergarten age are dependent on their instructors to guide them through daily activities and turn to them for help in times of need. This can be challenging when there are many of them in a classroom and only a few instructors to meet these needs. The EA noted that although high school students have more initiative, the older age can bring on separate challenges for instructors. In particular, her biggest challenge was working with students who often become aggressive. It is very difficult to deal with a situation when a student who is the same size, or even larger than yourself, becomes angry and begins taking out their emotions by becoming physically aggressive. This conversation was very helpful in presenting that both younger and older children supply their own sets of challenges. Support workers must be equipped to deal with the challenges that are specific to the age group they are working with.
After I had observed how well the child listens and attends to the EA’s instruction I asked her how she was able to do this. The EA said the relationship she had built with the child is what made it possible. Early on into working with this specific child, she noticed that the child responded better to discipline tactics that were provided in a more “nurturing” manner. She said this may be due to a lack of this type of attention in other areas of the child’s life. This called me to reflect on the larger picture when dealing with children who exhibit behavioural issues. Teachers and classroom helpers may not have the power to change the implications that social structures or family arrangements have on a child’s life. Although, what they can do is provide the support needed during the time they spend with that child at school. The EA was able to look beyond the challenges presented by the child and respond in a way that she knew the child would attend to. I have now realized that the reason the child listens more often than not to the EA is due to her caring nature. Other forms of authority that are within the classroom struggle to have the child respond to their instruction. This conversation was a critical learning moment for me. I was able to learn the tactics developed by the EA because she took the time to understand the child and give them the support they needed.
Heather's Volunteer Placement 