Have you ever thought about working with children and pursuing a path in the education industry? Do you have a love for children and all the contagious smiles they bring about? If you answered yes to all or any of these questions, we see potential in you for a great fit as an education assistant (EA)!
Now, are you wondering what it takes to become an exceptional education assistant? Having these 4 skills and qualities below will help you thrive in this career path!
A career as an education assistant involves spending time with children in elementary and secondary school 99.99% of the time.
So, when we use the word ‘like,’ that may be a bit of an understatement. If you’re going to be working with children every day, you shouldn’t only like working with them – you should love it too.
If you’re the type of person who genuinely appreciates working with children and students of all ages, then you’re going to genuinely enjoy this role – so much so that you might not even consider it to be just a “job.”
As an education assistant, you will experience several heartwarming moments when you become incredibly proud of your student(s) for mastering a concept he or she was struggling with before. This joy is priceless and part of the reason why someone who loves working with children is going to do well in this career path.
As an education assistant, you will be working with a diversity of students from kindergarten to grade 12 with varying disabilities and learning challenges. Because of this, it’s important for you to remain patient – especially in times when it may not exactly be easy to do so.
For anyone who already understands a concept, it may be baffling to understand how someone could have difficulty understanding it – which may strain their patience. As an education assistant (or even as a parent or guardian), it’s imperative for you to understand the child’s struggles and patiently help them overcome their challenges. Place yourselves in their shoes and explore strategies that could help them grasp the material better.
The role of an education assistant is to help and support students understand the learning material even if it means reiterating it several times. After all, students learn best by doing, not by listening or having it done for them.
On a daily basis, education assistants work and communicate with several faces including students, parents, teachers, other education assistants, and more. Considering this, they need to possess strong communication skills to effectively interact with these respective parties.
Having strong communication skills are also beneficial in helping the student hold a stronger grasp of the learning material. Your strong communication skills help relay the concepts in a clear and concise manner to the student.
As an education assistant, it’s important for you to be both enthusiastic and passionate on the job. Having contagious enthusiasm and passion for what you do encourages the students to believe in themselves and strive for the best. When someone they look up to (AKA you, as their education assistant!) demonstrates the belief that things are possible, it boosts their confidence and supports their learning.
At Sprott Shaw, we offer a 43-week Education Assistant diploma program which qualifies students to pursue full-time and part-time work in various school districts across British Columbia as an education assistant.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to: use appropriate technology to support students with a range of abilities; apply practical knowledge of adapted and modified materials to transfer a student’s Individual Education Plans (IEP) into appropriate and meaningful activities; and support and advocate inclusionary practices for all students.
This Education Assistant program also includes a practicum placement allowing students to gain direct exposure and work experience in the field.
Still curious on whether you’d be the right fit for this role? Watch Derick’s story and his experience as an Education Assistant to learn more.
