Document 6544559
Transcription
Document 6544559
Mohawk ES Placement Manual Mohawk Educational Support Program Placement Manual – Full Time Mohawk College School of Human Services Educational Support Diploma Program 135 Fennell Avenue West, Hamilton, ON L9C 1E9 Follow us on Twitter! @ESMohawk Questions? Feedback? Contact the Field Placement Support Officer: Amy Ocampo 905-575-1212 ext. 3311 [email protected] Revised: Aug 12, 2014: This document is available online through eLearn and on the Educational Support Placement Information website. Bring a copy of this Manual to your placement supervisor. 1 Mohawk ES Placement Manual 2 To the Student: Welcome! You are about to begin your field experience in the Educational Support program. Practicum, also referred to as placements, will provide first-hand experience in the role and responsibilities of an Educational Assistant. This is the opportunity to demonstrate learning and competency by transferring learning and theory from your college courses into practice. The focus for the Practicums is on supporting students in school and on you as a part of a school team. The opportunity to participate effectively in the Educational Assistant role while on placement is crucial to the skill set required of a professional EA. If you have any doubts or questions as to whether you have chosen the right field, the on-site experience will provide clarification. This is a serious and exciting undertaking. Good preparation is essential to your success. The following policies and procedures have been developed to support your learning and to provide guidance as you embark on your field experience. We wish you much success! Your Mohawk College Educational Support Full-Time Team Amy Ocampo Field Placement Support Officer School of Human Services – Fennell Campus P: 905-575-1212 ext. 3311 E: [email protected] Kim Ann Laush Academic and Field Coordinator School of Human Services – Fennell Campus P: 905-575-1212 ext. 4523 E: [email protected] Linda Jones Faculty School of Human Services – Fennell Campus P: 905-575-1212 ext. 2277 E: [email protected] Karen Falls Faculty School of Human Services – Fennell Campus P: 905-575-1212 ext. 3128 E: [email protected] Mohawk ES Placement Manual 3 Table of Contents Topic Page First Steps Placement procedures – what, where, when, why, and how (and how long) Prerequisites Practicum Seminars Requesting a placement Placement restrictions Police clearance OPP Regions Next steps: Placement confirmation 4 5 5 5 5 5 5-6 Next steps: Initial meeting Forms information Absences Holiday School closures (inclement weather) Reading Week March Break PA Days Placement assignments 6 6 6-7 7 7 7 7 7 7 Evaluation – Mid and Final FPSO onsite Visit WSIB Insurance coverage Roles and responsibilities – Principal Roles and responsibilities - School Supervisor Roles and responsibilities – ES Student Roles and Responsibilities Checklists 4 4 8 8 8 8 9 10 - 11 12-13 Critical Thinking Questions : Personal care, reflective practice, preparing for the physical and academic support requirements of the EA Role Quick Reference of do and don’t 14 Resources 16 15 Mohawk ES Placement Manual 4 1. What are my first steps? READ THIS MANUAL! In order to successfully prepare for your field experience it is important that you familiarize yourself with placement process, procedures, and what your responsibilities are. It is expected that you will refer to this content throughout each of your placements. In order to protect the integrity and the relationships we foster with schools and with school boards, breach of the procedures outlined in this manual may impact your placement privileges. The necessary steps and required practices that you must follow will be revealed throughout this manual. 2. How many Placements will I complete and in what type of setting will I complete each placement? You will complete 3 placements by the time you graduate: Placement 1: Your first placement occurs at the elementary school level in either a Catholic or Public school Placement 2: High School. It may be the case that you are also in a specialized setting/classroo m/school for this placement. Choose opposite board type. Placement 3: Specialized setting/classroom, or in a High School or in any setting if all requirements have been met from previous placements You will experience a placement in both the Catholic and the Public board due to the varied experiences within these two boards. If you completed your first placement at a catholic elementary school, then placement 2 or 3 must be within the public board. If you completed your first placement at a public elementary school, then placement 2 or 3 must be with the catholic board. 3. When will I complete my placements? Year 1, Semester 1: Practicum Prep – No placement Year 1, Semester 2: Practicum 2, Placement 1 Year 2, Semester 3: Practicum 3, Placement 2 Year 2, Semester 4: Practicum 4, Placement 3 4. How many hours/days must I be on placement each term? We count the number of days you should be on placement. You are required to attend 20 days at about 7 hours per day (including a lunch break, which should be similar in length to that of an employed EA). This works out to about 140 hours each term. Expect to arrive on placement a minimum of 15 minutes prior to the bell, and staying a minimum of 15 minutes after the bell or until assigned duties are completed. Examples of assigned duties might be bus duty, end of day clean up, and preparation tasks. Below is the typical start and end time for each practicum: 5. When will each placement start/end and what days will I attend Placement? Winter term: Placement 1, Practicum 2 – start 3rd week of Jan, end 2nd Week of April. 2 days per week every Thursday and Friday. Spring term: Placement 1, Practicum 2 – start 2nd week of May, end 3rd week of June. 4 days per week every Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri. Fall term: Placement 2, Practicum 3 – start 2nd week of October, end 1st week of December. 3 days per week every Wed to Fri. Winter term: Placement 3, Practicum 4 – start 1st week of February, end first week of April. 3 days a week, every Wed, Thurs, Fri. *End dates assume no absences. As a placement student you may not attend placement on any day outside of this schedule without permission from the FPSO. 6. What Prerequisites/Co-requisites must I have before I can begin my first placement? Prerequisites and Co-requisites provide important knowledge and essential skills to prepare you for your placements. Prior to Practicum 2, where you will have your first placement, you are required to successfully complete: • Practicum Preparation 1 (EDUC 10075) • Foundations of Education (EDUC EDE14) • Personal and Interpersonal Dynamics (EDUC EDE17) • Safety in an Educational Setting (SAFE 1004) For more information about the learning outcomes for each of the courses, please refer to the Program of Study- Course Outline. Mohawk ES Placement Manual 7. What are Practicum Seminars? Except for Practicum Preparation 1, seminar courses run simultaneously with on-site placement. Each term, before the on-site placement begins, you will be required to attend mandatory seminar courses. Failure to attend the seminars may result in a suspension of placement. Throughout the seminars you will discuss with your seminar instructor a number of topics related to the EA field experience including: professionalism, the EA team and collaboration, the EA role, confidentiality, industry standards by way of guest speakers, essential employability skills, interview and resume preparation, references, goal setting, ethical behaviour, positive educator attitudes, the expectations and evaluations of a student EA on placement, and implementing strategies with the guidance of the classroom teacher or other members of the special education team. Towards the end of the term and after each field experience is completed, you will attend a final seminar dedicated to sharing, in a professional and helpful way, your experiences of your particular field assignment. 8. How are placement schools assigned? You will complete a Field Placement Request Form in your Practicum courses and submit it to your Field Placement Support Officer (FPSO) via the instructions on the form. The FPSO will then contact the school or school board to secure a placement for you based on the information indicated on the form. Please note: You are not to set up your own placement or contact any schools to try and secure a placement. In doing so, you will be in direct breach of our placement procedures and will disqualify that school as a placement choice. 9. Are there any placement school restrictions? For the benefit of all parties you cannot attend placement at a school that you previously attended as a student, or that your children currently attend, or at which a close relative is employed or attends (parent, spouse, aunt/uncle, sibling, cousin, etc.). Moving from a teacher - parent relationship to one of teacher student EA may be problematic, particularly when critical/constructive statements have to be made. Issues regarding confidentiality may also play a role. It 5 is your responsibility to inform the placement officer of any conflict of interest. A placement can be terminated should it become evident that there is breach of this procedure If you are requesting a placement that falls outside of our 4 local school boards or is considered a ‘Distance’ placement you must have permission from the FPSO. Please note: Any breach of the Human Services Placement Agreement procedures/policies or a pattern of unprofessional behaviour may disqualify you from participating as an ES placement student. This could also result in withdrawal from the Practicum course and potentially a loss of fees and academic penalty 10. Do I need a Police clearance to start placement? YES! The Police clearance must include a Vulnerable Sector Screening (aka Vulnerable Sector Check). The school board policies will vary in how long a police clearance is valid. To be safe, it should be dated within 6 months from the start of your placement. A letter requesting a police clearance can be found in your associated Practicum course. Take the letter to the police headquarters located in the region where you reside and ask for a VSS. If you live in a region that does not have a police headquarters, you must go through the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). You will find the required letter posted in your Practicum course on eLearn. The cost of the Police Clearance will vary between regions. Please do not show your Seminar Instructor and FPSO your police clearance. You must take it with you when you meet with your confirmed placement school to show the school supervisor and/or Principal. If you do not have your police check in time to start placement and the delay impacts your ability to complete placement days by the end of the term, then the placement may be cancelled without refund. 11. How will I know what school I will be placed at? The FPSO will inform you via your Practicum course 12. What do I do once I find out my placement? You will connect with the school contact provided to you by the FPSO to set up an initial meeting. This is an opportunity for you to meet your school supervisor and potentially your school team. You and the Mohawk ES Placement Manual placement school supervisor will complete the Placement Confirmation Form at this time. Bring your Police Check, print and bring the ES Placement Manual, and the Mid and Final Evaluations. We encourage you to review the evaluation expectations during this initial meeting. It is also important to discuss your goals related to the EA role and to share your knowledge and skills related to the field. In some cases, you may be asked to bring a resume. Even if you are not asked, in the spirit of demonstrating initiative, bring one anyway! Please note: If more than 1 student has been placed at the same placement school, those students must coordinate who will call on behalf of all students to set up the initial meeting. All students placed at the school will attend the initial meeting at the same time. Form Field Placement Agreement Form Initial Meeting Form Placement Confirmation Form Absence Reporting Form Mid-Term Evaluation Final Evaluation First Impression Log Who? When? ES Student. After your initial meeting* ES Student. After you attended your initial meeting* ES Student and Placement School Supervisor or Principal. After your initial meeting* ES Student. Submitted on the day you are absent, for each day you are absent Placement School Supervisor. Your instructor will post the due date. Typically around the 10th day of placement Placement School Supervisor. Your instructor will post the due date, typically due on the 20th day of placement ES Student At the end of your first week on placement. 13. Where can I find out more information regarding the Initial Meeting? An Initial Meeting Checklist is posted in your Practicum course. This will also be discussed in your Practicum Seminar. 6 14. What forms do I need to submit? When do I need to submit them by? Who completes the form? * At the request of the school, sometimes the initial meeting occurs on your first day of placement. In this case your forms are due by midnight of your first day on placement. Please note: You are responsible for submitting all forms. Failure to submit the forms by the deadline may result in a suspension of your placement. If too many placement days are missed, the placement will be terminated. 15. How do I submit placement forms? All forms will need to be submitted to the assigned dropbox in your Practicum course in eLearn. You may scan the form and upload them, or you make take a picture of the forms, ensuring all content is clearly visible, and upload the picture. Keep a copy for your own records. Please note: If the above tasks are not completed by the end of your first week of placement, subsequent days may not be counted towards placement requirements. Forms should be submitted by midnight on the day of your initial meeting. If you have a problem or difficulty with submitting the forms please contact Amy Ocampo immediately. 16. When will my first day of placement be? This will depend on the Practicum course you are registered in and the term you are in. Your FPSO will provide you with the exact start date via your Practicum seminars and on eLearn 17. What if I am (or will be) absent from placement? Regardless of the reason of your absence please follow the absence reporting protocol: 1) Contact your school supervisor immediately. During your initial meeting find out their preferred method of communication (email, phone). 2) Compete and fill out the Absence Reporting Form located in the Dropbox of your associated Practicum course 3) You will need to make up the missed placement days. Determine when you will make them up and ensure that the time works for your school supervisor and with your FPSO. 4) All required number of fieldwork days and assignments must be completed by the end of the associated term It is important to treat your placement as though you were an employee of the school. You will be evaluated Mohawk ES Placement Manual on your attendance and time management, and you must complete all 20 days of your placement in order to pass the Practicum. Please note: If you do not complete the required number of placement days by the end of the associated term it is possible that you may not be eligible to pass the practicum. Be proactive! Avoid scheduling appointments or vacations during placement days. Sometimes an absence from a placement day is unavoidable, such as you are ill, or sadly there is a death in your family, or a family member is ill, or there is a sudden emergency in your personal life; proper communication and documentation of your time is part of essential employable practices 18. Do Holidays, PA Days, March Break and Reading Week count as placement days? Holiday: If your placement day falls on a statutory holiday, this will NOT count as a placement day. Your end date factors in a full 20 days, not including holidays. March Break: In the winter term, placement overlaps with the March Break. You will not be attending placement during March Break. Your placement end date takes into consideration the days you will not be attending due to March Break. You do not need to submit the Absence Reporting Form over March Break. Reading week: We strongly encourage you to attend reading week on the days that you typically attend. If you are unable to attend, it can impact the routines and relationships you are building with your students. You will also have little room for illness or missed days. If there have been too many absences, time may prevent you from completing all required placement days and as a result you would not meet the placement requirements to pass the practicum. Students who are registered in Practicum 2 during the winter term have very limited time to make up any missed days. Attending during reading week may be essential. Since it is assumed that you will attend over reading week, submit the Absence Reporting Form if you chose to not attend. During your initial meeting, it is a good time to discuss with your school supervisor your intentions for reading week, and then remind them closer to the date if you will be absent. 7 PA Days: If a placement day falls on a Professional Activity/Development day (PA or PD day), and you do not attend the training, then this day will not count towards the 20 days of placement. If you do attend a full day of training then this will count as a placement day attended. Please keep in mind that you must be invited and have permission from the school Principal, or SERT to attend the training; not all schools can accommodate your attendance at these events. Snow Days: If the placement school closes, or if the placement Board closes, it counts as a placement day. If Mohawk College is closed yet your school remains open (rarely happens) it counts as a placement day. If the buses are canceled but school is open, it does not count as a placement day 19. Are there Assignments related to placement? Yes. The due dates and details for all assignments associated with practicums are determined by your practicum instructor and will be presented during your in class seminars, or for online students in your online seminars. Due dates are always posted in your practicum eLearn course. You are also required to submit a Mid and Final Evaluation, which are completed by your placement school supervisor. In addition to the assignments, there will be a mark given for participation. The participation mark will be derived from: the timely return of signed forms and First Impression Log to the eLearn Dropbox the supervising teacher’s comments and ratings regarding your attendance, punctuality and readiness to participate at your school site the record of attendance for in class practicum seminars and at the school site 20. Will anyone from Mohawk College be visiting me on placement? There is ongoing email and phone contact for all students (CE and full time) however full time students may also be visited at placement by the Field Placement Support Officer. Students who will have an on-site visit will receive a letter to provide to the school supervisor with the date and time of the meeting. If the school supervisor is not available at that time the FPSO will still meet with the student onsite and follow up with the school supervisor via phone or email. Not all students will have an on-site school visit, and this will be communicated to the student and Mohawk ES Placement Manual the placement school. At any time should the school supervisor require a meeting with the FPSO at the school site one will be arranged. The goal of the on-site visit is to discuss with the student and the school supervisor the ES student’s progress to date. Strengths and areas of improvement will be discussed. It is an opportunity for the student to share feedback and to articulate their skill set based on application, and to discuss the new skills they are acquiring. There will be no direct observation of the ES Student on placement from the FPSO. We rely on the ratings and feedback regarding on-field performance that is shared in the student’s evaluations. 21. What kind of evaluations are involved and when are they due? Mid Evaluation: review this at the initial meeting and give the school supervisor a copy. Remind them around the 8th day of placement that it is due on the 10th day of your placement. You may ask to set aside some time on the 10th day of placement with your school supervisor to go over the ratings. Final Evaluation: Remind the school supervisor on your 18th day of placement that it is due on your 20th day of placement. They should ideally hand this to you at the end of your final day of placement. All Evaluations can be found posted under the ‘Field Placement Information’ module in your eLearn course AND under the associated Dropbox 22. Once placement ends, will I automatically get a reference from the placement school? No. References are given at the discretion of your school supervisor. It is our experience that those who actively participate, demonstrate a positive, flexible, and collaborative attitude, demonstrate acts of initiative, and contribute to the placement school earn references. If you are told by a member of the school team that they would like to give you a reference, remember to ask the best way to get in touch with them once your placement ends. 23. What is the WSIB Insurance coverage? As an ES student completing an unpaid work placement you are covered under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) provided by the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities. In the event of injury or disease while on placement you are 8 required to complete a ‘Postsecondary Student Unpaid Work Placement Workplace Insurance Claim Form’. More information regarding this process can be found by visiting: http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/publications/placeme nt.html. Within three days of learning of a work related injury/disease the Placement Employer must complete WSIB Form 7 Employer’s Report of injury/disease (which can be access from www.wsib.on.ca and send it to the Training Agency. All Training Agencies have been assigned a unique firm number to be used in all correspondence with the WSIB. Completion of Form 7 Employer’s Report of injury/disease is the joint responsibility of the Placement Employer and the Training Agency The Placement Employer is considered to be the “employer” for unpaid trainees. As such, the Placement Employer must authorize the Training Agency to act as the representative with WSIB for the claim being submitted. A Letter (template) of Authorization to Represent the Placement Employer is provided in Appendix C. The Letter of Authorization to Represent the Placement Employer must accompany Form 7 Employer’s Report of injury/disease. Completed signed copies of Form 7 Employer’s Report of injury/disease, the Letter of Authorization to Represent the Placement Employer and the Postsecondary Student Unpaid Work Placement Workplace Insurance Claim Form must be distributed to the following parties: WSIB, The Student (trainee), and, MTCU (See Section 17, Ministry Contacts). The FPSO should be contacted ASAP by the student and the school supervisor should an incident causing injury on placement occur so that they may assist in this process. Roles and Responsibilities in supporting successful Educational Support placements This next section explores the tasks required of individuals who contribute to the support of a successful Educational Support placement. Quick reference check lists are provided however please read the descriptions. Mohawk ES Placement Manual Role and responsibilities of the Principal or Vice Principal at the placement school The principal has the overall authority in confirming the placement and will communicate with Mohawk’s FPSO regarding such confirmation. We kindly ask that the Principal share confirmation details with the individual responsible for supervising the student. It would be deeply appreciated if the Principal can spend a little time with the ES candidate to talk about the general culture, goals, and standards of the school. The Principal will ensure that the police clearance is valid, that the Placement Confirmation Form is signed, and that relevant Board policies/procedures are being followed. The Principal is encouraged to orient the ES student is to the school, to the teacher and pupils involved, and to the school in a general way. For example, our student may be welcomed over the announcements, in an email, or a bulletin might be posted in the staff room regarding their arrival. Role of the placement school supervisor (usually a SERT, LRT, Resource Teacher, Classroom Teacher, Department Head) Review and complete Mohawk forms including the Educational Support Placement Manual, Placement Confirmation form, and the mid and final evaluations. Provide information about the classroom, students, and routines when relevant to EA candidate’s role. This does not necessarily mean that the supervisor will share the specific disability of the students in a class. In most cases what is shared relates to the particular needs of a student that requires EA support. Communicate expectations of the ES student for the placement period. Share absence reporting procedures; maintain a record of ES Student attendance. Provide regular feedback and comments to promote professional development through informal daily/weekly verbal and written feedback. Provide formal written feedback on the mid and final evaluations. May also provide input regarding goals and potential activities the ES student would like to implement with pupils on placement. It is crucial to the success of the ES student for the school supervisor to provide feedback regarding strengths, and also areas for improvement. The school supervisor will support the ES student’s efforts to acquire the required skills and knowledge. 9 Communicate with the student should there be concerns surrounding student performance. This provides the opportunity for the student to grow and implement changes while in a learning role. Once you have shared concerns with the student, you may wish to follow up with the FPSO. The FPSO may arrange a meeting with the school supervisor, the FPSO, and the placement student. Provide a broad range of experiences and meaningful learning opportunities appropriate to the EA role. Assign a schedule for the ES student to follow. Often this schedule will change based on the needs of the students on any given day. When appropriate, include the ES student in the daily planning process and share strategies and knowledge. For example, it would be most helpful if the teacher would share their plans for the next day with the student. This would then give the ES student the opportunity to make relevant preparations for the following day. If this is a first placement, provide written feedback on the ‘Log’ assignment which the ES student submits to their practicum instructor for evaluation. We encourage the student to request some time with you to discuss the assignment. The student must have the school supervisor’s written feedback on the assignment for evaluation purposes. Role and responsibilities of the Educational Support student This next section will explain in detail the expectations of the ES student on placement. It is crucial students familiarize themselves with these expectations in order to experience a successful placement. If there is anything unclear about any of the requirements it is important to seek clarification from the FPSO, Mohawk professors, or the school supervisor. It is evident that a strong understanding of what is expected of you on placement can build confidence in the student’s ability to do well on placement. In addition students should reference the Mid and Final evaluations to guide practice. At the end of this section we have included a ‘Do and Do Not Do’ chart with direction regarding specific situations that may occur on placement. 1. Provide all relevant college forms to the principal and schools supervisor and explain their significance in a Mohawk ES Placement Manual timely manner. Forms must be with you at an initial meeting. If an initial meeting does not occur before your first day of placement, bring the forms with you and present them on your first day. Forms must be submitted to the eLearn dropbox no later than the end of your first day of placement. Please note: Failure to submit forms on time may result in the suspension of your placement. If you experience barriers in submitting your forms contact the FPSO right away for assistance. 2. Implement accommodations and modifications as directed by the classroom teacher or SERT. Identify a course of action and implement appropriate strategies to support the academic, social, personal care and behaviour needs of learners on placement. 3. Effectively participate on placement under the supervisor of a classroom teacher, SERT, LRT, resource teacher, etc. Actively work alongside employed EAs when possible to provide educational support to students with exceptionalities. Understand and adhere to school policies, classroom rules and routines. Please note: When you first start a new placement school, and especially on a first placement, we encourage you to shadow, observe and ask questions to familiarize yourself with the students, the classroom rules, routines, and procedures. With that in mind you are still expected to contribute and get involved and should not be spending significant time just watching. Getting to know the routines of a classroom quickly comes with mindfulness, observation, asking insightful questions, and active participation. 4. Model empathic, inclusive, positive, and pro-social behaviour to contribute to the development of social competencies in the learners you are supporting. Demonstrate enthusiasm, initiative and professional behaviour. Hone your observation and communication skills. Differentiate your practice to be inclusive of all learners. 5. While you may not know the specific exceptionality of the learner you are supporting it is important to recognize specific needs during tasks and to respond accordingly with appropriate strategies. Often this involves observation, interaction with the student, and consultation with the classroom teacher, your school supervisor, and possibly other EAs. 10 6. Work both with small groups of students and oneon-one. Manage group and individual behaviours and apply appropriate behaviour management strategies. Proactively reduce triggers to manage behaviour, apply existing behaviour management techniques independently. 7. Use professional language and terminology. Strive to use “People first” references: e.g. student with Autism, student with an MID. 8. Maintain confidentiality in your practice as discussed in your Practicum Seminars. Familiarize yourself with the school’s lockdown and fire drill protocol. 9. Gain familiarity with the use of assistive technology and software, adaptive tech and software, educational software, and communication boards and devices. 10. Observe personal care or daily living tasks when appropriate and while upholding the dignity and respect of the learner. This may include transfers, feeding, dressing, toileting, personal hygiene routines. Due to the policy of each school board and in protection of the learners and of yourself, as an ES student you must not transfer, dress, lift, carry, restrain, or toilet a student, even with assistance from another EA. You must not be fully responsible for any medically related procedures. You may dress students in outdoor clothing, feed orally with supervision and permission, observe transfers and ask questions, observe toileting routine with supervision and permission from you school supervisor, observe medical procedures and participate in tracking tasks. You should be asking questions about all of these tasks. 11. Seek opportunities for hands-on experience to develop and broaden your skills, knowledge and competencies. Set professional goals every placement. Remember to share your goals, skill set, and strengths. 12. Support students in numeracy and literacy academic tasks. Familiarize yourself with appropriate classroom curriculum units and the learning goals of the students you are supporting. Support the classroom curriculum Mohawk ES Placement Manual with all students, but under no circumstances take responsibility for teaching new concepts, curriculum development, or evaluation. 13. Demonstrate information management employability skills such as: gathering and managing information, selecting and using appropriate tools and technology for a task, computer literacy, Internet skills. 14. Demonstrate personal essential employability skills such as: personal responsibility, self-awareness, engaging in reflective practice, flexibility, managing your time and resources 15. Demonstrate interpersonal employability skills such as: teamwork, conflict resolution, relationship management, leadership, networking. Demonstrate understanding of the EA role in relation to other members of the special education team. Communicate effectively with students and with members of your team. Strive to integrate yourself with students and staff. Use good critical thinking and good problem solving. 16. If asked to collect data, do so in an objective, respectful, correct manner and share data with classroom teacher or school supervisor. Engage in regular planning sessions similar to that of employed EAs at the school. 17. Participate in recess, lunch, and bus supervisor duties. Arrive on placement on time, attend regularly, report absences following the absence reporting protocol, take required breaks, do not rush out the door when the last bell rings. EAs have duties to complete after the school day ends for learners. Assist with the activities of the class and school. Assist with classroom preparation and clean up. 18. Complete associated placement assignments as required by the College. If asked, openly share the contents with the teacher/principal. 11 19. Attend associate practicum seminars regularly. Please note: if you miss 2 or more seminar courses you may not be eligible for a placement. 20. Give mid and final evaluation to school supervisor, explain their significance. You may need to remind the supervisor when they are due to provide sufficient time for them to complete the evaluation. Submit the mid and final evaluations on time to the eLearn dropbox. 21. Seek and welcome oral and written feedback regularly from the classroom teacher, other EAs, and your school supervisor. Use the suggestions positively for self-improvement and to foster growth in awareness, skills development andknowledge. You should be able to identify how you have incorporated feedback shared with you while on placement. 22. Monitor your eLearn practicum course for announcements and check your eLearn and MOCOmotion email daily. Respond to emails promptly. It is your responsibility to stay updated with important communication regarding your placement. Monitor your eLearn and MOCOmotion email daily. Respond to emails promptly. Checklist: Roles and Responsibilities of the Principal, School Staff, School Supervisor Mohawk ES Placement Manual School Principal Checklist Confirmed placement with FPSO Read confirmation letter from FPSO and shared with the individual responsible for supervising the student Informed staff of ES student’s arrival Met Mohawk ES student Verified ES student’s police clearance Filed a copy of the completed Placement Confirmation form Informed student who to connect with on their first day 12 School Supervisor (usually a SERT, LRT, Resource Teacher, Classroom Teacher, Department Head) Checklist Connected with student at an initial meeting Reviewed the Placement Manual, Completed and signed the Placement Confirmation form. Filed a copy for the school’s records. Informed appropriate staff, such as other EAs, secretaries, teachers, etc of ES student’s arrival Informed ES student of absence reporting protocol and your preferred method of communication (email, voice mail, message with the secretary) Informed student who to connect with and where they will be for their first day Share a tentative schedule with the student Inform the ES student of important school policies and procedures. Set aside time to check in with the student to discuss progress Share concerns regarding the student’s performance with the ES Student promptly Offer feedback to the ES student regularly Communicate with the FPSO regarding student progress if required Complete the mid evaluation by the student’s 10th day of placement and provided it to the student Completed final evaluation and provided it to the student by their 20th day of placement Keep record of ES student absences Employed EAs Checklist Introduce them self to the ES Student; welcome them to the school team. Model professional and valued characteristics of an Educational Assistant Share knowledge, experiences and insights related to their role as an Educational Assistant When possible, include the ES student during supervision duties Under supervision provide the student with opportunities to practice their acquired skills Mohawk ES Placement Manual 13 Checklist: Roles and Responsibilities of the Mohawk Supervisor and the Mohawk Student Mohawk Supervisor: Field Placement Support Officer (FPSO) Serves as a liaison between the College and the school. Confirm and monitor the placement; first point of contact for school and student inquires surrounding placement Supports the placement experience for students and the school supervisors; ensuring that information shared with the student and schools is consistent, accurate, and reflective of current practices. Supports students through posted information on eLearn, response to specific inquiries, attendance at seminar lectures, individual meetings, and small group debriefing sessions. Generates and provides required resources for ES students and school supervisors. Promptly responds to inquiries and concerns regarding the ES student on placement via email, drop-ins, phone calls, on-site visits. Monitors form submission, progress and attendance in the field. Provide information regarding Mohawk policies and procedures, and shares pertinent school board policies with ES students. Mohawk ES Student Mohawk College Faculty/Coordinator Responsible for evaluating the ES student’s overall progress during the placement, taking into consideration feedback from the FPSO, the school supervisor’s evaluation, associated assignments, demonstrated commitment at the school site and in practicum seminars Read and understood this Placement Manual Reviewed the associated practicum Powerpoint Attended required Practicum seminars Obtained a police check Checked my email and course content for information regarding a confirmed placement Contacted confirmed school supervisor to set up initial meeting Brought all paperwork, including police check and this manual to the visit. Reviewed the “Initial meeting checklist” document. Uploaded initial Meeting form. Uploaded the Placement Confirmation and Information Form and the Field Placement Agreements form to the eLearn dropbox Reviewed evaluations and manual with the school supervisor Uploaded the First Impression Log Checked in with school supervisor and relevant school team members regarding your progress. Be proactive about seeking feedback. Ask questions, share your skills, and implement the feedback! Kept track of placement days On the 8th day of placement remind the school supervisor to complete you mid evaluation. Upload the completed evaluation to the eLearn dropbox If you will have an on-site visit from the FPSO be sure to inform the school supervisor or any other relevant staff of the date and approximate time of my visit. Reported absences appropriately Remind school supervisor to complete the final evaluation so that you can take it home on your 20th day of placement. Upload the final eval to the eLearn dropbox Attend debriefing seminar Submit next placement request form at the request of FPSO Monitored daily, and when appropriate, responded to email to ensure all communication important to the success of my placement was acknowledge. Mohawk ES Placement Manual 14 What else can I do to prepare for my placement and for my career as an Educational Assistant? It is important to gain experience in diverse settings so that you truly recognize the scope of the EA Role. After placement ends we encourage you to continue to volunteer when permitted. Each placement we encourage you to seek opportunities to get as much hands on training as possible. Sometimes, due to the nature of the learner’s needs, you may not have the opportunity to directly support a particular student or assist in a particular classroom. However as an ES candidate you will be expected to ask questions, relate what you have learned from your professors and from your courses throughout the ES program, seek out additional information independently, and use the resources available to you to expand your skill set and abilities. The EA role is very important to the success of the learner’s ability to access their education. As a result of feedback shared from school employers in your community regarding some of the challenges that employed EAs face, please consider the following questions carefully to demonstrate your commitment towards becoming a contributing and valuable EA: 1.) Once you are employed as an EA you will likely be required to complete lifts and transfers several times a day, be exposed to bodily fluids, engage in physical restraints, keep up with active students, crouch, kneel, crawl, and use protective equipment. How are you physically preparing for these tasks? 2.) Educational Assistants will support students in academic tasks such as literacy, numeracy, science, social studies, physical education, and technology. What will you do to prepare as you support learners in grades K-12 with their academic tasks? 3.) Critical to the success of Educational Assistants are the ministry mandated Essential Employability Skills (see page 16). Be sure to review these defining skills closely. The ‘Personal’ EES includes: Managing self Managing change and being flexible and adaptable Engaging in reflective practice Demonstrating personal responsibility The levels of achievement in this category are measured by the EA student reliably demonstrating the ability to manage the use of time and other resources to complete projects and tasks, take responsibility for one’s own actions, decisions and their consequences. How will you demonstrate your progress towards this defining skill while on placement? How will you engage in productive reflective practice? Mohawk ES Placement Manual 15 Quick Reference Guide: Do’s and Don’ts as an Educational Support STUDENT As an Educational Support student you will likely be able to fully participate and contribute on placement in most areas. There may be times where your position as a student may prevent you from participating in specific tasks required of an EA. These are limited and should be paired with a contribution on your end of some kind. This might mean asking insightful questions, engaging in independent research, or outside training or practice. The safety of the learners on placement and of you and the school staff should also be a first priority in regards to any action you engage in. Scenario Do Do Not You are supporting learners who: who require assistance with personal care tasks, require lifts or transfers, or who must be fed intravenously or take injections or medications You are supporting learners who: engage in challenging behaviours, or physically aggressive behaviours or run With permission from the school supervisor you may observe personal care or daily living tasks when appropriate and while upholding the dignity and respect of the learner. You may dress students in outdoor clothing, feed orally with supervision and permission. You may observe medical procedures and participate in tracking tasks. You will be asking questions about all of these tasks Do not transfer, diaper, lift, carry, restrain, or toilet a student even with supervision from another EA. Do not assist with dressing a student in a closed room unsupervised. You must not be responsible for any medically related procedures. Observe how the other EAs or school staffs respond. Apply appropriate behaviour management strategies. Refer to the 17 Behaviour management techniques, and your 25 strategies compiled from your Exceptionalities course. Consult with other EAs, classroom teachers and SERTs about their Behaviour management strategies. Use praise, respect hands off policy in your school. Clarify if high fives are ok vs hugs. If a student starts to run, immediately call for assistance from another staff member, offer to stay with their class or with other students while a staff member responds to the situation. Clarify with the school supervisor what your role might be in this situation. Debrief with school supervisor and/or principal immediately following the incident. Take BMS or NVCI training in between placements. Do not use restraints or force to manage behaviours. Do not grab, hold, pull, push, or touch the student in an escalating situation. Do not use harsh or aggressive punishments. You are working towards building a rapport with learners you are supporting Maintain professional boundaries, model appropriate language, use people first language, ask questions about interests, observe what engages the student. You may reveal your personal interests if appropriate in order to establish shared interests with learners. e.g. You play basketball, you like LEGO How do you respect confidentiality on placement? Use fake names for both learners and staff in school assignments or during classroom discussions. Ask for a summary of the exceptional learners’ needs without focusing on their specific disability You have been asked to support the classroom teacher with curriculum or classroom prep tasks Clarify roles and responsibilities surrounding any written communication to the parent. You may assist with writing in the agenda only with supervision and approval from the classroom teacher. You may facilitate classroom activities, small group activities, and supervise the classroom. You may build on existing strategies. You may implement new strategies to support learning tasks with permission from the classroom teacher. You may mark pupil’s work, with teacher supervision. Assist with prep tasks such as photocopying, bulletin board presentation, organization of classroom materials, clean-up. Do not add learners to any social media site. Do not share personal contact information. Do not reveal personal conflicts, or discuss personal matters on placement with students Do not talk about learners or staff in public places, even using fake names does not guarantee that discerning identifiable traits won’t be recognized by members in the community Do not review official documents unsupervised (IEP) Do not teach any new material or create lesson plans. Do not develop assignments for learners or implement any modification without teacher direction. Avoid using excessive class time for clerical tasks Mohawk ES Placement Manual 17 Resources 1. Ministry of Training, Colleges, and University Ontario – Educational Support Program Standards - as of February 2012. Link: http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/audiences/colleges/progstan/humserv/51228e.pdf Key feature: Vocational Learning Outcomes pages 4-16, Essential Employability Skills pages 20-25, Blossary pages 23-25 2. ES course overview and descriptions “Program map” Link: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/community-urban-studies-programs/educational-support-diploma/courseoverview-descriptions.html 3. Educational Pathways for Educational Support Graduates Link: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/community-urban-studies-programs/educational-support-diploma/educationalpathways.html 4. Behaviour Management and Non Violent Crisis Intervention course offerings through Continuing Education at Mohawk College Link: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/continuing-education/human-services-courses.html 5. Learning Support Centre at Mohawk College Link: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/studentservices/learning-support-centre.html Key Feature: Tutoring, Writing assistance, 6. Library Services at Mohawk College Link: http://library.mohawkcollege.ca/services.html Key Feature: Scanning, printing, and tech assistance. Open computers for student use. 7. Academic and Student Success: Records, Admissions, Withdrawals, Students Rights and Responsibilities Link: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/about/policies/CorpSect7.html 8. Field Placement Resources for School Supervisors: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/community-urban-studiesprograms/educational-support-diploma/ES-Field-Placement.html Add your own resources (P.D. opportunities, relevant organizations, school board websites and calendars): Questions? Feedback? Contact the Field Placement Support Officer: Amy Ocampo 905-575-1212 ext. 3311 [email protected]
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