The Role of an Education Assistant

Mary Harber BA, BSW, MSW, has been a social worker and educator for the past 30 years, supporting individuals, families, and communities in the areas of substance use and prevention, trauma support, and creative intervention methods in practice. She teaches at Camosun College in Victoria, British Columbia. Asha Rao Med, DVATI, is program lead of the Education Assistant and Community Support Program and faculty in the Community, Family, and Child Studies Department at Camosun College.

Foreword
PrefaceSection I: The Education Assistant
Role of an Education Assistant
Chapter 1: Addressing Ableism in Schools with Disability Studies in Education Informed Pedagogies
Chapter 2: Education Assistants as Advocates
The Education Assistant as a Professional
Chapter 3: What Makes an Outstanding Education Assistant? Best Practices in the Field
Chapter 4: Emotion Work and What it Means for Education Assistants

Section II: Mental Health and Wellness
Behaviour
Chapter 5: Understanding and Honouring Communicative Intent: Shifting from Judgment to Curiosity with Kindness and Intention
Chapter 6: Trauma Sensitivity in the Classroom: Developing Trusting Relationships
Chapter 7: Healthy Social Sexuality
Social Emotional Learning
Chapter 8: Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Chapter 9: Social Emotional Learning and the Work of Education Assistants
Chapter 10: Finding Connection: Developing Social Competence

Section III: Cultural Diversity
Indigenous
Chapter 11: Cultural Safety: A Foundation for Working with Indigenous Students
Gender Diversity
Chapter 12: Understanding the Intersection of Gender and Diverse Abilities in a School Setting: Education Assistants as Integral Allies
Intercultural
Chapter 13: The Role of Education Assistants in Helping "Young Ambassadors" Form Self-Determined Identities

Section IV: Supporting All Students
Classroom Inclusion
Chapter 14: Education Assistants as Inclusive Leaders in Classrooms
Chapter 15: From the Margins to the Centre: Education Assistants as Inclusion Facilitators
Academics
Chapter 16: Supporting Academics
Chapter 17: Collaborative Strategies and Resources for the Classroom
Chapter 18: Transition: The Journey to Adulthood

Contributor Biographies