Who’s Who in the Classroom: Roles and Responsibilities of the Various Adults Involved in the Teaching Environment

 

               With three adults in my pre-student teaching classroom we, as well as the students, appear to be unclear as to what each person’s role is. I am fortunate enough to have been placed in a CWC (Class w/in a Class) classroom. What this means is that some of our students are special education students and some of them are regular education students. Due to this the classroom has support staff.  Apart from myself there is the teacher and a paraprofessional in the classroom. I can see already that the CT, as well as the students, is struggling with the change in classroom dynamic that my presence involves. I can see that she wants to involve the two of us; however, the physical space allowed can make that difficult at times. The only person who has a clear place in the classroom is the CT. Beyond that, it seems as if the para and I split ‘para duties’.

                It’s important to mention that aside from pre-student teaching my actual job now, and for the last three years, is being a para. Many times we will hear the term para and support-staff as interchangeable words. In my opinion that is my job as a para, to be support staff. That could mean being supportive to the teacher and students in my classroom as well as throughout the rest of the building. It is also imperative to note that this is not my first time working with more than two adults in one classroom. This is the only year that I’ve been the only para in this class. Prior to this year there were always two of us. In that case I never found it complicated because we, the other para and I, had the same job. We performed the same duties and our work could easily be interchangeable.

                As a pre-student teacher, though, I am there as just that, a student learning to be a teacher. I feel as though my place should be by the teacher’s side, learning and evolving, not doing the same job I’ve been doing for three years. I would like to point out that the teacher is not oblivious to this. My CT attempts to be very inclusive and I do believe that as the semester goes on my role will begin to change. Even now, I am very hands on with the students and she allows for, and even encourages, that. I understand the predicament of both my CT and the para in the classroom because if we’d had a student teacher included in my classroom at work that would not mean that I no longer had a job to do. I would not be comfortable with doing nothing at all.

                At the end of the day I believe that we need to find balance. I don’t mind handing out worksheets, grading papers and such things.  Although, I am aware, from working in a teaching environment, that the teacher’s job is far more extensive and complex than that. Sometimes I feel as though I would be EXTREMELY unprepared if my only insight into the teaching profession were my placements alone. I am thankful that I’ve been able to work in the schools.  I’ve talked this over with my CT and we have put in motion plans to incorporate several of the co-teaching strategies listed on the hand out we received at our pre-student teaching meeting. As far as the roles and responsibilities, we plan to share them and remember to keep the success of the students at the forefront of everything that we do. 

Well until next time...