Education and Challenges Teaching Assistants Face

The Mackenzie article is keen to highlight the challenges teaching assistants get in the course of executing their roles. The author points out how such challenges have marred the TA’s from achieving their mandate fully. The teaching assistant job is not walk in the park since it involves dealing with children who are undergoing learning challenges and as such, the TAs need support to execute their roles in an effective way. It is evident from the article how TAs experience high levels of burn out compared to the rest of their colleagues in the mainstream curriculum. It is estimated that due to the many challenges that special education teachers face, there is a 75 percent staff turnover before completion of the 10^th year. The high job exits have been exacerbated by the factors such as lack of special programs that suit the needs of the children they serve.

Further, the teachers a forced to take on non-instructional responsibilities. The fact that most of them join the profession with the desire to help notwithstanding, their work is characterized by numerous unpaid meetings, high levels of paperwork and conduction of many assessments. The TAs lack support during their work s they are expected to do too much work but with limited compensation. Many districts fail to compensate teachers to a tune that reflect the amount of work the handle. In any case, the TAs work without any technical assistance from the school management (Capella University, 2013). The TAs meet different students each faced with a unique challenge and as such they have to modify their teaching methodology to meet the needs of each. Some students in the special needs classes have very serious chronic diseases. Such cases are sensitive as they may result to death and as such handling such student presents a whole new challenge to the TAs.

The classroom setting comprises both typical students and students with special needs. The approach presents a new challenge to TAs since the students with no disabilities may find it difficult relating to those with disabilities. It remains the task of TAs to create an environment that offers a level playing ground for both categories by eliminating any chances that may result to cruelty and disrespect for the needy students.

Further, there is stigmatization directed to TAs since their role is different from traditional teachers. Therefore, teachers in mainstream curriculum do not treat TAs as colleagues and as such they undergo professional isolation. Since the TAs focus on skills rather than content, there is a misconception that their work is not as important as that of traditional teachers.

The students in special learning class have diverse behavioral deficiencies such as moodiness and restlessness. The TAs have to learn how to cope with the same and design disciplinary approaches that deemed appropriate for each case (chambers, 2012). It is never easy to cope with such situation where many of them fail to catch up with is been taught. The increasing number of enrolments and limited budgets always pose a challenge to TAs. They have to cope with limited resources and equipment but deliver results. They paint out a gloomy picture of what transpires in the mainstream classroom. The audience to the stories narrated here are all the stakeholders in the education sector, both at local and national level. It is worth noting how the TAs have suffered for long without no one listening to them.

In addition, it of paramount importance if the teachers taking mainstream curriculum should undergo some training on how to handle children with special needs. The approach will help create some common ground for the teachers on both sides of the divide. This will help to reduce the tensions that have always existed between the two groups. There should be a policy in place that will shape procedures and teaching methodologies that facilitate collaboration between teachers in normal curriculum and TAs. Training sessions should be held to sensitize normal curriculum teachers of their role in working hand in hand with their counterparts. The use of needy student-friendly teaching methods should be used to appraise the performance of the teachers. Those who perform well should be rewarded accordingly to encourage more to follow suit.

The voices of TA use the social form in the sense that, they are advocating for what should be done on the ground to elevate the many challenges facing their work. Jill fits in as a social model in the sense that he advocates for the need to have mature staff as their experience is highly sought in SEN quotas (Mackenzie, 2011, p. 65). Jane on the other side cites lack of collaboration between teachers in a normal class and TAs. She adds up as a social model since she says she is in the profession due to the push to see this disadvantaged population gain education. Angela adds up as a medical model as she has been working as a peripatetic. She sees her fellow TAs as lacking in connecting with behavior deficiencies in the needy children (Mackenzie, 2011, p. 67). According to her understanding the needs of the child and giving them the best is all what matters. Una is also a medical model since she takes pleasure in understanding the children behavior and helping them out. Moira cites lack of inclusion as the most challenging thing and as such she serves as a social model (Mackenzie, 2011, p. 68).  They have first -hand experience and they know very well what is eating this noble idea. The policy designers might have missed some important elements. Therefore, this is the high time to seal the existing gaps through use of the evidence and other insights given by TAs.  The training of the TA’s should encompass all areas that cover children with special needs ranging from those with emotional and behavioral needs to those with physical difficulties. The approach would go a long way in eliminating instances where TAs feel out place when left under the care of students with particular special needs.

The curricula should be designed in such a way that it accommodates the needs of both typical students and those with special needs. Students who learn differently due to the emotional, behavioral or physical shortcomings always find themselves on the receiving end. The government should come forth to address these challenges outwardly, and in the event, reduce the suffering of students and their TAs. Quality education should be the way to go and anything less should not be allowed. Therefore, the right interventions should come to play through the efforts of all stakeholders both in private and public spheres.

In conclusion, the Mackenzie article does not fall short to capture all the gaps that exist in the current framework of imparting knowledge to needy students. TAs are keen to offer their free advice on what they are facing in their career. Implementing their proposal as captured in this article would go a long way in ensuring evidence-based learning comes to play. Children with special educations need to get the best education on earth just like the typical children and this can only take place if policymakers lend the TAs a listening ear towards changing things for better. Failing to listen to the TAs will be like accepting the status quo and the education system may never realize its full potential.

References

Capella University. (2013). What are the Challenges of Being a Special Education Teacher? Retrieved from https://www.special-education-degree.net/what-are-the-challenges-of-being-a-special-education-teacher/

chambers, C. (2012). Special Education’s Challenges. Retrieved from District Administration: https://www.districtadministration.com/article/special-education%E2%80%99s-challenges

Mackenzie, S. (2011). Yes, but . . .’: rhetoric, reality and resistance in teaching assistants’ experiences of inclusive education. Support for Learning, 26(2), 65-71. Retrieved 2018