If you’re looking for a way to make a difference in your community, an education support job may be right for you. These workers perform a variety of administrative, instructional, and behavioral duties for schools.
Newly hired education supports often receive a brief orientation or grace period before taking on their daily job tasks. During this time, they observe classrooms and other staff to ensure they have the knowledge and skill set needed for the job.
Administrative Support
An educational administrator focuses on long-range planning to improve school performance. These professionals work with staff members and teachers to research and identify effective teaching techniques. They also plan the assessment and make sure students are learning in a positive environment.
They maintain labour relations and provide grievance portals where employees can talk about their issues with the administration. They might also organise a staff meeting and help teachers solve their problems.
Another important role of educational administrators is to monitor their teachers’ performance to ensure they are following the right teaching methods. They also provide guidance to the teachers and motivate them to excel.
A study led by a professor at Kansas State University suggests that better administrative support is more important than salary to keep teachers in the profession. It is cheaper for schools to retain these workers than to increase their salaries.
Instructional Support
In many public schools, teachers are responsible for the academic support of students who have learning and thinking differences. This is provided through the use of instructional strategies, special techniques, and methods to help these students succeed in regular classroom settings.
In general, education support services are based on teamwork and collaboration between teachers, parents, students and other professionals. These services may include tutoring, open use computer labs, writing centers, academic advising and advocacy, as well as other activities that are required for students to be successful in the classroom.
The goal of education support is to provide students with a variety of learning opportunities that cultivate academic curiosity, encourage critical thinking and promote language skills. This includes providing teachers with the professional learning they need to integrate high quality curricular materials into their teaching practices and interactions.
Behavioral Support
Behavioral support is a vital component of education support services. It includes the assessment and implementation of positive behavior intervention strategies to help students who exhibit problematic behaviors in the classroom.
Those who provide behavioral support in school settings must have excellent interpersonal skills and strong leadership abilities. They also need to have organizational skills with attention to detail to keep meticulous records of each student’s progress.
These teachers often work one-on-one or in small groups with at-risk and behaviorally challenged youth to implement positive behavior strategies. They use a range of research-based strategies to increase appropriate behavior in each student.
This strategy provides a proactive response to behaviors that interfere with learning, rather than a reactive one. It creates an upward cycle of positive interactions, safe and supportive environments, and better student outcomes.
Transportation Support
School transportation is an important aspect of ensuring students are able to attend their schools safely and comfortably. It can also improve access to educational and enrichment opportunities, such as museums, libraries and community events.
For example, extending bus routes to a wider radius can help promote equitable transportation in a low-income neighborhood. This could include adding sidewalks, bike lanes and other amenities to enhance safety and encourage social interaction among student commuters.
Alternatively, alternative school transportation solutions can also increase accessibility for all. For example, HopSkipDrive provides rides to kids who may otherwise be excluded from the regular bus routes.
Educators can also seek out partnerships with local ride-sharing companies and automotive manufacturers to boost equitable access to school transportation. This kind of collaboration can provide students with free rides to their school of origin, and it may even lead to policymakers reallocating funds to help schools upgrade their infrastructure.