Education Assistant Diploma Program

Program Overview

This program prepares students to become Education Assistants in various settings, including schools, childcare centers, and community programs. It covers essential skills such as communication, child development, supporting students with exceptionalities, and behavior management. The program also includes a practicum experience to apply theory and skills in a real-world setting.

Program Outline

Outline:

• Orientation and Student Success Skills: Explores transitioning as a college student, reviews learning styles, enhances critical thinking, and familiarizes students with available resources.
Covers student success skills, teaching effective study habits based on personal learning style. Includes life skills exercises on communication, accountability, teamwork, self-awareness, and understanding impact on others.
• Interpersonal Communications I: Develops foundational skills for effective communication in professional work environments.
Focuses on practical strategies for communication between students, co-workers, and school environment. Enhances awareness of communication style.
• Working in Canadian Schools: Provides an overview of the BC Public School System and examines historical considerations that gave rise to current practices.
Explores roles and responsibilities of Education Assistants within inclusive educational settings. Considers team approaches to enhance understanding of the school experience. Raises awareness of diversity in Canadian classrooms and introduces trauma informed practices.
• Life Span Development: Examines how children and adolescents grow and develop, providing understanding for effective support based on developmental considerations.
Explores concepts used to explain human development and theories describing child growth and development. Facilitates development of personal philosophy of child development.
• Theory and Principles of Learning: Provides understanding of the brain and various teaching and learning strategies.
Focuses on the brain and how learning is developed. Develops awareness of individual learning style, providing opportunities to explore teaching and learning strategies used in classroom settings.
• Supporting Students with Exceptionalities: Examines students with exceptionalities from a perspective of diverse learners.
Focuses on behavioural, communication, intellectual, physical, and multiple exceptionalities that may be encountered as an EA, as well as various support strategies to enable student success. Emphasizes developing ethical and professional approaches to care, and skills to understand, respect, and promote self-determination of individuals with exceptionalities.
• Observation and Recording: Teaches meaningful observation and purposeful capture of information contained in children's behaviour.
Introduces theory of observation and recording, focusing on purpose, standards, influences, and methods used in classroom settings. Develops awareness of professional conduct through understanding confidentiality and individual rights to privacy. Focuses on general characteristics of each recording method, and application of knowledge through general observation principles and recording methods outside of the classroom setting.
• Supporting and Adapting Curriculum: Examines philosophy, goals, and content of elementary and secondary school curriculums, with a focus on English language arts, social studies, mathematics, and science.
Focuses on the role of the EA and demonstrates ways to support and adapt the curriculum under supervision of classroom teachers.
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Assistive Technology: Explores Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and its importance for children experiencing Complex Communication Need (CCN).
Focuses on enhancing quality of life, creating opportunities for social engagement, and providing children with ability to control their environment. Examines Speech and Language Pathologist Assistant's responsibilities. Emphasizes effective implementation of SLP plans using evidence-based practices, and development of skills required to support child communication using AAC.
• Interpersonal Communications II: Develops skills and knowledge for effective communication.
Focuses on communication competence, ability to convey meaning, share ideas, and connect with others successfully, forming the foundation of strong interpersonal skills.
• Understanding and Supporting Behaviour: Enhances understanding and support of behaviour.
Explores behaviour through a trauma informed lens and discusses possible underlying reasons for behaviour. Teaches ways to proactively prevent behaviour and support students who are experiencing challenging behaviour.
• POPARD: Delivered by Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders (POPARD), this course consists of two week-long workshops: Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder and Applied Behaviour Analysis.
Reflects current research and evidence-based practice in teaching students with ASD. Uses research-based methods of effective adult instruction, including practical hands-on activities, demonstrations, coaching, and application exercises, as well as various ways of evaluating participant learning. Provides overview of ABA history and theory, emphasizing practical applications in school settings. Offers opportunities to practice teaching using discrete trial and task analysis formats. Examines how ABA principles are applied to other teaching situations and program development for students with autism spectrum disorders.
• Career Search Strategies: Teaches effective networking, preparation of targeted resumes and cover letters, and follow-up in job search.
Provides personalized critique of resume, cover letter, and online profiles, and offers opportunities to practice and perfect interview skills.
• Consolidated Practice Experience: Provides opportunity to apply learned theory and practical skills in a school setting.
Focuses on making connections between theory and practice as a vital aspect of learning, and emphasizes self-reflection and self-evaluation for continued professional growth and development. Includes working in a school setting and completing weekly reflective journals, providing opportunity for critical reflection and ongoing feedback from assigned Stenberg College Practicum Monitor.

Teaching:

• Teaching Methods: Combines online instructor-led classes with in-person practicum experience for a blended learning approach.
• Faculty: Natalie Taylor-Lane (Department Head and Instructor), Richelle Turner (Instructor), Sandi Binding (Instructor), Brian Wilms (Instructor), Rosey Hussein (Instructor), and Ria Irvine (Instructor).
• Unique Approaches: Includes POPARD certifications in Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder and Applied Behaviour Analysis, providing in-depth knowledge and skills in supporting students with autism and related disorders.
Emphasizes trauma-informed practices and a focus on student diversity and inclusion.

Careers:

• Education Assistants in public, private, and faith-based schools
• After school programs
• Childcare centers
• Community or youth drop-in centers
• Residential settings, parks, and recreation programs
• Home and respite care
• Behaviour Interventionists